New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-15
FORB[DS BRIDGE TALK
STEPHENSON WARNS MEN.
Coler for Test of BIackwelPs Island
SfrTcfure-Who Erred

rA s-,,s made bx The Tribune for thorough
investigation by commission or 1noepe"u =,
csueers into the stresses and strains "seu "
erection of the RlackweI1s Island Bridge to Demon"
~+rs.e whether or not the structure is neihs
Aanperouslv overloaded IS still opposed nF toih-
missioner Stevenson. Not only Goes the No'ii
ssoner refuse comment upon the oi'nh"t
messed in The Tribune "Wednesday by eh-1ohi-
missioner I.nderthsl that there is grave danger OF
the bridge cospsng Il il is loaded as heaFlIF Is Is
,,-onosed rr the engineers Of the Bridge Depart
nent but he has issued instructions that no en-
Move OF the department shall talk upon 'he sup'
Borough President Coier of Brooklyn JOINS IN 'he
.uprestion Of Mr. Idndenthal that q model test OF
the rnsin compression rnenpefs Oh INC "i'"so S'i0
be made al
Mr. 1indenthal was asked yesterday If he had
ANYTHING further TO add TO the statement mace ~
him and published in The Tribune on wednesday.
II. said:
.-,ere - LITTLE more that can be said except by
,re Bridge Commissioner his engineering stan
hsx. declared that in my opinion the bridge
would not he safe II loaded as it is proposed 10
load IL The Commissioner Of Bridges. VINO is NOT
an engineer SCOTS AT my opinion, and SAYS 'ha''
snas-n,,ch as the engineers Of the department are
SLY, the bridge !. safe it would he foolish to sub
let the city to the of making the model tests
which as ! have already seid. would demonstrate
IN the most convincing manner whether am right
in my opinion whether his engineers are correct
soIIC7ToUs ABOUT COST NOW.
TAe Commissioner Of Bridges is solicitous about
saving The cifv's money now. His department was
not 81 SOLICITORS the time the original plans OF
tire bridge were altered Then nearly year o.
sup. snd many thousands Of dollars OF the CITY
money were wasted in making tests OF eye-bars
MADE of different kinds Of steel designed to take
III. Mace of the nickel steel eyehars contracted for
in the original specifications. No kind Of steel eX-
cept nickel could he found TO take the strain
demanded in the calculations Now the engineers
Of the Bridge Department take credit TO 'henl-
selves for OF the nickel steel eye-hars in the
,ension r,enher. Of the bridge. and quite ignore
The unsuccessful efforts that made by the de-
psrtrnent when the plans were revised TO find a
substitute for particular kind of eye-bar con-
.-acfed for in the original specifications The only
reason a change was not made in this particular
was because steel could be found 10 take the
necessary test except the kind designated IN the
original plans prepared under my direction.
No tests We're made at that or any other time
the main compression members OF the bridge
There was plenty OF the city's money available
20 make exhaustive eyebar tests in an effort 10
find substitute for the kind Of eyebars called
for in the contract specifications. but there is no
city money available now. according TO the Bridge
Commissioner, make even q single test Of the
main compression members Of the bridge when
the capa ability those members TO withstand the
stress proposed TO be put upon them is called into
question
This OF making such test would. as The
Tribune has already explained he comparatively
trihinE The result, IL the test was properly made
under the direction Of independent engineers, would
he absolutely convincing. Nor any reasonah
objection be urged against the method OF testing
= model Of the main compression members instead
OF the full sized members themselves. This is the
universally recognized way OF ascertaining the
cepability Of main compression members TO with
stand calculated stresses. The precedept es-
1sblished thirty-six years jim the construction
OF the first steel bridge erected in the world
1he ST. Louis arch bridge constructed by Captain
Eads"