Vol. 3 No. 174 Wellsville, N.Y., Friday, May 25, 1883 Single Copy 2 cents
The Great Structure Opened to the Public
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The great bridge over the East River, joining Brooklyn and New York, was opened yesterday with imposing ceremonies, which were witnessed by a vast multitude of enthusiastic people. The ceremonies were opened by an overture by the Twenty-third Regiment Band, which was followed by a prayer by Rt. Rev. Bishop Littlejohn of the diocese of Long Island, William C. Kingsley, vice-president of the board of trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, then formally presented the bridge to mayors of New York and Brooklyn. Mayor Low of Brooklyn, and Mayor Edson of New York, on behalf of the two cities, accepted the bridge in an address, after which orations were delivered by Hon. Abram S. Hewitt of New York and Rev. Rich. S. Storrs, D.D., of Brooklyn. The exercises closed with music by the Seventh Regiment Band. Hon. James S. T. Stranahan presided over the occasion. The structure is a marvel of modern architecture, and is the largest suspension bridge in the world: The main span has a length of 1595 feet 6 inches from centre to centre of towers. Each land span has a length of 930 feet from centre of tower to face of anchorage. The framework of the superstructure has a width of 86 feet, and is suspended from four 16 inch cables by means of suspenders. In the land spans the equilibrium of curves requires the main cables to be 8 feet below grade at the face of the anchorage, thus bringing the floor line above the cables for a distance of 250 feet out from thence; the suspenders are here replaced by posts standing on the cables. The grade of both sides is fixed at 3.25 feet per hundred. The main floor beams are suspended at a uniform distance of 7 feet 6 inches from centre to centre, with intermediate beams half way between them. There are six trusses running lengthwise of the bridge, so that transversely the structure is arranged in five divisions. The two outer divisions are each 18 feet 9 inches wide ion the clear between trusses and are intended for vehicles, including street-cars, for which in time tramways will be provided. The two intermediate spaces of 12 feet 8 inches have steel rails laid in them, and are to be devoted to passenger cars run by endless rope driven by stationary engines. The central space of 15 feet 7 inches is occupied by a promenade, elevated 9 feet 10 inches above the other floors, except at the towers, where it is raised still higher so as to pass around the intervening central shaft above the passenger cars. The four middle trusses are 18 feet in depth and the outer ones 10 feet deep. The New York tower is three feet wider than the Brooklyn tower in the direction of the line of the Bridge. The total permanent weight of the suspended part of the bridge is 14,080 tons; the estimated weight of the transitory load is 3,100 tons, making a total weight to be sustained of 17,780 tons. Each of the four cables, Mr. Roebling says, is strong enough to pull up an anchorage which weighs 60,000 tons. It took 10,000 pounds of paint to cover the Bridge with two coats. In 1860 J.A. Roebling, afterward chosen as engineer-in-chief, estimated the cost of the Bridge, at the height of 200 feet, when he then declared necessary to the requirements of commerce, at $3,000,000. In 1866 he increased his estimate to $4,000,000 and in 1867 to $7,000,000. In 1872, his son Colonel W.A. Roebling, having succeeded to his father's position as engineer-in-chief of this work, and the height of the Bridge having been reduced from 200 to the maximum of 135 feet, estimated the cost at $9,500,000. In 1873, when the estimated cost of the land was added, the total cost of the Bridge was raised to $13,045,065, and in 1875 to $13,145,065. The act of 1875, however, provided that the interest on the bonds to be issued by the two cities should be paid by the trustees out of the money received by them, and this added $1,600,000 more to the cost. Then the structure was increased in strength over the original plans of the engineers and that added considerable more to the cost. There were various changes in the plans at different times, which added to the outlay. About $15,000,000 has been expended on the Bridge now, and the total cost, when all improvements are made at the approaches and the arches are fitted up for warehouses will not be short of $16,000,000. The yearly cost of maintaining the Bridge, including interest on the bonds, will be about $800,000. |
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