REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHIEF ENGINEER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 New York & Brooklyn Bridge, 
 
 JANUARY 1, 1877. 
 
 BROOKLYN: 
 EAGLE PUINT, 34, 36 A 3S FDMON STREET. 
 
IE* ICthrts 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this hook 
 
 Because it has heen said 
 " £ver'thing comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned hook." 
 
 Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHIEF ENGINEER 
 
 New York & Brooklyn Bridge, 
 
 January i, 1877. 
 
 BROOKLYN: 
 
 EAGLE PRINT, 34, 36 & 38 FULTON STREET. 
 
1 
 
 Digitized by the Internet > 
 
 Archive 
 
 
 in 2013 
 
 
 
 http://archive.org/details/reportofchiefengOOroeb 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHIEF ENGINEER. 
 
 To Hon. Henry C. Murphy, President Board of Trus- 
 tees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge : 
 Sir : — 
 
 I beg leave to submit herewith my report for the year 
 ending 1876, and as no report was made of last year's 
 operations, that will also be included. 
 
 The amount of work that has been done during the 
 past two years is so great, and of such varied character, 
 in order fully to describe all the operations gone through 
 with and do full justice to all the details, I will include 
 with this the full reports of my assistants, each one giv- 
 ing detailed account of the operations, that were con- 
 ducted under his direct supervision. 
 
 As the work is all the time in progress, most of my 
 time is taken up in arranging for the immediate con- 
 duct of operations, hence these remarks will be concise. 
 
 MASONRY. 
 
 Both towers and anchorages have been completed as 
 far as may be, during this time. The small quantity yet 
 remaining to be put on tlie anchorages and towers can- 
 not be laid until the cables are completed. Much of the 
 material for this purpose is on hand. 
 
4 
 
 In all suspension bridges the masonry usually forms 
 about* one-half of the total work to be done. We may 
 therefore congratulate ourselves that we have this much 
 behind us. 
 
 The work henceforward will be of an entirely different 
 character. Our towers and anchorages, as they stand, chal- 
 lenge comparison with any masonry in the world, as re- 
 gards solidity, the material of which they are built, and the 
 careful manner in which that material was laid, and con- 
 sidering the great height to which most of these stone 
 had to be raised, it was done at a minimum cost and a 
 great rate of speed, the only delays experienced being 
 caused by want of stone. These delays are not to be 
 wondered at, when it is remembered that the stones used 
 were cut, over six hundred miles away, and gathered 
 from at least twenty scattered quarries, with boisterous 
 seas intervening between them and the place of delivery. 
 Out of the thousands of ship loads of stone sent, only 
 one was lost. 
 
 The machinery for delivering the stones on top of the 
 towers was so adequate that it cost no more per yard to 
 lay the top courses than the bottom ones. This implies 
 something, when it is borne in mind that the summit of 
 the New York tower is 345 feet above the foundation. 
 
 TOWERS. 
 
 The arches of the Brooklyn tower were completed in 
 the spring of 1874. The line of thrust in these pointed 
 arches falls about two and a half feet outside of the 
 centres of the side shafts at the floor line, but the main 
 outer cables, when drawn in laterally, modify its posi- 
 tion to such an extent as to throw it six inches inside of 
 that point ; a condition of the utmost stability. 
 
 The keystones, huge blocks weighing 11 tons, were 
 fitted in without trimming, just as they came from the 
 quarry, showing that the thickness of joints between the 
 
5 
 
 voussoirs was regulated with the proper accuracy as the 
 arch was built up. 
 
 On completion of the tower, heavy castings, compris- 
 ing the saddles and saddle-plates, were raised at a single 
 lift, and with great despatch, and hoisted into place 
 without any mishaps. In general form they do not dif- 
 fer materially from those used on the Cincinnati Bridge, 
 except that they are about twice the size. 
 
 The diameter of the saddle-rollers is 3^ inches. Roll- 
 ers of larger diameter would be too sensitive, which is 
 not desirable. Rollers of smaller diameter would be too 
 sluggish. The length and number of the rollers are 
 properly proportioned for the load resting upon them. 
 
 It is not expected that these saddles will move under 
 any passing load after the Bridge is completed. The 
 varying strains will be amply resisted by the mass of the 
 tower; but during the construction of the Bridge, the 
 saddles are sure to move. The direction and extent of 
 this movement are somewhat uncertain. We have no 
 precedent just like this bridge, nor any data on which 
 to base accurate calculations. I have placed the saddles 
 12 inches back from the centre towards the land sides, 
 a position where we will be on the safe side, no matter 
 what the movements may be. 
 
 Besides the reception of the main cables, the saddles 
 had to be arranged for the making of the individual 
 strands above them. They also serve, together with the 
 plates, to hold a number of overfloor stays, which are 30 
 in number, on each side of the towers. The bulk of 
 these stays will be secured to large irons, a double tier 
 of which have been built into the masonry underneath 
 the saddle-plates, extending entirely through the tower. 
 
 ANCHORAGES. 
 
 For the details of these massive pieces of masonry, I 
 would refer to the annexed report of Mr. Collingwood. 
 
6 
 
 The obstacles met with in the progress of the work 
 are there fully detailed. The great weight and size of 
 all the materials handled required apparatus of the 
 strongest kind, combined with constant exercise of care 
 and judgment. 
 
 The light timber foundations are in each of the an- 
 chorages located below the fresh water level, thus insur- 
 ing their permanent preservation. 
 
 ANCHOR PLATES. 
 
