New-York tribune., 1901-08-10
PROFESSIONAL cRLTLCLSM.

The Incompetent management of the Brook
lyn Bridge has attracted great deal of pro
fcssional comment. Some days ago we called
attention to the discussion of the recent breaks
by The Engineering News" and its statement
that the trunnons of the bridge. which were
designed 10 be easily movable and lessen the
strain on the suspendcrs, have been so neglected
that they are rusted and immovable and the
cause Of a lateral strain on the suspendcr rods
which they were never expected to endure. and
which would be avoided by proper fabrication.
The Scientific American now passes equally
sharp criticism upon the officials responsible for
the abuse of the structure.
It points ont that there are some structures
whose safety IS directly proportional TO the
intelligence and care of the men appointed 10
supervise and keep them in repair, and that
steel bridge particularly a suspension bridge, is
emphatlcally one Of them. Yet 1t finds evidence
of the most gross carelessness. 1t says
That actual breakaEe should have occurred Is
to be attributed 20 lack of knowledge or lack Of
care or both. We are free confess tist recent
utterances of the engineers in charge Seem to
indicate that they not familiar with the
theoretical and practical aspects Of the problem
which is presented by the care and upkeep Of
this costly and oVerWOrked bridge as the impor-
tance OF the structure demands For proof Of
this II Is not necessary to go beyond the chief
engineers own report, in which he makes the
pender rods could not be detected until the
broken ends We're pulled up to view by the ris-
ing of the cable, while his assistant has asserted
that the broken rods were sheared on by coming
in contact with the upper edges Of the floor
beam cords. What makes the chief engineers
statement the moro disquietng is his admission
that there had been previous breakages at this
point of the bridge for II is evident that even
with practical evidence to back up theoretical
indications of weakness the bridge authorities
either did not know how or did not care TO use
that simple method of inspection by a tap of the
Ia tie
! of every Howe truss Western railroads
! AS matter of fact. the whole atmosphere in
and around the engineers office of the Brooklyn
! bridge Is particularly disquetinG in view Of the
recent critical condition OF the structure. There
| seems to have been too much of the happy go
| lucky about the mana cement
| This condemnation and that of The Engi-
neering News are not possibly chargeable to
any partisan prejudice, such as Tammany Off
| caS seek 10 represent influential with gen
eral newspapers. These Journals give the opin-
| ion Of professional engineers who know what n
bridge is and how it should he cared for. and
| they Judge the bridge administration solely on
| It's record for engineering ability The Scien-
! tific American" proceeds TO ask some questions
which it would he interesting TO have answered
| II wants to know if the officials have made any
strain sheet showing the stresses upon every
member under the most unfavorabe conditions
of temperature and loading and If they have
made expert calculations of other kinds, such
as the engineers of any private corporation hav-
| ing charge Of structure of this kind requiring
! intelligent care would certainly make Have
| the bridge authorities any of these things, or
| have they simply looked after the structure in
| 'happy-go-lucky" fashion?