The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-23
BROOKLYN BRIDGE SAFE.
The Chief Engineers Report 10 Dis
tr!Ut Attorney FhiIbIn.


NEW YORK. Sept Civilian Barclay
. Parsons. sugineer-ia-chief 90 the Rapii
Transit Commission. 10 whom District At
tcr1ey FhIDin has referred the report
made uy his experts ON the Brooklyn
Bridge, says tina there is no need f1r
any public anxiety, as the bridge was
perfectly safe
Tho bridge Mr. Parsons said. '.is per
ICctly safe, and there need not be- any
anxiety on the part Of the pub.ic-uot
the slightest The report OF Messrs.
buTyea and Meyer is very v1Iuuaiuous
and contains much intricate mathematical
calculation / am not prepared a. discuss
IT now. have looked il over. and, as ]
have said, it declares that the bridge Is
perfectly safe.
certain recommendation in the re-
port said Mr. Parsons. show that by
the expenditure of small amount OF
money accidents like that Of the summer
may be avoided. and that by spendi g a
larger amount the bridge viii be very
greatly strengthened, so that certain re-
suictions such as the I20-foot distance
limit, can DC done away with. But that,
OF course. is a matter for the bridge de-
partment. who have authority to make
any regulations they see fit"
Asked il the report accused the bridge
department of neglect OF duty. or found
the bridge suffering from the carelessness
OF those in charge, NJ Parsons reiterated
his statement that he had nothing 60 say
and that he had not had time 10 properly
digest the report
John l. Shea, Commissioner Of Bridges.
IS CispleaSed with District Attorney Phil
bin for Withholding from the public the
report Of Messrs. Duryea and Meyer. lie
sand that Mr. Philbn's action led him
he ~ - art -rH.arr W.
Withholding the report for political pur-
poses
His stand appears 20 me- said Mr.
Shea. to bc nothing more or less than
an effort TO make political issue out Of
the recent accident on the bridge He is
seeking 10 fasten something on the Demo
cratic administration. but the absurdity
Of the scheme viii soon be evident TO the
people unless his experts come forward
and really show something wrong. and
show Official negligence In the mani se-
mcut Of the bridge
We are lending every assistance To Mr.
BuTyed In his inv. SJlEuUDu. and have
nothing 20 conceal. The talk about pos
Side action by the grand jury Is absurd
1t IS merely a movement in the effort
To make capital against the Democratic
administration Charges might be better
brought against every man who has had
ANYTHING 10 do with misinforming the
public on the condition Of the structure.
which Is as strong today as IL was the
day when II was first thrown open for
The announcement made by District
Attorney Philbin that the bridge IS safe,
and that there was no cause for any
alarm viii undoubtedly set at rest the
controversy as to how big OF how much
was or is the margin Of safety q the
bridge.
II is a good thing 20 know" continued
Mr. Shea, that the engineers which Mr..
Phiibin chose to look over the bridge
found no alarming defects in the bridge.
OF course. 1 do not wish anyone 20 mag
inc for one moment that / have doubt
that there Is a serious defect in any part
Of the structure. for the engineers Of the
bridge know their business Thoroughly
and they say that the bridge is safe. Their
opinion should settle the question as to
the stability Of the bridge. but there win
always De found many doubling persons
II public official OF anyone else whose
word has some weight should not say
but only Intimate, that the bridge was not
safe.
such intimation does more IN jury than
probably anyone SUpposes- II Affects
timld and nervous persons. and il dis
turbs 20 a certain extent the peace Of the
people ! see that Mr. PhiIbin has said
that he has sent word 20 Mr.. Parsons 10
make the report public today, but I have
not seen the report yet"
" hatever recommendation his euzfn-
GERS make I shall lay before the bridge
engineers Tor consideration. and whatever
action the engineer deems. necessary y-iI
be taken If IL IS within nv power. The
experts in Mr.. PhilbinS employ may in
Eesugate the condition OF the bridge until
doomsday and they viii find nothing for
winch they can charge the bridge com
uiLsSlDLer Tor neglect of DUTY