 Before alluding to the reasons which govern the de- 
 signs for the plates, the chains, and some of the other 
 arrangements, I will mention that the resistance offered 
 by the weight of the masoniw on the plates, against the 
 upward pull of the chains, affords a margin of safety of 
 2% times. This figure may appear small when compared 
 with the main cables, where the margin of safety is six 
 times, were it not that the conditions are essentially dif- 
 ferent. In the case of the cables, we have to provide for 
 numerous contingencies which cannot occur in the an- 
 chorage. For instance, allowance must be made for the 
 deterioration of the wire by the elements, for any possi- 
 ble imperfection in the manufacture of the cables, for 
 any increase in weight or strain over that first contempla- 
 ted, which is most always the case, and lastly, a certain 
 margin is required so as not to strain the wire beyond its 
 limit of elasticity. 
 
 In the anchorage, however, we have only two factors 
 to deal with— granite and gravity. The first, a material 
 whose very existence is a defiance to the " gnawing tooth 
 of time the second, the only immutable law in nature; 
 hence, when I place a certain amount of dead weight, in 
 the shape of granite, on the anchor plates, I know it will 
 remain there beyond all contingencies. 
 
 In the anchorage plates, which are huge spider-shaped 
 castings, two alternative designs were possible. Either 
 
7 
 
 to make them in one solid casting, or to di- 
 vide each casting into a number of separate thin 
 plates between which the chains would be inserted, the 
 whole being united by wrought iron bars, as proposed by 
 Mr. Allen. Castings in large masses seldom show the 
 same rate of strength which the same metal will give 
 with a small sectional area ; but it was found easily prac- 
 ticable to keep the greatest thickness of metal in these 
 plates within three inches, and as every other advantage 
 remained with the single casting, the latter plan was car- 
 ried out with perfect success.'' The thickness of metal 
 and the distribution of the various parts of these cast- 
 ings also guarantee the absence of internal strains. 
 
 ANCHOR CHAINS. 
 
 The anchor chains are so disposed as to form the quad- 
 rant of a circle extending from a point 26 feet above 
 the anchor plate, to which they are joined by a vertical 
 section, to within 25 feet of the front of the anchorage, 
 the cable itself emerging eight feet below the top of the 
 masonry. This distance of 25 feet is necessary in order 
 to compress the spreading strands of the cable within 
 their proper bulk, before emerging from the masonry. 
 In the arrangement of these chains, various conditions 
 and conflicting requirements had to be fulfilled. The 
 chief point, governing all the others, was a proper attach- 
 ment of the end of the chain to the strands of the cable. 
 
 In all previous wire-cable bridges, each cable was 
 composed of seven strands. This division was impossible 
 here, as the strands would be too bulky to handle, and 
 could not be properly laid tip, when exceeding a certain 
 diameter. The next number of strands giving an ap- 
 proximation to the figure of a circle is thirteen, but here 
 the strand was still too large, for the reasons above 
 given, so that nineteen strands were finally determined 
 on. 
 
8 
 
 These required 38 bars at the ends of the chains for 
 their attachment. The bars are arranged in four tiers, 
 thus occupying a minimum amount of space — the attach- 
 ment being further made in such a manner, and in such 
 order, that the strands will lie comformably to the cir- 
 cular arrangement in the saddles on the towers, and at 
 the same time permit each new strand to be made on the 
 end of the chain, so as not to be interfered with by the 
 strands already in place. 
 
 The next question was the choice of material ; whether 
 to use iron or steel for these bars. During a visit at Mr. 
 Krupp's works, in Essen, during the year of 1867, the 
 managers obligingly forged for my inspection an anchor 
 bar 2x9, but would not guarantee any greater strength 
 than 80,000 lbs. per square inch of that section of steel. 
 A subsequent comparison of relative rates of strengths 
 and prices soon showed that iron would have the prefer- 
 ence over steel. 
 
 Iron has been used, and I think the choice a wise one. 
 To build up an iron chain of such dimensions in one flat 
 tier, as had been previously the practice, was also impos- 
 sible. Not only would such a chain have been 12 feet 
 in width, but a tight-fitting pin of that length would 
 have to be driven through 40 eye-holes — a problematical 
 proceeding in any event, independently of the fact that 
 the width of the anchor walls would not admit of the 
 driving of so long a pin. These difficulties were over- 
 come by building up the chains in two separate tiers, 
 one on top of the other, and separated by the proper 
 knuckle plates. At one point these chains are united by 
 thrust and tie bars, so as to counteract any evil results 
 that might follow from attaching one-half of the cable 
 to the lower tier, before the upper tier is subjected to 
 any strain. 
 
 As regards the section of the chain at various points, 
 we find that its curved position reduces the strain from 
 the cable to the plate about one-third, which is due to 
 
9 
 
 friction of the link heads on the knuckle plates. It is 
 also almost certain that the adhesion of the chains to the 
 cement, and the hold they have in the masonry, reduces 
 this strain nearly one-third more, though it was not 
 deemed expedient to take any account of this additional 
 safety, in calculating the size of the plates and chains. 
 
 The change in section of chain area is accomplished 
 by gradually increasing the size of the bars, as well as 
 their number. The increase in number being required 
 for the compact and symmetrical arrangement of the 
 strand shoes at the end of the chain. 
 
 PRESERVATION OF THE ANCHOR CHAINS. 
 
 The preservation of the anchor chains from rust is ef- 
 fected in the manner customary on previous works, by 
 properly painting the chemically-cleaned surface of the 
 iron and then embedding the chain in hydraulic cement. 
 The preservative qualities of hydraulic cement have 
 been well tried by long experience. 
 
 When the old Pittsburgh Aqueduct was dismantled, a 
 few years since, the anchor chains, after sixteen years of 
 service, were found in a perfect state of preservation. 
 This fact was again corroborated in the case of the an- 
 chorage of the Niagara Bridge, by an inspection made at 
 the instance of the Canadian government two years ago, 
 after having been immersed in water-bearing strata for 
 22 years. 
 
