Year: 1875

THE EXCAVATIONS AND MASON woRK-oPERA-


TIoNs TO BE CARRIED ON NIGHT AND DAY.


The anchorage on the New York side for the Brooklyn
Bridge is now well under way. The ground selected
for the structure 400 feet rom Cherry TO Water
street and 100 feet Cherry street Tho buildings on
this large tract Of ground have all been removed and
the entire appearance Of the locality changed Only
building Of Ave large warehouses seven stories
high and nine dwelling houses has been allowed to
main standing and that is used for the purposes OF
Offices, carpenters shop and rigging lon The ground
upon which the operations going inclosed By
high fence; tall derrcks worked by steam have been
erected and constant communication is kept up with
the tower and the foot Roosevelt street by Of
substantial railroad track especially laid for the
conveyance of large blocks of used tho build
ing Of the anchorage.


The property came into the possession Of the Bridge
Company on the lst of last May and Immediately after
twelve Of the buildings sold at public auction.
They were taken down and by the purchasers
Two we're reserved by the company, the material Of
whch-timber, brick and stone-together with the
foundations Of all the structures which were retained,
are to be used in the building Of the anchorage Ex
cavations were then commenced and carried to depth
Of tweny-one feet below the sidewalks On the Water
street side old dock tmbers and curb work were found
at a depth Of feet below high water mark, the
work of former years when the river front was that
point Large quantities of pure, COOL spring water
sprang up the digging proceeded from the sand below
IN such volumes that pumps raising 600 gallons
minute This water was carried off to the When
good solid foundation reached four of
yellow pine lumber, twelve inches square, laid and
securely boted together. Upon this foundation the
masonry is now being placed


DIMENSIONS OF THE STRUCTURE.


The anchorage will be seventy above the level of
the street and about l20 feet square. When the ma
sonry carried three feet above the timber work. which
Is about ten feet below the street. four plates
each weighing twenty three tons will be put position,
and 10 these will be attached anchor links, around
which, as they are carried up, the masonry will be
closely built until they finally connect the top with
the four large cables which sustain the bridge
Early next week the large derrick for setting will
be ready for use The work will then be vigorously
prosecuted both by night and day The number of men
now employed is eighty There will be two archways in
the anchorage twenty feet high by fourteen wide open
ing from Cherry Water street These for the pur
pose of lessening the of masonry The entire
quantity of material be used will reach 60 900 tons


STREET.


The commencement OF the road to Brooklyn will
mence on Chatham street, the City Hall series
OF elevated bridges will the latter point with the
anchorage, and on 10 the tower The houses m the
intervening space all 10 be removed and street
100 feet wide is TO be opened The engineer in charge,
Mr. G. c. Martin is Of opinion that obstacles likely
to arise in prosecuting this gigantic undertaking TO
speedy and successful termination The work the
anchorage at the Brooklyn side is far advanced