New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-29
Col. Roebling, Builder of
Big Span 40 Years Ago.
Says There's No Danger,
but New One Is Needed
Real Reason Given
For Barring Autos
Whalen Calls for Another
Structure Across River;
Would Rebuild Veteran


ton A. Roebling, son of John A. Roe
bling, the designer, and president of
,he John A. Roebling's Sons Company,
said yesterday at his home near Tren-
ton, N. j. Colonel Roebling directed
the construction of the bridge after his
fssher's death.
@From my knowledge of the bridge
snd its construction said Colonel
Rtebling, 81 am confident that this is
50. There is no doubt that there is
necessity in New York for an addi-
tions bridge. This is due, however,
10 the natural increase in traffic dur
lag late years. Brooklyn Bridge can
rot take care of it ALL"
Two of Its Cables Slip
Reconstruction and enlargement of
Brooklyn Bridge, one OF the seven
wonders of the world in the days when
it formed the only direct connection
between New York and the staid City
Of Brooklyn, and the building of a new
bridge, will form the subject OF a spe-
cial meeting of the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment early next week.
The old bridge, as stanch almost in
its fortieth year as it ever was, suf-
fered slight slipping of two cables
month ago, and the tide of traffic
has risen far beyond it's capacities.
The cables, adjusting themselves al
most as the designer intended, slipped
In their saddles atop the towers, some
time between the daily inspections of
June 14s and Is. On the latter date
Grover Whalen, Commissioner of Plant
traffic over the bridge be stopped.
Horse vehicles could still use it, but
automobiles We're diverted from it's
board flooring 20 the asphalt roadways
Of the newer Manhattaa and Williams
burg bridges.
Rebuilding Recommended
Yesterday Commissioner ;Vhalen d.
reted letter to the Mayor, notifying
hin of the occurrence and recommend.
ing not only the rebuilding of the
( Brooklyn Bridge, but the construction
new bridge near it, to be built
Est and used during the reconstruc-
ion. The old bridge had been out
rcwn by traffic, he said. Later the
Commissioner gave out a statement ex-
fiaining exactly what had happened and
t0rrecting reports that the cables had
I. stretched"
On Tower A, which is or the New
FORK shore, cable A, the northernmost
Of the four from which the bridge
structure is suspended, slipped one and
three-quarter inches in it's saddle
toward the river, or the center of the
bridge. The next cable, B, slipped one
half inch in the same direction In
spsctors who mount to the top of the
Z towers every day discovered the Slip
ping on June Is.
Commissioner Whalen said the bridge
would not be closed, as it was absolute
y safe. The slipping could not be
tsmedied, anyway, without closing the
htdge, and this will not be necessary
with the present traffic regulations that
bar motor vehicles and maintain spac-
ing between trains and surface cars,
taat will give the necessary distribu-
ton Of weight. Elevated trains will
oe Kept / 900 feet and surface cars 100
feet apart
Rollers Corroded
According to Gustav Lindenthal, en-
greer Of the Williamsburg, Manhattan
and He'll Gate bridges, the builders of
lAe Brooklyn Bridge rested the cables
On saddles where they passed over the
lowers, these saddles carrying rollers
70 permit a slight movement to and
lfo to meet shifting of weight. These
fo!iers, however, became corroded in
couple Of years and ceased to move.
I is probable, therefore, that when
,ne need for adjustment, foreseen by
M ne builder, arose the cables simply
iihpped across the saddles, leaving the
is.ter as they were.
Inc slipping means that bit of the
k aask on the landward side of the
,soies .a has been taken up and passed
M .ser to the river side, where the long
sgan over the water reacts in a greater
'esree to the weight of traffic.
40 further movement has been noted
mee .as the report of June IS, Mr.. Whalen
'sa ssl Since that time the bridge was
s.leF ID to an unusually heavy strain
W , than an hour, when the
s,suchooard of the B. r. T. Kent Ave
.W .us power house blew out and stalled
~ la..s .srooklyn traffic. Trains and troll
b,;ss ~ were held stationary on the
s.sg msage, and an endless stream of thou
s.ss sI.as OF pedestrians passed over the
"res roadways.
Engineers agreed yesterday that
commissioner Whalen's letter to the
asor fairly stated the case of the
oosiyn Bridge, but not all of them
.sEeed that the historic span should be
nsfouit. One of these was Kingsley L.
S.siaatn, who was chief engineer of the
m;age< during Mayor McClellan's ad-
a1a,aaas1ration, and Commissioner under
syor Gaynor. Mr.. Martin is the son
80. y. Z. Martin. chief assistant to
ssDiing' and for twenty years there
~'er chief engineer of the bridge.
Calls Cost Excessive
.heQulidino of lo hi rr,, would