 In European suspension bridges the chains are usually 
 carried in tunnels open to access, which are confidingly 
 left to the care of future generations, and this trust is 
 not betrayed. This, however, is contrary to the genius 
 of the American people ; with whom everything has to 
 look out for, and take care of itself ; hence, in the arrange- 
 ment of this anchorage the chains are inaccessibly pre- 
 served, and are not intrusted to the neglect of posterity. 
 
 I may say in this connection, that after eight years of 
 observation, I am convinced that the rusting power of tbe 
 
10 
 
 Brooklyn air is fully twenty-fold greater than the air of 
 localities in the interior, Cincinnati, for instance, where 
 
 the smokr -impregnated atmosphere is an ample protec- 
 tion of itself. 
 
 CABLE WORK. 
 
 The main cables consist of 19 strands. These strands 
 are not made on land and hauled across the river, but 
 are laid up in place ; and, as they cannot be made in 
 the position which they are finally to occupy in the cable 
 itself, each separate strand is laid up, 60 feet above this 
 position. 
 
 By doing this we gain not only the advantages of the 
 strand being out of the way of those already made, but 
 also of laying up each wire under a strain of 400 pounds, 
 thereby testing it to a certain extent throughout its whole 
 leno-th, and eliminating all bends or crooks. Moreover, 
 the regulation of the tension could not be accomplished 
 in the low position. 
 
 A uniform tension is secured by giving each wire the 
 same deflection. This work is done by men called "regula- 
 tors" stationed on light platforms called " cradles," in 
 the centre of the main span, and each of the land spans. 
 An intermediate set of cradles is also provided in the 
 main span for the better control of the wire between the 
 towers and the regulators, so that in all, 10 cradles are 
 required ; whereas, one sufficed in previous works. 
 
 After being oiled, and the ends joined together by 
 steel ferrules, the wires are wound up on large drums at 
 one of the anchorages, and are thence transported across 
 the river, two at a time, by an endless " working-rope." 
 This rope is propelled forwards and backwards by an 
 engine and a driving-wheel, and carries a " traveling 
 sheave" upon which the wires run. 
 
 When a set of strands is completed, they are detached 
 from their temporary fastening at the anchorage by 
 means of powerful tackle, let forward to the permanent 
 
11 
 
 fastening at the end of the chains, and also lowered into 
 the saddles on the towers to their proper place in the 
 
 cable. 
 
 All four cables are made simultaneously. After the 
 first 12 of the 19 strands are completed and regu- 
 lated, seven of them are compressed together to form 
 a centre core around which the remaining strands are 
 afterwards placed, and the whole continuously wrapped 
 with wire. 
 
 The cables are made about five or six feet above the 
 position they will occupy after all the settling has taken 
 place. This settling is due to the following causes : 
 
 First, the deflection due to the load. This, for steel 
 wire, would be at the rate of T -o oWo °f a ^ oot P er f° ot 
 length, per gross ton of strain per square inch of section. 
 
 Secondly, an allowance must be made for any forward 
 movement of the saddles. The uplifting action of the 
 stays in the quarters will also cause a depression in the 
 centre of a little more than two feet. 
 
 Lastly, changes of temperature must be provided for, 
 so that the floor cannot fall below the limit fixed by law. 
 
 The length of time required to make the main cables 
 is largely dependent on the wind and weather, and will 
 require no less than or three years. This estimate of 
 time is based on the experience at Cincinnati, where it 
 took nine months to lay upa million ofpoundsof wire into 
 cable. According to that it would take six times nine 
 months for the cables here ; but by making two pairs of 
 cables at once, we reduce this to three times On the 
 other hand, our bridge is two and a half times as long be- 
 tween anchorages as at Cincinnati, and the interruption 
 from wind will be fully twice as great. This, again, is 
 offset by the fact that our wire here being a larger size, we 
 can lay up a greater bulk in weight in the same length 
 of time. Taking all these things into consideration, we 
 see that the above estimate of time is correct. 
 
12 
 
 Preparations for the commencement of cable-making 
 have been going on for two years past, during which 
 time the required machinery for running out the wire 
 from the Brooklyn anchorage has been put up, and is 
 only awaiting the completion of the foot-bridge for an 
 active commencement. 
 
 The cradles are supported by heavy wire ropes, sus- 
 pended at such a deflection that the main strands, while 
 being made, hang directly opposite the " regulator," thus 
 giving him every facility for handling the wires. Access 
 is had to the " cradles " by means of a light, temporary 
 foot bridge. 
 
 Two designs were made for this foot-bridge ; one 
 in a low position, at the level of the floor of the main 
 bridge ; the other 60 feet above, at the level of the cra- 
 dles and strands. Both positions have their advantages 
 and disadvantages. From the low foot-bridge the regu- 
 lating of the strands in the cables can be easier accom- 
 plished, but access to the cradles could only be had by 
 means of long, vertical rope ladders, difficult and danger- 
 ous to climb. The intermediate cradles would have 
 been almost inaccessible. Provision for safety against 
 storms could perhaps be equally well made in both cases. 
 The upper position involves much heavier strain in the 
 ropes, but the putting in place could be more easily ac- 
 complished. The important consideration which led to 
 the adoption of the high position was the accommodation 
 of the shipping, since the low foot-bridge would have at 
 once formed a barrier across the river at a uniform 
 height of 150 feet above the water, whilst the upper po- 
 sition gave 210 feet height ; which head-room would be 
 maintained for a year or more, when the lowering of the 
 cable strands would slightly curtail it. 
 
