Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-15
VIEW roRKs \ EW BnrDGE.


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Towers Of Skeleton steel to be sixsy Feet
Higher Than Brooklyn Bridge.
Earl W. aTayo in,Anslee's,
2 iit'No better illustration Of the
rapidly with which the art of bridge
construction has been advancing in
this county could be obtained than
will 20 presented by these two bridges
of almost equal dimensions, standing
is, comparatively speaking, new
structure. Il was opened for traffic in
1854. Nevertheless, the new span, while
built on the same principle, will be
very different In general appearance.
THE contrast that will appeal most
strikingly to the eye 10 comparison
Of the two structures will be in the
appearance of the great towers carry
ing the cables on which the bridges
rest. In the Brooklyn Bridge these
towers are Of solid masonry for their
full height, and their Dimensions bring
home to every behoder an idea of
solidity and strength. Firm as the
eternal hills whence we came, they
seem to say. In the new bridge the
masonry piers will extend DC y short
distance above the water. The towers
will be Of skeleton steel construction.
Slender and open, springing away TO
! the height of 1876 feet, they will look
| light and fragile beside the solid stone
Of, the older bridge. But steel plates
and angles are as durable as masonry,
much cheaper, more elastic and easier
TO erect. or the Brooklyn Bridge the
towers weigh five times as much as all
| the rest of the structure together. OF
the East River Bridge they will weigh
about the same as the main span. The
substitution of steel for stone in bridge
work is an American development. 1t
has mnde American bridges tho llghtest
and cheapest in the world.
| - Next to the towers, the most unique
| feature OF the new bi idge will be the
| great stiffening truss which will extend
from pier to pier. In the past one
| difficulty with suspension bridges has
been the swaying OF the main span due
to the force Of the winds or the shocks
incident to traffic. The truss will
prevent this, will give stability to the
structure and will relieve the strain
which otherwise would come upon the
towers and cable. 1t will be of steel.
| As feet high, II great metal fence along
each side of the bridge roadway.
THE work of building the East
| ItNof lJIiusd may no poia w huhC
| 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, Then the cities of New
York and Brooklyn, at that time two
different municipalities. took up the
matter and turned it over to COM
mission which has had it in charge
since that time. In the spring of 1897
the work of actual construction was
begun and has since gone steadily on.
The construction of the bridge began.
i as one might naturally suppose, with
the laying of the foundations. But
these have been built, contrary to
natural superstition, from the top
downward. The task of carrying the
foundations to bed rock. beneath the
water and mud Of the river, has been
accomplished by means of caissons
such as are now used in all under
water work of this nature.
''The tops of the four masonry piers
of the completed bridge are 10 be %
feet above high water. The towers
will rise above them to the height OF
335 feet, or go feet higher than those
OF the Brooklyn Bridge. The object in
having loftier towers is to give q
sharper DETECTION to the cables carry.
ing the bridge platform than there is
in the older bridge.
"The main span OF the bridge will
be supported by four cables, each one
is inches in diameter. The strands oil
the cable are to be three-sixteenths Of
an inch in diameter, and 6S,000 Of
them will be required to make one Of
the big supports. Each separate wire
has sustaining power of two and one
, half tons, which makes the full cable
strength equal to a strain of 1000
tons. N
j."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 10 position
by immense anchorages placed between
500 and 600 feet back Of the bridge
piers on each shore. These anchoragel
are Of masonry, 100xl50 feet, ant
together will weigh, when completed
100, 900 tons, or Is times as much d
;hnjmain span of the bridge itself.
"Tne new bridge will be mile ant
,, three eighths in length, 135 feet abov'
the water in the CENTRE, and lis fee
wide. 1t is intended to carry tw,
elevated Yiailroad tracks, four surfac,
car tiacks, carriage ways, foot ant
bicycle paths. 1t is estimated tina
the cost Of the bridge proper will b.
81, 500. 600, but with the expense o
approaches the cost will more nearl.
reach s12, 600, 000."