New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-14
COLONEL. w. ADAMS DEAD
A PIONEER ENGINEER OF THE BRIDGE
AND NOTED FOR OTHER WORK.

Colonel Julius Walker Adams. the pioneer VI"
gneer OF the Brooklyn Bridge and commanue' u
the lst Regiment of the Long Island NoIun'oo'''
afterward the seth New-York. died at his none,
No 155 Coneress-st., yesterday morning. iro" o'N
age He had been III for the last two months
Colonel Adams, who was n second cousin Oh JUN,
cuincv Adams was one OF the most eminent anu
successful railway and bridge engineers OF .ne
century Perhaps TO him more than 10 any otiiei
one engineer IL due the credit for the construction
Of the Brooklyn Bridge. which he parity P'ai'nen
in 1855 1t is said that Colonel Adams received
his iuspirat ton from an editorial In The Tribune IN
ls49 which said, after pointed and torelDie
handling Of the subject Of municipal improvement
Of New-York City at that time:
Ferries rapidly becoming unequal to the Inn
our citizens. The only thing 10 be thought OF ~ :"
S oGs to 20 another ne in Brooklyn thus permitting
vessels Of every kind pass freely under It at az
vehicles and pedestrians. Such bridge would be-
come instantly an immense ana Imp inpo d,It '"0'
oughfare second scarcely TO broadway ITSELF
Colonel Adams began the agitation for bridge
among the wealthy men OF Brooklyn In 1855. and
after his return from the war interested WllaHi
c. Kingsley in the project on FEBRUARY T. 1907 Il
bill was passed In the Legislature Incorporating
the East River Bridge Company. Colonel Adams
wanted the bridge to go from Fulton ferry, on the
Brooklyn side to Chatham Square HIS ldea
was 10 have the body Of the bridge built OF wv"
elliptic tubes placed side by side and supported ny
ribbons of steel . 900
Colonel Adams born on october 49, lolI' Oh
Revolutionary stock He received his early educa-
ton in Boston, his native city. He was appointed
IN tbe Military Academy at West Point, but lett IL
before his graduation to follow his chosen pro-
fession Of engineering. After he LETT west fon'' III
1892 for three years he held the position Oh as
slstant engineer of the Stonington and Providence
Railway. In the early part OF 1880 he was the as
and HldGn IL
road and from March to November. 1885. he was an
engineer in the service of the State of Indiana.
From November. 1885, to April, 1886, he was the
assistant engineer Oh Ine M9fw nc o snG Ss he
was the chief engineer of the Lawrenceburg ana
indianapolis Railroad in Indiana In TIE following
cessively connected with the United states service
as chief engineer in the survey Of harbors and the
Connecticut River chief engineer of the Lawrence
and Niagara Falls Railroad and assistant engineer
He was the architect Of the Second Presbyterian
and the Unitarian churches and OF the DelaVan
vate structures From November, iS42, to October.
1874 he the chief engineer OF the Hudson River
United States drydocks. of Brooklyn. and engineer
for the Boston Water Works. For three years from
the New-York and Erie Railway During the next
several years he was the consulting engineer OF the
author of the Dictionary OF Engineering" and
many scientific treatises From December, ls52 TO
July, 1866 he was engineer for the Lexington and
Danyne Railroad. He was later chief engineer for
the Memphis and Ohio Railroad, engineer IN charge
OF the Frankfort Bridge across the Kentucky River
and architect and builder Of the Clay monument at
Lexington. Ky. He designed the sewerage and
drainage system for Brooklyn from 1857 to 1860. He
was colonel OF the engineers OF the Second Division
of the New York State Militia In 1850 chief engineer
OF the New-Haven Waterworks and architect for
the New-York Institute for the Blind. He was com
missioned colonel OF the lst Regiment OF the Long
Island Volunteers in June. 1861, and served under
General Mcclellan in the Army Of the Potomac. He
was appointed colonel OF the I'd Hawkins ZOuaves
in November 1862, and In command OF troops
stationed in Printing House Square during the draft
riots in 1863
Colonel Adams employed In various capaci-
ties as chief and consulting engineer on many Of
the important railroads OF the United States from
this time forward. From 1881 TO 1882 he was Editor
OF THE Engineering News" He was the last OF
the twelve original founders OF the American So
ciety OF Civil Engineers, and was member OF the
New-York Academy OF Science. and also of the
Association for the Advancement OF Science He
was married In 1885, his wife dying in 1883 - He
leaves daughter and grandson. He lived
in Brooklyn for fifty years. The funeral will be
held tomorrow. at 8 o'clock at the house Colonel
Adams a member OF the Second Presbyterian
Church.