 ROPES ACROSS THE RIVER. 
 A general plan for getting the ropes across the river, 
 and suspending them, was sketched out some years ago, 
 
13 
 
 and has been successfully carried out. It consisted mainly 
 in laying the lighter ropes, including a " carrier rope," in 
 the bed of the river, from which they were raised over 
 the towers by engines located on each side. All the 
 heavier ropes were then taken across on the " carrier 
 rope " by means of carrier sheaves, and after being 
 hauled taut, were fastened to irons secured in the ma- 
 sonry of the anchorage. But little delay was caused by 
 the passing vessels, notwithstanding the fact that the 
 East river is one of the most crowded rivers in the world 
 and that no less than a hundred craft often pass the line 
 of the Bridge during an hour. 
 
 The taking over of the first heavy rope of course sug- 
 gested many improvements, which greatly facilitated 
 the work of getting over the remaining ropes. 
 
 FOOT-BRIDGE FLOOR. 
 
 The platform, or floor, of the foot-bridge, 3^ feet 
 wide, is composed of wooden strips with a small space 
 between them, laid on top of the ropes. No suspenders 
 are used. To protect such a frail structure against the 
 violence of terrific gales, that rage here almost weekly, is 
 no easy task, and I venture to predict that, notwithstand- 
 ing every precaution, our temporary works will be disa- 
 bled mure than once before we have completed cable 
 making. The principal security against the wind is a 
 pair of inverted storm cables, assisted by a number of 
 " underfioor stays " in the main span. In the land span 
 the guys lead directly to anchorages in the ground. In ad- 
 dition to these, the ropes are secured together laterally. 
 
 It is of but little moment how much the cradles may 
 sway about in the middle of the main span, but all great 
 waves must be checked before they reach the towers 
 where alone the ropes can be injured. This is done by 
 the " underfioor stays," and by securely fastening the 
 ropes to the masonry. 
 
14 
 
 The inverted parabolic storm cables serve rather to 
 prevent the foot-bridge being carried away bodily. 
 
 FOOT BRIDGE ROPES. 
 
 As the difficult work of getting these ropes over was 
 more directly in the charge of Mr. Farrington, 1 beg to 
 refer the reader to his report, which will be found 
 annexed. An ample training in this kind of business 
 at Cincinnati and Niagara Falls had especially fitted him 
 for such work, and it is to his care and judgment, com- 
 bined with the efficient aid rendered by Mr. Martin and 
 Mr. McNulty, that we owe the success of those danger- 
 ous operations, without a single accident or loss of life 
 up to the present time. 
 
 For a full description of the steel-wire ropes I would 
 refer to the specifications, subjoined hereto. The con- 
 tract for these ropes was let to the Chrome Steel Co., of 
 Brooklyn, E. D., and they were manufactured by the 
 John A. Roebling ? s Sons Co., of Trenton, New Jersey. 
 
 CABLE WIRE. 
 
 As may be supposed, the question of the main cable- 
 wire has formed the subject of much reflection and 
 thought ; especially in preparing the specifications for 
 the same. Tests have been going on at intervals for the 
 past six years, and constantly during the last two years. 
 
 The making of the tests was entrusted to my able and 
 efficient assistant, Col. Paine, and were carried out under 
 my own immediate supervision. In the course of these 
 experiments Col. Paine has elicited many new and in- 
 teresting facts. Samples were obtained from most of 
 the principal foreign as well as domestic makers of steel 
 wire, comprising all the various grades of steel, but 
 especially cast-steel, and these samples were in no case 
 especially prepared to exhibit any extraordinary qualities 
 
15 
 
 but were the ordinary products of the works, and made 
 at a reasonable cost. 
 
 The principle which served as a guide in these deter- 
 minations, was to obtain a certain rate of strength for 
 the least amount of money. 
 
 It was discovered at a very early day that a compara- 
 tively slight raise in the requirements, for instance, rais- 
 ing the rate from 160 to 170,000 or 180,000 lbs. per square 
 inch, made a much larger proportional increase in the 
 price; whereas a reduction of the rate below these figures 
 did not affect the price very much. 
 
 It was from the full data obtained from these exten- 
 sive experiments that the first sketch of our require 
 merits in tests was built up This was then modified to 
 suit this particular case. As the wire specifications, which 
 are appended to this report, go very fully into the rea- 
 sons which led to these different conclusions, little is left 
 for me to say here. 
 
 The choice of the particular size of wire selected 
 proved very fortunate, not only in respect to cable-mak- 
 ing, but also in respect to the making of the wire icself 
 Had a coarser size been taken, it would not have been 
 possible to develop the degree of strength, and the in- 
 creased cost of a smaller size would not be compensated 
 by any other advantage. 
 
 The gauge of the wire is given at No. 8, full (Bir- 
 mingham), which means anywhere between the No. 7£ 
 and No. 8. Every practical wire drawer knows that 
 wire gauges differ, not only in different establishments, 
 but in the same establishment, and that they constantly 
 wear out and get larger. To avoid this trouble, the 
 weight of the wire has been fixed at 14 feet to the pound. 
 
 The first thing, therefore, to be done by the contractor, 
 is to draw some wire from the stock he proposes to use, 
 until he gets a piece of exactly sueh a weight ; this wire 
 then forms the standard by which his whole product is 
 gauged. 
 
16 
 
 It is evident that the rate of strength ' per square inch 
 is entirely governed by the specific gravity of the ma- 
 terial. Under the specifications we would probably have 
 to deal with every variety of steel, from the light carbon 
 steels with 1-J per cent, or more of carbon, down to Bes- 
 semer, containing often less than one-fourth per cent., and 
 from that to the still heavier Chrome Steel.* 
 
 In order to embrace all of these, the weight is fixed at 
 483. 84 lbs. per cubic foot, which represents the rate of 
 160,000 lbs. per square inch for wire of which 14 feet 
 weighed one pound. Now, if the material which the 
 contractor uses should prove lighter than the figure fixed 
 above, he will be obliged to slightly increase the diame- 
 ter of his wire, in order to make it weigh 14 feet to the 
 lb. If his material is heavier, the reverse will be the 
 case. The effect of this will be to make a slight change 
 in the diameter of the \yhole cable, and also in the rate 
 of strength per square inch ; that is, it will give a lower 
 rate with light wire and a higher rate with heavier wire; 
 but as long as each cable contains 6,300 wires, the break- 
 ing strength of each one of which is fixed at 3.400 lbs., 
 it is impossible that any variation can be brought about 
 in the ultimate strength of the cables / and, further, as 
 long as every wire weighs 14 feet to the lb., it is impossi- 
 ble that the total weight of the cables can be changed in 
 any way. 
 
