New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
NOT AN ILLUSION.

Yet dint of fact at last persuaded that what
l illusion, for the bridges motion
could still be when one kept his eyes away
from the moving water and the ships and care
fully looked things motionless-the piers and the
walls of buildings. 1t then grew clear that the
BRIDGES centre, where l sitting, gently rose
and fell, like bosom in deep sleep, though with
movements immeasurably more slow; or agaln'
ro,Isng itself as with a giants effort It turned
slightly side. I timed one of these great
respiratons. sighting steadily across the bridges
edge stable things far away upon the earth
Gradually the steel margin concealed something in
the distance that moment before had been IN
sight: UP and UP the side covering more
and more; then more slowly until finally 1t rose
no more But with like sowness it began to
sink. and gradually all was again in view that
so lately mad been covered. The second hand OF
my watch rounded full circle while the giants
side rose and fell
And it clear, tco, that while the spans
margin mounting higher as I looked up the
East River opposite side of the bridge, toward
the bay was at the time slowly sinking and
in its turn with the fall of the opposite side
The motion l was watching therefore sore-
thing like turn roll-srar. no doubt IN pro-
portion 70 the bridges enormous size. but ample
n give one a clear sense that he stood upon 4
Welding and recovering nassau almost living
DEMONSTRATING carry we'll its titanic load
Nor was the movement entirely roll or turn;
for if instead of sighting over the margin
of the bridge to the world below one looked
one of the noble Gothic arches OF its piers
off to some distant building of the city, 1t was
clear that the middle of the bridge not only had
some slight and slow motion from SIDE 10 sue
but also showed more strikinsly movement
IN and down. Looking along the great perspec-
tive made bv the nurnberIess steel grders beneath
which run the long trains OF cars one couiu see
the slow incessant shift could see the ma1nrnotl
bow of the bridge grow now more cuINeu anu
now more hattened. sinking and recovering ds tue
enormous burden changed upon the span. 1t vas
as though in looking out over the curve OF
LA nc diameter were TO change, causing the
hor;-on in stately manner approach and to re-
cede. - ..,z.
And when has seen these spaHse 'iAi'e'
ha roa,' notice that the builders have long known
them and taken thought There are IN hulhoei
of vays visible provision for these glSahtlc lho'e
,oa,te ont upon the very centre, If one give close
heed he will see straight across the entre structure
an ingenious arrangement TO permit tie eiV "
IN lengthen and contract One-haf OF the ereal
central span there telescopes into the other hllI'
and nothing but the monster cables upon "nlch te
whole enan hangs seems to be firm and continuous
The steel parapet which sat ran part li'o
part and smoothly pulled out ana pusheu Ill., as ''o
upspringing and subsidence of the arch across '"e
river called for greater length or for less, Anu
all else is arranged in like manner-the rams ior
the oars the trolley wires the great condulls-ail
hermit the bridge automatically 10 eiohsa'e anu
contract. Part slips upon part so Iha' nothing
breaks and vet all before the very eyes dra"s
inward and then expands. Even in the very too'-
way a great iron plate. fixed 10 the one haif ana
sliding upon the other. conceals an ever "ioehiie
and narrowing interruption between the eastern
and the western portions OF the upspIlhelhs sPni'
And NOT alone in the great central span is there
such a strange provision for free play, but toward
the middle OF each of the side spans that leap
from the city's solid ground out TO the towering
piers of masonry-on each OF these spans the same
living gap may be and the same restless
movement a. the giant draws It's deep breath.