The record-union., 1895-08-10

pleted in ten years. Fifteen years were
required to erect the Brooklyn bridge.
The span between tho two piers of the
North River bridge is to be lilo feet
long, an achievement which few years
ago was not considered possible, and
which Is nearly twice as long as the long
est span in the cantilever bridge over the
Firth of Forth. That is 100 feet, and at
present ls the longest in the world. The
| river span OF the Brooklyn bridge is but
l.595 feet inches.
| The North River bridge will be q rail-
road bridge only at first. But roadways
| for local service of various sorts may fol-
low. six sets OF tracks are to be laid, and
over them will roll the vast traffic bound
Tor and from regions In the North, South
and W est. Ihe structure is to cross from
point between Slxty-eighth and Sixty
ninth streets on the New York side to
| point on the New Jersey side above the
landmg place of the Weehawken ferry
| boats that run from Eorty-second and
Jay streets. 1t is contemplated that the
station III this city will occupy the blocks
| between Seventh and Eighth avenues and
! / orty-second and Forty fourth streets
and portion OF the blocks between
| Eighth and Ninth avenues and Forty
second and Forty-iourth streets, and that
| Ou me New J0IS0y sue we SldtlOu WIZ Do
| little to the west OF the Palisades.
! through which, near the top, cut will be
| made.
The approach in this city, according to
| official documents, Will be viaduct start
ing from point between the Sixty
| eighth and SiXty-ninth-Street limit,
thence curving TO the right on curve
with radius of CD feet to SiXty-s th
street; thence On a curve with radius of
900 feet to Eleventh avenue; thence 10
| point twenty-five and one-half feet south
! of FOrty-siXth street; thence to point
400 feet east of Eleventh avenue; thence
easterly parallel To Forty-third street to
point fifty feet distant to the west line of
Seventh avenue.
These intentions, however, may not all
be carried out to the letter. Maps show
ing details of possible locations in this
city Will be sent IN few days to the War
! department Board of Engineers, in
| accordance with request from it
received last week by Secretary Swan,
and the board will settle the matter.
| The more important railroad cOmpa-
MES which will be benefited by the
bridge are the Pennsylvania, the Con-
trail of New Jersey, the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western, the Erie, the New
York, Susquehanna aud. Western, the
New York, Ontario and Western, the
West Shore and incidentally the New
York Central Whether they will be-
come subscribers TO the bridge securities
Secretary : wan could not say. No bonds
or stock have yet been issued.
The plan which Secretary Lamont ap-
proved was designed by Engineer Charles
Macdonald, of the Union Bridge Com
pany, which corporation will, 1t is under
| stood, undertake the construction OF the
| bridge Oh a percentage-oi-cost basis
To IVOrtd reporter last week Mr.. Mac
hat al fnr oil
seen delays, the bridge could be COM
pleted in ten years from the time at
which the work was begun.
Here are some Interesting details of the
dimensions and location of various sec
tions of the proposed bridge, the most
interesting being. OF course. the great
span, which. stated, is to be 3,1l0
feet clear III length. The distance be-
tween the bottom OF the bridge and high
water will be $50 feet. That of the
brooklyn Bridge is 135 feet. The towers,
or piers, on both sides, from which twelve
heavy cables will be strung, are each to
be 5o, feet in hight from the high water
line, which hight Is greater than that of
the Washington monument in the District
of Columbia.
Each tower will be composed of eight
legs OF steel, and the legs of each will
stand on SIX ca5slOns. The width of the
tow ers at their bases will be l6S feet each.
Inc tower Oh the New Ork side Will
stand go feet from the shore. which posi-
ton is inside of the pler-head line; that
is, the line lii the river to which a steam
ship pier may ex tend. The tower Oh the
New Jersey SIDE viii stand 400 feet from
the shore. The masonry on the New
\ ork side which constitutes the anchor
age for that side will be $50 by $50 feet,
ON the New Jersey side the cables will be
anchored III the rocks of the Palisades.
The distance from the center OF the New
York tower tp the end of the New York
anchorage will be !, ,lS4 feet, and that from
the Jersey tower TO the anchorage will be
$3.50 feet. The cables are to be attached
rIgldly TO the towers without roller Shoes
On the New York side they will be se-
cured to the masonry anchorage through
tunnels and will be open for inspection
the entire length. On the New Jersey
side there will bo tunnels in the solid rock
for inspection OF the anchorage.
The width of the bridge, 'out to out"
that is, from side to side, will be IA feet.
The floor beams will be forty feet apart
anu between them will be torty-teet
'stringers," one under each OF the twelve
rails. which Will be- abreast on the same
leve.-New York World.