The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-06-02

wv the impVfts iOf thc Pirstvus gchf-
Exports have increased In much the
same proportion, and the feeling g gen.
fral that the harbor improvements now
Under way BY both the municipal and
long delayed. Only a few days ago the
outward bound White Star liner Baltic
was grounded On a hank In Gedney
Channel and was aoated again only af-
ter much expense and loss Of valuable
time. A few days later, to escape
similar mishap, the Celtic, Of the same
lne, was forced to anchor directly
across the narrow passage, and the two
s00foot Cunarders which are rushing to
ssompletion are not only bigger than
either, but too long to be properly ae-
commodated at any Of the docks.
As part Of the comprehensive
scheme Of transportation Improvements
which some day will make New York
d city Of magnificent distances, few
days ago plans were filed with the Mu-
lieipal Art Commission for what win
be the longest and heaviest steel bridge
in the world. This bridge win form
part Of steel viaduct more than three
miles long, which win connect the New
York. New Haven and Hartford Rail
road with the Long Island and Penn
sylsania systems When II Is compile
ted and the last spike has been driven
in the four tracks which win cross II,
for the first time there win be an all-
rail route through New York. linking
together New England and the South.
Eighty thousands tons Of steel win b.
used In the construction Of the bridge
which viii have carrying capacity
twenty times as great as that Of the
Brooklyn Bridge. The tracks win b
l4O feet above high water and win pass
through steel arches which win them
selves rise $50 feet higher. Some Of
the steel members Of these arches win
De nine feet in diameter and win weigh
100 tons each. Directly over the tur
tulent food Of He'll Gate, there win BIZ
q steep arch span more than 1000 feet
between abutments, which in turn win
be monumental stone towers. dividing
the bridge proper from the steel via
duct which forms the approaches
This new connection win save an hour
and half of time and much trouble in
crossing the city; but until it is com
pseted, trains must. as heretofore, con
tinne to be carried down the East Riv-
er and across the harbor on floats.
In the shabby stone building at the
corner Of Wall and Nassau streets,
where the United States treasury
i located, eighteen experts from Wash
irgton and dozen lsbOrers have Just
entered upon what might well be con-
sidered most monotonous task. They
are counting the 1850 tons Of gold ana
silver coin which constitute Uncle
Sans present supply Of hard cash in
New York. There are nearly a quar-
ter of million sacks to be checked,
many Of which remain as they were
sealed up at the last counting, which
took place four years ago when HamiI-
ton Fish, who has just been reappointed
Assistant Treasurer of the United
States at New York, succeeded the late
Conrad N. jordan. Only a very small
proportion of the gold and silver cur
rency is actually located in the hands
OF Uncle Sam in Washington, the great
81 part Of it being distributed through
out the country in the reserve centres
Of which New York is the most impor-
tant. Although it is only once in four
years, or as often as a new Assistant
Treasurer comes into office, that an ac-
tual physical count Of the two hundred
odd millions of Government funds
stored here is undertaken. There are
OF course, periodical examination Of
the Sub'Treasury books, accompanied
BY careful checking Up Of the vault
stocks and the cash Of the various tel
lers; but on such occasions the sacks
of gold are counted as marked, and no
attempt j. made to verify the contents.
The present il the most herculean piscs
cf money counting work on record, in
asmuch as the stack of coin has in
creased by about $2O.OOO,0OO in gold
since the last counting took place.
*
II = ,,et .xet0. &knt AZ. ,.,c..f1 RNrcn