Year: 1876




Carroll, both were drawn up to the New
York tower. lTimbs was subsequently car
ried by the g traveller to the opposite side.


THE. SCENE FROM THE BROOKLYN TOWER,


At the appointed time the riggers who
had been selected by the foreman to cut the
lashings on the Brooklyn side were in their
places. The man selected to cut the LASH
ings between the Rroeklynr tower and the
anchorage was a German named William
Kohrner, who has for some time been in
the employ Of the company! Before leaving
the tower he displayed some little nervous
ness, but it was thought that he would nc
complish the task successfully in very
self in his g boatswain's chair" The ropes
that held him fast were Immediately cut,
and he started slowly down the wire. He
kept hold OF the /" traveller with both
hands, and allowed the chair, which was
suspended by small shackle. to slide only
a short distance ut time. He soon reach
ed the first knot, and slowly went to work
untying it. His movements were so slow
that the foreman thought he was getting
nervous, and asked him ii he desired help.
He replied in the negative, and continued
moving carefully down the wire untying
instead OF cutting each lashing. At the top
OF the tower his associates were joking and
speaking in n derogatory manner Of his
work, one OF them yenturing the assertion
that he would not be done in week. FL
nally all but four lashings were cut, and
Kohrner had now been over an hour on the
wire. He continued his work, and at 2:41
O'Clock landed safely on top OF the anchor
age in a somewhat nervous condition. The
distance between the towers Is 900 feet,
and that portion OF the cable stretching be-
tween the piers was lashed with thirty-two
knots, it being intended that each man
should cut an equal half and then be
drawn to Brooklyn by the machinery
governing the movements OF the end
less traveller. Patrick limbs was the
man selected to start from the Brook
lyn side, and Kohrner had scarcely passed
the last knot when he was in his "boat-
swain's chair" ready for the signal to start.
| He sat higher in his seat than kohrner, the
supporting ropes being much shorter. He
is an Englshman, about forty years OF age,
and is possessed of great daring. When all
was ready the ropes were cast oil and limbs
darted rapidly down the wire, slowing up
very neatly when near the first knot. In
minute and half four of the lashings had
been cut, and in exactly four and quarter
minutes he had severed the whole sixteen.
He worked with GOODNESS that was remark
able, and displayed great deal OF courage.
The man who had left the New York tower
worked slowly and soon stopped altogether,
and it was left for limbs to draw him
self I'D the wire and cut the knots
that intervened between himself and
his fellow-workman. When the work
had been finally finished and the New
York man had been drawn back to
the tower. the machinery was started,
and limbs began his journey backward.


The throng OF people collected on the
docks in the vicinity cheered him, and he
waved his hand, and subsequently his hand
kerchief in response. When about one
third of the distance had been traversed
one of the belts that turned the shafting
governing the action Of the brakc-wheels
on the anchorage parted suddenly, and
limbs was left suspended near the middle
of the river. The repairing OF the belt oc-
cupied about twenty minutes, and he was
then drawn to within ten feet Of the edge
Of the tower. He drew himself up on the
wire, and was assisted to foothold by two
OF his felow-workmen. He said upon reach
ing the platform that there was twist in
the cables on the New York side. There
was also a twist on top OF the Brooklyn
tower, but the shifting of the second travel
ler Yesterday afternoon removed this, and
leaves both turns between the towers,
where they can be more easily removed
than on the Brooklyn side, the end OF the
cable being on this side OF the river. 1t is
stated that it will be about three weeks be-
fore all the working ropes are IN position.