 While I am discussing this question of ultimate 
 strength, I will say it is a matter of very little impor- 
 tance to me whether the ultimate strength of the wire 
 given in the specifications is a little greater or little less 
 than 160,000 lbs. per square inch. The ultimate 
 strength was inserted in the specifications, because it is 
 customary, and is better understood by the wire makers 
 for whom these specifications were written. As long as 
 
 •Average weight of 12 specimens of Chrome Steel as given in the Circular of 
 Chrome Steel Co., of January, !S74,-is 4SS.92 lbs. per cubic foot. 
 
17 
 
 I am sure of an elastic limit of 1,600 lbs., and that the 
 maximum strain on each wire in the cable will be of about 
 570 lbs., I am absolutely safe beyond all contingencies, 
 even if every wire were to break with 3,000 lbs. strain. 
 
 The determination of the ultimate size and strength 
 of the cables is governed by another set of considerations 
 of a different character, but of equal importance. They 
 have already been spoken of under the head of anchor 
 chains. 
 
 QUALITY OF WIRE. 
 
 Throughout this whole investigation it has been felt 
 that one grave difficulty surrounded the question of 
 steel, and that is. lack of uniformity of quality. This 
 question is so serious that, were it not for the manifold 
 advantages to be obtained, steel would not have been 
 used. 
 
 The experience gained by the tests made at the Bridge, 
 as well as personal experience of twenty years in hand- 
 ling thousands of tons of steel, in the wire rope business, 
 have shown that all steel is, within limits, very uncer- 
 tain in its character; a fact applying with much greater 
 force to the high and more expensive crucible cast-steels 
 than to the other medium qualities. 
 
 Even with the best intentions on the part of the 
 maker, it is very doubtful if successive lots of any 
 amount will turn out exactly the same. In a private 
 business this point can be more easily settled. The rep- 
 utation of the maker would be the leading consideration ; 
 further, the price has something to do with the quality ; 
 and lastly, as the amounts of steel handled are usually 
 small, it is easy to change from one maker to another if 
 the steel turns out badly. 
 
 Such a course is manifestly impossible in the case of 
 a work of the magnitude of the East River Bridge, and 
 least of all, in a city like New York. What then was to 
 be done ? To invite the bidders to make a few rings was 
 
 2 
 
■J 8 
 
 well enough in its way. It would serve to show the en- 
 gineer what the bidder could do, and instruct the bidder 
 as to what had to be done ; but to assume that a few rings 
 would be a sure guaranty for the whole contract, could 
 not be thought of. 
 
 To acquire any reliable knowledge as to the uniformity 
 of any maker's product, would require an order of at least 
 50 tons, and by the time this was distributed among all 
 who could do the work, it would amount to giving out 
 the contract piecemeal, without any competition. 
 
 The plan adopted was, therefore, the only one that 
 could be practically executed, namely : to invite public 
 competition with a view of awarding the contract to the 
 lowest bidder, and, on the other hand, to exact a large 
 bond for the faithful performance of the contract ; and, 
 finally, to secure the qualities called for in the specifica- 
 tions by a complete system of tests. The assurance of 
 the correct performance of these tests must remain a mat- 
 ter of confidence and trust. The building of the whole 
 Bridge is a matter of trust. 
 
 Among other questions which came up was a minor 
 one respecting the advisability of limiting the competi- 
 tion to wire makers, or extending it to the whole steel 
 trade. 
 
 My views on this matter are contained in the follow- 
 ing letter addressed to my assistant, Colonel Paine, on 
 Oct. 16th, 1876. 
 
 " Dear Colonel : 
 
 Jn your letter of the 14th you inquire whether a rigid 
 adherence is expected in regard to that item of the cable- 
 wire specifications which excludes all but wire makers 
 from putting in bids. 
 
 I would say in reply that there are many weighty consid- 
 erations for adhering to this stipulation, and only one poor 
 reason for not doing so; the latter being a weak desire to 
 please everybody, a course which inevitably ends in dis- 
 
19 
 
 astrons complications, from whieh von can only extricate 
 yourself by great effort and expense of time and money. 
 All of which can easily be avoided at the outset. 
 
 In the first place, I believe it to be an accepted fact, 
 that the wire maker makes wire ; so it is, therefore, per- 
 fectly natural, that in our specifications we should call 
 for wire makers to give us bids ; but it would seem very 
 odd if we should invite bids of a man who has an ore- 
 bed or a coal mine, or who sells pig iron, or steel ingots, 
 or blooms, or billets, or bars, or rods, or lumps of zinc. 
 All these operations culminate in the final product of 
 the finished wire made by the wire maker. He is 
 the last man in the chain, and must, of necessity, be the 
 one who fixes the market price of wire. 
 
 In the next place, if a wire maker should get this con- 
 tract, he must have perfect freedom to buy his steel 
 wherever be pleases, and must not be tied down to the 
 use of any one person's product. There are a thousand 
 steel makers in the world, and if one man's steel will not 
 answer, another's may. He can thus always help him- 
 self if his wire does not come up to the mark. Parties 
 who are not wire makers will only bid for the sake of 
 pushing in their own particular brand of steel. They 
 will take good care that it shall stand the preliminary 
 tests, even if they have to buy a piece of steel for this 
 purpose. For this reason I attach little value to our 
 preliminary tests as a sample of what is to come. 
 
