New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-29

bridge. Looking at the Work from any punt VI
view at present a,tairable il IS bewilderng INNS,
especially when the drawspln is turned parallel
with the river. Then. it seems 10 stragsie 'oM@'u
several points Of the compass. and threaten 10 eau
off 20 more. In fact. every line In the topography
Of that part Of town seems with reference 10 every
other line. stand in what would be styled IN the
vigorously expressive speech OF the West. sIunch-
wise" position. Observation-Disclosures 10 on
a line with the end Of Observation-Disclosures
nothing IS vslbly at right angles with anything
ese curved lines cut through sharp and ob;use
angles in the most confusing way, and with ali 'h's
the new bridge. with its approaches seems TO be In
harmony Yet a ground plan Of it, such as is pre-
scented here, does not look SO weird as the thihg
itself
The drawspan of the bridge is 4oS feet in length
This gives 100 feet Of clear water on each SIDE OF
the caisson-six;y feet more than is required by
law To this lead two approaches from the Man
haitian Island side, short one OF l46 ieet a. inc
end of the old Maconbs Dam road, ana siupen-
dous one. 17Ss feet long, viaduct when rises 10
the top OF ST. Nicholas Place hill, on the line OF
y-ffth-st. This viaduct Is. in
common with the other approaches. sixty feet vide
and rises iron columns 10 a height OF sNty-hVe
feet, passing the One-huncTed- y-htth-
st. station Of the elevated railway. on the other
side of the river the Jeromeave approach stretches
away in the form of a crescent. LOO feet long,
with spur. called the Ogden-ave. approach-ihough
A. actually seems 10 belong more TO Sedgwick-ave.
which is 800 feet long All this is bridge struc-
ture Of iron, supported upon eight Inason-"ork
piers with Pile foundations and one the northern,
bedded on the solid rock In the course OF this ap-
proach Is one span OF 220 feet. handsome truss
structure. crossing tho Hudson River Railroad
tracks. The plan showing the earth conditions on
the line of this work. ascertained by many Dor
ings, shows a rather alarming series OF streaks
marked gray quicksand' and red quicksand' IN
terspersed among plain sand and mud. with an ex-
ceedngly irregular bed Of rock beneath all II was
however. found practicable 10 lay out a lire that
evades all the danger spots and puts the construc-
ton upon safe foundations throughout, SO that, in
the estimation OF the engineers, ii has been "an
easy job" The end piers OF the bridge and the cen
tra sustaining the machinery for operating the
drawspan. are Of built Of cut stone and
based upon the solid rock.
The bridge and approaches, exclusive OF the via
duct will have cost, when completed. the full sum
of $4,000 appropriated for this improvement. The
cost of the viaduct added this. brings the grand
total up TO 100000 That 1t will De factor OF in
cslculable value IN building up the Tweajyfourth
Ward TO which It gives direct access from the lower
part OF the city. is unQuestionab!e.
Already the residents OF the Twenty-thir1 Ward
the eastern portion Of the great North S!de-are
earnestly pressing their claims for Ike serving OF
their interests by the construction or similar, or
perhaps greater, bridge TO cross the Harlem
River from about the end of Firs-ave OF the
5000 population added 10 these wards In the last
five years. at least three-fourths on this East
Side, and seven-eighths of the Commercial. and
manufacturing interests. II not more are also here.
The Central Bridge will be OF little direct benefit
to this section. but spanning the river near Its
mouth would not only give enormous impetus
TO business already established In this territory,
and vastly increase the value of its real estate. but
would afford much-reeded overflow for the
densely crowded East Side of the downtown" city.
That such a bridge WILL be afforded in the near fu-
ture is not questioned. and the plans of the Depart
mcnt OF Public Works the North Side d.
rected by Commissioner iaffen. are based upon
that attainment as a foregone conclusion
The work OF constructing roadway across Crom-
wells Creek, in place Of the old wooden bridge,
on WITH rcprehensibe siOwness Thomas Barry
the contractor for the work, had originally 200 days
son. during which the doing OF mason-work for tne
department is prohibited His time was up at the
:nconvenienced by his delay have grim satsfac-
ton in the fact tina, he is now under penalty for
team. possibly teams, hauling stone. and employs
as they arrive. incidentally placing some OF them IT
tac nstructIon. which expected to be. al some
the lumber. brick and coal dealers in the neighbour
hS2a IN Shy
to oIive mile around 10 cross nc creek by TIE
difficulty their former patrons have in reaching
them to give orders has diverted their trade else
s sfre business ann Tn this work Is compeed Is
S Ssv0s Of Whch
the only straight and level way across from Third
as S1 he 0f & o. s nd
thrilled many citizens Of the Twenty-third Ward
last week because Of proceedings in that street
First. a great gang Of men appeared, and with sur
prising energy tore up the pavement. laid railway
tracks and planted posts for the support OF a troll
lev wire. The rumor spread swiftly that within a
month trolley-cars would be running across from
Thrd-ave TO the One-hundred-a nd ffty-hfih-st sta
ton OF the West Side elevated railway and the
vgor with which the work vas being pushed actu-
ally seemed TO promise realization OF that hope
leaving OF consideration. OF course. the dlatory
tactics OF Barry at CromweLs Creek. BY Friday
Morrisave. with gaps at crossings. which could be
lied in day SecOni
IS understood 10 have had much more solid
formulation became current to tne enect maj ne
TO hold Its franchise against possible claim Jumpers
and did not propose 10 operate the ROAD Tor nYe
years TO come. Detection Y perhaps hardly strong
enough word TO express the feelings OF the people
Interested. Evaporation would be more near.y
correct.
Residents OF Morris-ave. have been for Two years
IN agony OF expectancy and apprehension con-
corning the threatened improvements" which would
change the line of that avenue, take away all the
fine old elms now adjoining II. and destroy a long
line Of cherished gardens. They may now breathe