The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1908-10-10

~FooTPATHs OF MANHATTAN
BRIDGE
have wondered why Ii is being placed
where II is. However, there are excel
lent reasons, ons of which Is that 1t
will furnish a direct route between
lower New York and a part OF Brook
Iyn only reached in a roundabout way
by streets copyerging at the eastern
end Of Brooklyn bridge. When he
pays the bills for Manhattan bridge
Father Knickerbocker will separate
himself from the sum of $2S,0OO.OOO
of which ~$2O,OO0.OO0 will be for the
bridge itself and ss.OOO.OO0 for the val
liable land required for the approaches
to and anchorages OF the structure.
The towers have been built. aHd two
temporary footpaths cross the river
connecting them. On these footpaths
much OF the work OF weaving the
great supporting cables of the bridge
will be done. The making of the
cables and putting them into place is
a task of herculean proportions and
accompanied by immense hazard OF
life and limb. Each cable Is built OF
thirty-seven strands, and each strand
Is composed of no less than 256 sep
arate wires. In other words, high up
in the air on swaying, narrow plat
forms, or board walks, the workmen
and engineers will have to make four
cables, each comprising 9,472 wires, a
total for the four cables of 37,8S8
wires. Each Of these individual wires
must be laid with exactly the same
curve, with the same strain on 1t, or
else 1t will become a useless part Of
the great cable to which 1t belongs.
After the cables are completed they
are hung in place and allowed to
stretch. Then they are wrapped around
with a covering Of strong wires, and
this covering Is given two or three
coatings of paint. All this acts as a
protection from the weather and adds
to the life Of the cable. The -four
cables for the bridge will be completed
in about six months. according to the
calculations Of the chief engineer.
Men lose their lives In almost every
big bridge enterprise. and the new
bridge already has its death roster,
The great height at which most Of the
important work has to be done places
a strain on the strongest nerves and
the clearest heads. But one woman
has ventured to the top Of the skele-
ton structure, a newspaper reporter,
Miss Maize Clemens, connected with a
New York daily. She tripped and fell
on the narrow walk way and escaped
plunging under the guard rope to in
slant death only by a miracle.
Miss Clemens spoke Of her expe-
rience in part as follows:
II climbed up 300 steps and when ]
reached the beginning of the footpath
the force Of the wind compelled me to
remove my hat. and l. being OF slight
build, had a fear that the breeze. II II
freshened. might watt me along with 1t.
From anchorage to anchorage !
climbed a seven foot walk until | APP
preached the ascent to the highest
point on top of the first tower. There
was no hand rail except where the
cable ran along the posts here and
there, not even a board on either side.
1t looked almost impossible to me. I
gazed and trembled at the prospect.
but ! started on the journey. 1t was
q bigger effort than I figured upon,
but / stuck to 1t. At last. painting but
triumphant, / stood 400 feet above
water and gazed upon the magnificent
panorama Of New York spread far be-