 The task of annulling such a contract, when once 
 made, is no child's play, and would make a terrific com- 
 motion. If we tie ourselves down to, a particular steel 
 this contingency is almost sure to happen, but if the wire 
 drawer can use any steel he pleases, this contingency can 
 scarcely arise. 
 
 I know of no wire drawer who, with open eyes, will 
 bind himself to use another man's steel exclusively ; and 
 it is for this reason that the outside gentlemen are so 
 
20 
 
 anxious to put in independent bids, and then trust to 
 luck to get somebody to draw the wire for them. 
 
 For seven long years past our gradually lising 
 towers have warned all interested parties that our cable- 
 wire would be wanted at an early day, and now, when the 
 time has come, thev are not readv, but want to hed^e 
 around in some irregular way to get an advantage over 
 the rest, and I am free to tell you that I shall use 
 my utmost influence against any irregular bid, because I 
 look upon them as made with deliberate attempt to get 
 an unfair advantage over fair and square bidders. 
 
 I can give no better illustration of the foregoing 
 points than by referring to the contract for Fridge 
 ropes, now being executed at Trenton Here were a 
 number of ropes to be made in accordance with a set of 
 strict specifications, but, in addition, they had to be made 
 out of a particular kind of steel, and these two conditions 
 proved antagonistic. 
 
 Many months of time and labor were expended in 
 vain attempts to make it answer, and when finally 
 enough had been squeezed out to pass the tests for one 
 or two ropes, it was still found to show such a want of 
 uniformity, and be so full of inherent defects, as to 
 break of its own accord when laid up in the rope. 
 
 Now, here was material which was manifestly unlit to 
 be put into ropes, notwithstanding it had passed the 
 tests as steel. The question, therefore, at once arose, 
 should we go on and make poor ropes, and remain with- 
 in the letter of the law, or throw it to one side and use 
 a material suitable for the purpose I 
 
 The large quantity of condemned chrome steel now 
 lying in the mill yard, shows which way this decision 
 went. 
 
 I need only say, in conclusion, that I am opposed to 
 any bid which does not come from a wire maker of good 
 reputation, and long experience in making steel wire. 
 
21 
 
 Our great necessity is for steel wire of perfect uni- 
 formity. If a wire breaks during cable-making, we 
 always lose two wires of the whole length of the cables, 
 valued, say, at $10. The regulation of the wires back 
 of them may be disturbed, so that the loss of time is in 
 no case less than two hours, and often a whole day, 
 during which time nothing can be done, and the whole 
 work stops. In such a case we would lose from two to 
 three hundred dollars. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 W A. ROEBUNG." 
 
 CABLE WIRE SPECIFICATIONS. 
 
 At the time these cable-wire specifications were written, 
 I supposed, in common with other engineers, in fact it 
 was in accordance with all the tests I had made up to 
 that time, that Open Hearth or Bessemer steel could not 
 be made to come up to the standard required. 
 
 The whole specifications were written in accordance 
 with these views. Bessemer and Open Hearth steels 
 were carefully excluded, and only crucible cast-steel 
 called for, and the specifications were so submitted to 
 the Trustees. After due discussion in their Board, it 
 was decided to enlarge the field of competition, by re- 
 ceiving bids from" all kinds of steel wire makers, and not 
 limit them to crucible cast steel. In this shape the spe- 
 cifications were put before the public. 
 
 After the issue of the specifications, three months of 
 incessant activity ensued among such wire drawers as in- 
 tended to bid on the work. It soon became manifest, 
 from samples received, that both Open Hearth and Bes- 
 semer steels could be so manipulated as to meet the re- 
 quirements in every respect, giving a uniformity equal 
 to and even superior to any brand of cast-steel, and this 
 could be done not only in a few specimen rings, but in 
 many tons at a time. 
 
22 
 
 To what extent this may be due to the making of the 
 steel or to the drawing of the wire I am not prepared to 
 say, but inasmuch as several kinds of Bessemer steel 
 produced nearly the same results, it is probably largely 
 due to the wire drawing. 
 
 Now this is a very important fact, not only in its bear- 
 ing on steel wire in general, but particularly its effect 
 on the cost of the bridge and cables, because Open 
 Hearth or Bessemer wire can be made at a cost approxi- 
 mating one half the price of good cast-steel wire, and 
 the saving of two or three hundred thousand dollars is a 
 matter of no small moment to the two cities. 
 
 It was supposed at the time of writing these specifi- 
 cations that such wire as was called for could not be 
 made without going through the process of hardening 
 and tempering. The tests of the final sample, however, 
 showed that all the requirements could be met, without 
 subjecting the wire to this process. This is largely due 
 to the size of wire used, and has resulted in a consider- 
 able diminution of the amount of each bid. 
 
 STRAIGHTENING THE WIRE. 
 
 In regard to the subject of straightening of the wire, 
 it should be said that this idea was perfected by Col. 
 Paine only a short time previous to the issue of the 
 specifications, the bulk of the preliminary tests having 
 been made with ordinary curved w T ire. 
 
 As the difference of curvature between the inside and 
 outside of a ring of wire, two feet in diameter, is consid- 
 erable, it may readily be supposed that the metal is in 
 different conditions of strain, on the two respective sides. 
 The elimination of such strain is not only perfectly ac- 
 complished by this process of straightening, but it in- 
 volves other results of great importance. Both the ulti- 
 mate strength and the limit of elasticity are raised near- 
 ly eight percent., but the modulus was uniformly found 
 to be as high as 29,000,000. 
 
