The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-04
ELEVATED ROAD IS SAFE.
CONTRADICT CROKER'S
HEtLTH BOARDS REPORT.

N N"h
A,p.xy, May 3.-The report OF the inspectors
n, Richard Cookers New York city Health
poord Tint the structure OF the Manhattan
Elevated Railroad Is unsafe. is contradicted by
A. insnectors OF the State Railroad Commits
sion who have been examining the structure
since January last. To-day j. ID. Schultz, the
commissions official inspector. reported to
tint body that the safety OF the Manhattan's
.trncture was beyond question. and further
more that it was in an excellent physical con-
dition. The recommendations made by Mr..
Schultz for improvements to the structure
would involve an expenditure OF not more than
100000. The COMMISSIONS electrical expert.
= r Barnes. who made an examination in
January with reference to the action OF cleo
trolysis on the structure. reported to-day as
follows:
AFTER examination l find that there has
boon ma serious damagec caused by electrolysis
70 The structure Of the Manhattan Railway
Corunpy Of the city Of New York. To prevent
damage to the supporting columns OF this
s,rrcture in the future. | make the following
recommendation: That the Manhattan Rail-
vay Company Immediately put their structure
In such condition that at no point will 1t be
n,sitiya to other conductors in the ground
morc than one volt. and that this condition be
maintained,
The commissions inspectors investigated
the condition OF the Manhattan C%ompany's
structure in the regular routine Of their work.
and such inspection was commenced before
Richard Cookers attack upon George ]. Gould
smr we're received and adopted and the
following letter was sent to President George
ALBANY, NY. Mays,
acopy Of the report OF the electrical! expert OF
this board Of his recent inspection Of the Man
haitian .n Rni aIss3r oiGpipanSSlis so sf tpeIoses Eish e osf1
his inspection Of the physical condition Of the
The recommendations Of the electrical expert
and OF the.inspector are hereby made the rec.
concentrations 81 ms s. So kEsros Z s sser eGsrS."
,n In u his 5spS5t R an ths p strustnre eo1 fnspeeto Of
THE inspection Of the Manhattan system
was commenced on March II. and continped
ure the entire length 9. all its lines. frequently
h Tor order to more closely examine those places
where columns and tracks are widely separated.
and columns. and a general view was obtained
q sirdsrS; connections. &e; from the e,t under
SiSss! Hlpin sS"S vls fSSPn' iso% T. tie e s ss5s1 of II
TEN, frequently going beneath the ties among
Their thu E vs4ioss pr par 1sas snd e iESsain6f f at the soa a.
~nections with tops OF columns and with each
G Geiscts. ' of3en l0f 9esfiae '0 all i0 the r riyets " WITH Hfne a
hammer for an entire span, and sometimes
several d spans nsnsc continuously snY0s%rsyltyb;,np9 During sI, this part 1T
and stations was also examined. and in fact
and a1 opera: o%perstion Of the road j. we're serutinized.,
No weak or defective foundations were dis
show, cracks at the top. but they were not
found to extend far. and the fact that the lead
weakness has resulted tRereirom and that the
cracks were doubtless made previous. to or
during the erection. Boadmaster Black. who
the cracks, were made at that, time BY the in
s~ertion OF iron wedges to plumb the columns.
t Ar5sns aos airea aFs BANDED %a to p aSg Saaa pos.
sibllity Of the cracks, extending. Some of
placed in the street are broken. but they
were placed there only, to prevent trucks
and and have Sss Ssshtp IRON g S 81 xiFh q: ssssspS sS5SRR 81
strengthening the columns, The columns
used are Of various kinds. but all indicate
their safety were discovered. The anchorage
has proven efficient. Only one column was
that was less than ,one-sixteenth Of an inch.
The transverse girders on all lines. excepting
are in good condition. showing no Indication
OF excessive detection or bending. and are very
Tree re- from pmn Loose si s;rdsrs some ONE plat PLATE . Lattice s1 and and
H. good condition and Of sufficient strength.
The suburban line, excepting on private ground.
sign and great strength. The longitudinal
.o oaIr1S ID type. al are a1"s Of a ! great at1 variety Hs o.
weights and depths. to meet local requirements
span, Nearly all the lighter Orders Of this
type have been strengthened by the addition Of
another y v set Of diag Sthaa T tSo IIaa dg ga55ss are re
the Ninth avenue line. Theseugirders l do not
calculate weak. nor do they show indications Of
bsyonid tn the all allowable safe limit 1ste'' OA0'f ''"''
whether, any deterioration had taken place
id ron iH the the twenty ;niS years service sT,s,d to Which Tas 1.-THE the
subjected. a diagonal brace at the end Of one
Of the lightest girders was removed and tested
'n :x Iew z ia SsFy h sIIds SFs ae. Of as isSp' and quite a
proportion OF plate. Pin;connectedd deck trussss
are used on the high portion Of the Sixth
s%Sndition iia and ae 81 s lfssH ntf Strength ST al 4 y%aI aoUs
places on the Ninth avenue line. through
inch plate, 2irders have been doubled by plac:
Ing one above the, other. TIL connections OF
hold their position and are abundantly strong.
Anew expansion bolts were found bent. broken
t tp mls fhsx v but upon upon ate attention rsn,ac being called to
On the Ninth avenue line. through Green
wleh street. the most thorough examination
49, many III uSSouhb-o - eho ~
safety OF that portion OF the road having been
Questioned. Not q loose .rivet in main girder
members was found and but a few in lateral
connections. The DETECTION under trains was
measured in a great many PLACES. and the
greatest found was seven-sixteenths Of an inch
mcentre Of a flfty-three-foot span. The lateral
movement or sway was also measured at top
OF Orders, where 1t would be greatest. and in
n cease did the total movement exceed five:
s~ixteenths Of an inch Tor five thirty-seconds Of
~ inch each way from the normal position.
ineSe tests were made on the sinRle-column
structure. where there was no connection be-
tween the tracks excepting at stations and on
curves. Your inspector is confident that. bar
ing untoward accidents. this portion OF the
structure is thoroughly safe.
On the various, lines some open-web grid;
ers are used. which have more. metal. and
hMh q reinforcing is not considered necessary.
dhere Is, however, in some of these girders.
a. constructed, q defect which, while 1T
does not affect the safety. may materially
%sihorten the life Of the bottom chord. In
tEese Orders the two angles which form
she bottom chord are not. riveted to-
fe,.her between the panel points, and the
potion ~laterals connect with. the inner
angle OF the bottom chord about half way be-
vibration, causes a slight opening between the
snn.om chord angles, breaking the paint and
ttnoWIng water, to get In. permitting rust to
iStm. which will result in injury. This can be
enectively, corrected by rivetinR the lower