The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-04
SOME WONDERFUL BRIDGES,

Earl W. Mayo, in Ainsces.
BY its position, New York Is certain to be.
come city Of many and mighty bridges. The
Brooklyn bridge has been one of the city's
glories since its completion, and has been
reckoned one of the wonders Of the world. But
other bridges far surprising it are now pro-
iccted. To unite the two great cities which
now constitute the greater city, no less than
four new bridges to span the East river are
planned actually in process Of construction
On the western side Of the city the greatest
bridge of the world is projected to cross the
Hudson, and contracts for its erection have
been let. Add to these the existing Brooklyn
bridge, and the half dozen great spans that now
cross the Harlem, and New York seems to be
in fair way soon to realize its destiny in this
particular direction.
OF these various enterprises the one furthest
nfoot at present is the now East River bridge.
1t is to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan az
point about a mile above the present bridge.
Its piers arc now above the water, and, as those
familiar with bridge building are aware, this
means that in point Of time 1t is more than
half completed. According TO the plans of
the constructors, it is TO be ready for use by
the end Of the year 1901. The work Of build.
ing the East River bridge may be said to have
begun in 1892, when the charter for it was
granted. 1t was not until three years later,
however, that the plans were completed and the
legal difficulties cleared away. In the spring
Of 1897 the work Of actual construction be-
gun and has since gone steadily on. The tops
OF the four masonry piers Of the completed bridge
are to be twenty three feet above high water.
The towers will rise above them TO the height
Of 335 feet, or sixty feet higher than those Of
the Brooklyn bridge. The object in having
lofticr towers is to give sharper detection to
the cables carrying the bridge platform than
there is in the older bridge The main span
OF the bridge will be supported by four cables,
each one eighteen inches in diameter The
strands of the cable are to be thrce.siXtccnths
Of an inch in diameter and 6s,OOO of them will
be required to make one of the big supports.
Each separate wire has sustaining power Of
two and onc.half tons which makes the full
cable strength equal to a strain of 10000 tons
| The cables will pass over the tops Of the steel
| towers on great sliding saddles. Their weight
and that which they will carry will be held
| in position by immense anchorages placed be-
tween 500 and COO feet back Of the bridge piers
| on each shore. These anchoragcs are of ma
| sonry, lOOxlj0 feet, and together will weigh
| when completed 100000 tons, or thirteen times
az much as the main span Of the bridge Itself
| The bridge will be mile and three'cighths
| in length, l35 feet above the water in the con-
| ter, and lis fet wide. 1t is intended to carry
| two elevated railroad tracks, four surface car
| tracks carriage ways, foot and bicycle paths
1t Is estimated that the cost of the bridge
| proper will be 81, 500 900, but with the expense
| Of approaches the cost will more nearly reach
| Sl2, 100000
Although the new East River bridge is to
surpass the Brooklyn bridge as an engineering
marvel, 1t is not likely to hold first place for
| long. 1t will he ccpsed almost as soon as it
| Ia pvfah h,ro lriI he