23 
 
 If time had allowed of making the experimental tests 
 solely with straight wire, the modulus would have been 
 fixed at 29,000,000 and above, instead of allowing a mar- 
 gin, as has been done. The apparent anomaly of call- 
 ing for a stretch of two per cent, in the 50 feet lengths, 
 and 3-J per cent, in the 5 feet lengths, where the reverse 
 might be expected, is susceptible of an easy explanation, 
 No wire under strain breaks in two places at the same 
 time. As soon as the strain has passed the limits of elas- 
 ticity, weak places begin to develop themselves at particu- 
 lar points, and a greater portion of the stretch is thenceforth 
 confined to their immediate neighborhood, and not dis- 
 tributed over the whole length of the wire. The percent- 
 age of stretch when referred to the long length must 
 therefore be less than when referred to the short length. 
 This also explains the fact why the same piece of wire 
 when broken a second or third time will exhibit the same 
 or often a greater strength than when broken the first 
 time. 
 
 APPROACHES. 
 
 As cable-making will be under fair headway by next 
 spring, the time will then have arrived to commence 
 actual work on the construction of our approaches. 
 
 We cannot, of course, commence on the whole line at 
 once, and it will be most convenient to commence at 
 each of the anchorages, and work towards the termini. 
 
 Last spring one of the assistant engineers, Mr. Ililden- 
 brand, was instructed to make several alternative designs, 
 principally in reference to the appearance of the side 
 elevation of the New York approach. He also made 
 four different plans for the bridge across Franklin Square. 
 
 As the side elevations will, in all probability, front on 
 an important street in New York, it is, perhaps, fitting 
 that the architectural features on that side should be of 
 a better character, and of more imposing appearance 
 than on the Brooklyn side, where the approach is not so 
 much exposed to view. 
 
24 
 
 BROOKLYN APPROACH. 
 Commencing at York street, there will have to be 
 erected on each side of the street two lofty, substantial 
 parallel walls, for the purpose of supporting the six 
 u plate-girders " by which the approach crosses York 
 street, in an oblique direction. Jn order to adapt the 
 walls for future use in forming the sides of buildings, 
 they w T ill be provided with suitable archways to serve as 
 doors and windows. Where Garrison street enters York, 
 a wrought iron girder must be thrown across the end of 
 the former, as a support for the main girder crossing 
 York street. 
 
 The space of ground between the wall on York 
 street and the rear of the anchorage can, of course, be 
 occupied. In this discussion the primary object of this 
 construction should not be lost sight of, which is to sup- 
 port the roadway of the approach, and every other con- 
 sideration must be subordinate to it. Owing to the 
 height at this point, such support can only be in the 
 nature of columns ; either isolated iron columns, or brick 
 piers connected by light longitudinal arches. To give 
 the necessary lateral support to such columns they must 
 be enclosed by walls with substantial buttresses, which 
 form the side view 7 of the architectural drawings now 
 being made. These remarks apply also to that part of 
 the approach between York and Main streets, though it 
 may be desirable to make it of a more imposing archi- 
 tectural character, or similar to the approach on the 
 New York side, described further on. 
 
 As soon as Main street is passed we come to that part 
 of the approach bounded by Prospect, and Main streets, 
 on which will be located the machinery that will drive 
 the endless ropes for the trains on the vail road tracks. 
 Here the supports must be arranged to suit that object. 
 The large square at the terminus can either be filled up 
 solid with earth or be arranged for an underground depot 
 or station, if required. 
 
25 
 
 I do not think it advisable that we should at once 
 make all the necessary preparations for establishing ware- 
 houses under this approach, but confine ourselves to what 
 is needed for support merely. 
 
 The uses to which these spaces can be put are, after all, 
 quite limited. The incessant rumbling overhead is one 
 serious objection to them. The necessary amount of 
 light will be difficult to obtain. No chimneys can pierce 
 the roof, but must come out on the outer walls. They 
 could, however, be heated by steam. Many other objec- 
 tions to them might be mentioned, all of which goes to 
 show that the utilization of these spaces had better be 
 left until the approach is finished, or until the demands 
 of trade indicate clearly what is required. 
 
 To commence work, therefore, next season, it is neces- 
 sary to obtain possession of the following property: The 
 property on James street, including the whole of the tri- 
 angular cluster of old frame buildings bounded bv York 
 James and Main streets, and James street closed. It 
 will also be necessary to purchase the north corner of 
 Garrison and York streets. 
 
 NEW YORK APPROACH. 
 
 This approach differs in many particulars from that 
 of Brooklyn. It is nearly twice as long, and much 
 more elevated, thus involving more cost and labor 
 in construction. Its location also demands more of 
 an architectural display than (ran be made in Brooklyn. 
 
 The property between the anchorage and Franklin 
 Square we own already and it gives room for one build- 
 ing. The location is very desirable for business purposes, 
 hence I think it would be well in this instance to adapt 
 the building to business purposes at once, and the" inner 
 division walls as well as the outer ones can be construct- 
 ed in accordance with plans made for that purpose. A 
 portion of the interior of this building can also be de- 
 voted to stairways for the purpose of gaining access to 
 
26 
 
 the top of the anchorage, whence people can cross the 
 bridge on foot or take the horse cars. The front of this 
 building on Cherry street mast, of coarse, consist of 
 heavy walls supporting one end of the bridge by which 
 the approach crosses Franklin Square. 
 
 The Franklin Square bridge will be 85 feet wide ; 195 
 feet long at the north end, and about 140 feet long at the 
 south side. Four general styles of structure are possi- 
 ble at this point : 
 
 First, the stone arch. 
 
 Second, the wrought or cast iron arch. 
 
 Third, a girder crossing the whole span. 
 
