New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
PLANS TO WIDEN BRIDGE
FNGINEER's SCHEME Is TO LET OUT
CABLES AND MAKE MORE ROOM

Another novel plan 10 relieve the crush az the
Manhattan terminal of the Brooklyn Bridge in TIE
rush hours vas promulgated a lengthy state
ment given last night, in which Wilhelm
Hildenbrand. chief engineer Of cables for the New
East River Bridge. advances the theory that by
letting out the outer cables sufficiently for widen
ing the roadways about six and one-half feet
making the total width Of the bridge twenty five
feet six inches. the nightly crushes at the Man
haitian terminus would he relieved permanently.
From the engineers standpoint this latest PROPOSE
tion is the most feasible and practicable; can be
accomplished in less than year, Mr.. H'ldenhrand
SAYS and III only $500 600
II was suggested some weeks to separate
the Uagonway from the trolley tracks by failing.
IN order enable the 10 run at any desired
speed without being interfered with by vehicles
This proposition however If carried out. would
seriously retard traffic Of all vehicles in the rush
hours thereby entirely curtailing the usefulness
of the bridge Mr.. Hndenbrand's proposition coin
cides with the latter suggestion to some extent
but. instead Of impeding wagon traffic, he pro
poses to give IT better facilities than it has now
By Letting OUT the outer cables. sixteen or six
teen and half feet be assigned TO the wagon
way This width is sufficient for two teams 10
pass each other without encroaching on the car
tracks. and the latter can be separated by curb
railing.
In explaining what is meant by letting out the
cables Mr.. Hdenbrand says that they do not
hang in vertical plane but are inclined inward
swinging the cables back TO vertical plane is no
detriment the strength of the bridge There
will stiil be a Grading" in the outer cables of
about three and half feet which is only little
less than the present grading OF the inner ca
bles The operation of letting OUT the cables is
nothing and no experiment. II having been
done on the suspension bridges at Wheeling, W
Va. and q Cincinnati Nj. Hildenbrand says that
the work be done with perfect safety and with
interfering with the bridge traffic.
He asserts that the principal objection that will
and can be made u his suggestion Is that Of the
additional weight 10 be supported by the cables,
which will diminish the safety Of the latter This
is correct he states. but If il he proved that
this diminished safety is still ample safety. the
objection will fall away In speaking of the general
strength OF the bridge. he II is safe the
New East River Bridge viii he when completed.
The cables OF the bridge Will be 80 per cent
stronger than those Of the Brooklyn Bridge but the
dead weight Of the former will be 90 per cent
greater than that of the latter; still the engineers
he declares. intend the piing of weight
the cables OF the bridge than originally
designed in order 10 make certain improvements In
transportation facilities. The Brooklyn Bridge he
adds is precisely in a similar condition. II
safely support a certain amount Of more weight.
Mr. Hildenbrand said that he had preliminary
plans and calculations showing that his plan
feasible and could be carried out a moderate