New-York tribune., 1901-07-27
NEW BRIDGE TO BE BETTER.
STRONGER STEEL IN IT-COMMISSIONER
LANE CHARGES NEGLECT ON
OLD ONE.

Smith E. Lane. one of the commissioners Of the
New East River Bridge, said the trouble on the
bridge was due to the poor material used neglect
and the absence of paint
I'm the new bridge" he said I'VE will not have
basic steel. That is the material used in the
Brooklyn bridge 1t is too cheap We using
open hearth acid steel. 1t costs much more. but
is safer This bridge is being built with all the
experience that has been gained from the con-
struction of the old one. and propose to have
it as much better later improvements in the
manufacture of steel and the progress that has
been made in bridge building will permit
1T may not be proper for to say So but
the Brooklyn bridge is ovcrburdened and ne
elected. Engineers should examine the work
thoroughly and often. II not engineers, then
men who are experts in such work. It is not
difficult to discover a defect. and l gather that
some of the defects that have caused the
trouble were known long ago.
There is some talk about the vibration hav-
ing been the cause of the breaks This is not
SO. unless conditions that We're established when
the bridge was built have been violated or alb
rogated. In suspension bridge rigidity is d
desrability, but not necessity. II is subject
TO a constant swaying. which It is built to
dure. IT, however, any part that is arranged
to yield with the motion Of the bridge is tight
ened by reason OF rust or any other result OF
neglect the swaying motion becomes q menace.
| apprehend that this is what occurred.
For the preservation OF bridge. any other
steel or iron structure, In fact. IL is necessary
paint frequently and thoroughly. Rust must
not be allowed TO form anywhere. Rust is the
bane of a bridge. and nothing will more quickly
contribute to its destruction. | understand that
painting has not been carefully attended TO
as it should have been. a force of twenty men
TO paint all the bridges in NewYork Is absurdly
small and cannot possibly do the work.
The bridge is carrying load that II was never
intended 10 carry. The towers and cables can
support all that can be put on them but the
part that is suspended from the cables is too
light for the work II has 70 do The flooring ia
not heavy enough and the suspender rods have
proved their inadequacy. From tower to tower
the work Is too light carry the long trains and
the numerous trolley cars that cross II every
day"
the construction OF the Manhattan end OF the
new East River Bridge. declined to discuss the
breaks, saying that II would not be fair for him
of them.
The bridge will be much larger" he
said, than the old one that comparison cannot
be made We examining every piece OF
material thoroughly, and will not use any that
Will not stand the most rigid test. ! do not
know, except from reading the papers, anything
about what has happened. If there is fault in
construction, will not fall into the same
error, because able TO use all the expert
| ence that gained there. II IL is in material
| we will avoid 1t, for the reason / have men.
| toned. If the damage resulted from neglect
| there is provision we can make against II
| happening on the new bridge. More than this
| | do not care to say"