The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-12
NEW loRk's NEw BRIDGE.
Tower. 10 he 90 Feet Higher Than
the brooklyn bridge.
Fan " Mayo IN Alnsloe's.


the brooklyn bridge.
Earl W MAYO tn Alnslecs.
40 better illustration Of the rapidlty
with which the ar, Of bridge construction
has been advancing IN this country could
bc obtained thon VIII b. presented by
these TWO bridges Of almost equal dimcn-
sions standing only a mile apart The
Brooklyn Bridge Is. comparatively speak
inc new structure. II was opened for
trafiic in 1884 Nevertheless. che new
span while built on the same principle,
VIII De- very different ia general appear
anro.
'rhc contrast tsaf viii appeal most
strikueiy to the eye IN "a comparison Of
the swo structures will be IN the appear
1nee ~ The great towers carrying the ca
hios on which ihe bridges rest In the
Brooklyn bridge these towers are 81 solid
masonry for their full hight and their d.
mansions bring home 20 every behoider
an idea 81 solldity and strength Firm
ls sne eternal hills whence we came. they
seem 20 say IN the new bridge the ma
soury piers will extend only "a short dis
lance above mo water The towers viii
be 81 skeleton steel construction. Slender
and open. gprnulng away % tho hight u
335 feet they VIII look llght and fragile
hes DC the cold stone Of the older bridge.
nut steel plates and angles are as durable
Is masonry, much cheaper, more elastic
ard easier 20 erect or the Brooklyn
bridge the towers weigh FIVE times as
much as an the rest OF the structure to-
gcshcr or the East river bridge they
Nill weigh about the same as the main
spain The suhet tuition Of steel for stone
q bridge work o. an American develop
ment. ~ has made American bridges the
llghtest and cbeapcs' ir the world
Next 20 tho tower. the most unique
feature Of the new bridge viii be the
great Slnening truss which viii extend
from pier 10 pier. In the pas; one diff
Guilty with suspension bridges has been
tho sway.rg OF the main span due TO the
force Of the winds OF the shocks incident
90 traffic The truss will prevent this.
will give stability 10 the structure and
viii relieve the strain which otherwise
would como upon the towers ana coolies.
II VIII be OF steel forty-dvc feet high.
great metal fence along each side OF the
! bridge roadway.
The work 81 building the East river
/ hrid.e may be said 10 have hcgn In 1892.
when the charter for Il was granted. Il
/ Nas not until three years later. however.
/ hat the plans were completed ana the
| LEGAL difficulties cleared away. Then the
! titles Of New York and Brooklyn, at that
] ime two diferent municipalities. took up
/ me matter and turned 90 over 70 a Commi So
sion which has had e IA charge since that
ime In the spring Of 1897 the work OF
actual construction was begun ana has
| since gone steadily on. The construction
! ~ the bridge began, as one might natur-
/ ally suppose. with the laying OF the fOun-
ia'ions But these have been built. con-
/ trary 10 natural superstition. from the top
| downward. The task Of carrying the foun-
J -.
/ and mud Of the river has been accom-
a'ished hy means Of calssons such as are
now used In oil underwater work Of this
/ nature
THE tops Of the four masonry piers OF
! the completed bridge are 70 he twenty
! our feet above high water The towers
/ viii rise above them TO the hight OF 335
feet sixty feet higher than those Of the
/ Brooklyn bridge. The object In having
.oftier towers ls 20 give sharper denec-
non 10 the cabies carrying the bridge plat
form than there Is IN the older bridge.
The main span OF the bridge viii be
| supported by four cables each one elgh-
| teen inches IN diameter. The sirans Of the
cable are 10 be three-sixteeuths Of an inch
In diameter. and s, on Of them will be re-
| qutred to make one OF the big supports.
| Each separate wire has sustaining
power of two and one-half tons. which
makes the fuil cable strength equal 10
a strain Of 10000 tons
The cables viii pass over the tops of the
steel towers on great sliding saddles.
| Their weight and that which they Will
carry Will be he'd o. position by immense
| anchoragos placed between 80 and GO feet
hack OF the bridge piers on each shore
| Thee anchora gcs are OF masonry. l00xib0
feet. and together VIII weigh. when COM
pleted, o0o tons or thirteen times as
| much as the main span OF the bridge It.
SELF
The new bridge viii be a mile and
three-cighihs So length 49, feet above the
water IN the center. and IT'S feet wide. Il
is intended 10 carry two elevated railroad
racks. carriage ways. foot and bicycle
paths IL Is estimated that the cost Of
Tho bridge proper viii be H.50oo0o. bat
with tine expense Of approaches the cost
will more nearly reach l2.0lo0o."