 Fourth, a girder supported in the middle by two 
 cross girders resting on one column on the south side, 
 and two on the north side. This arrangement practi- 
 cally divides the span into two bridges, one over Pearl 
 street and the other over Cherry street. 
 
 The relative cost of these bridges is about in the or- 
 der in which they are enumerated. The stone arch will 
 cost about five or six times as much as the others ; the 
 material itself is costly, the abutments would be extreme- 
 ly massive, and contain large quantities of material, 
 chiefly because the foundations have to go down as low 
 as the anchorage in order to insure the necessary stabili- 
 ty. The heavy centering on which to support these 
 arches is also expensive, and would tend to obstruct the 
 two streets These same remarks would apply with much 
 less force, however, to the iron arches. 
 
 A continuous girder across the whole span is cheaper 
 than the two previous arrangements, but it is more ex- 
 pensive than that supported by the columns. The length 
 of the span would require a truss of sixteen or eighteen 
 feet in height. This would not look well in that situa- 
 tion, as it would obstruct the view up and down the 
 street too much ; besides, two of these girders on the 
 north side would only be elevated a foot or two above 
 the lowered roof of the building between Cherry and 
 
27 
 
 Pearl streets, which would look odd — almost absurd — in 
 such a locality. 
 
 The last of the four plans (which might be called the 
 column plan), will be the cheapest and will also look 
 very well. This calls for a cast-iron column, or rather 
 cluster of columns, at the point between Cherry and 
 Pearl streets, and for two brick piers, to be erected with- 
 in the walls of the building between these two streets. On 
 these supports rest two transverse wrought iron girders, 
 which latter support the main bridge. 
 
 A single or double Warren girder about nine feet in 
 depth will make the best kind of truss. With the cen- 
 tral support it can be calculated as a continuous girder, 
 thus requiring a minimum amount of iron. The road- 
 way of the bridge will rest on top of these girders. 
 
 The stone abutments at each end will also contain less 
 masonry than by any other plan. • 
 
 The bridges over all the other streets will be ordinary 
 plate girders. 
 
 We come now to the question of opening a street par- 
 allel to the south side of this approach. 
 
 The location of Frankfort street, with reference to the 
 approach, is such that it of itself forms such a street for 
 the greater part of the distance. In any way that the 
 question can be discussed, the inevitable conclusion is 
 forced upon us that such a street should be established. 
 Even outside of the Bridge question, the necessity for 
 such a street is apparent, because there is not a single 
 wide street leading from the vicinity of the City Hall 
 straight down to the East river, below 2\ T e\v Chambers 
 street. The extra amount of property required is but 
 little. One or two lots between Franklin Square and 
 Cliff street, and a portion of Burr's building, on the cor- 
 ner of Cliff and Frankfort streets. By this plan the 
 lower end of the present Frankfort street, from Cliff to 
 Pearl, will be closed. The steep grade near Vandewater 
 street can also be diminished to the exteut of two or 
 three feet. 
 
28 
 
 Respecting the question of an alley of from twelve to 
 sixteen feet wide on the north side of the approach, two 
 points have to be decided. If the property underneath 
 is to be utilized now, then this alley should be opened at 
 once ; but if not, there can be no immediate necessity 
 for it. In either case the positions of the lots we cut 
 through are such that we have to buy half the land 
 required* for an alley. 
 
 The wall on the north side of the approach can be 
 made of a plainer character than that on Frankfort street. 
 Each space beneath the approach will be included within 
 four walls, two of them forming the principal sides 
 of the approach, and two forming the abutments 
 for the girders across the streets. Within this space 
 suitable supports for the roadway will be constructed. 
 Estimates are now being made to determine as to wheth- 
 er iron columns, suitably braced, or brick piers with con- 
 necting arches, will best answer the purpose. The 
 supports will be so arranged as to facilitate the division 
 of the future warehouses into stories. 
 
 The utilization of these spaces will be effected at a 
 much earlier day than on the Brooklyn side. 
 
 In order to illustrate the plan of brick piers and arches, 
 let us take the block between Cliff and Yandewater 
 streets. This represents a rectangle 85 feet wide by about 
 250 feet in length, and surrounded on all four sides by 
 walls: at the narrow ends by the abutment walls, and 
 at the two other sides by the main walls of the approach. 
 Within this space there will be carried up three or four 
 longitudinal parallel rows of brick piers, from fif- 
 teen to eighteen feet apart, and connected together 
 by light flying arches. The dimensions of the piers 
 at the base would be about six feet, and tapering off 
 to about three feet at the summit The offsets in 
 the piers as well as the connecting arches can be made 
 suitable for division into stories. The connecting arches 
 
29 
 
 will be only about eighteen inches in thickness at the 
 crown, and of a uniform width with the piers. 
 
 The top will be covered by a coping of stone or 
 cast-iron. Laterally, these brick piers must be braced by 
 heavy iron beams, twelve or fifteen inches deep. These 
 can be so placed as to serve as supports for the floors of 
 the different stories. 
 
 The general arrangement above described comes the 
 nearest to being fire-proof of any that can be devised, 
 although it may prove a little more expensive than that 
 with iron columns alone. 
 
 The roof, in any case, will be formed by laying iron 
 beams across the longitudinal walls and connecting them 
 into a solid platform by short, brick arches, in the man- 
 ner ordinarily pursued in fire-proof structures. The* 
 roadway on this platform must follow the same general 
 arrangement as on the main bridge. The horse car rails 
 with the iron tramways alongside for wagon wheels will 
 be continued through. These rails and irons will be 
 secured to longitudinal wooden sleepers, which latter 
 are fastened to the iron beams underneath. Wood is 
 required to give the necessary elasticity, and if properly 
 prepared will last a long time. The central space in 
 each tramway, where the horses walk, must be filled with 
 a suitable pavement, probably of wooden blocks, which, 
 in such a place, will be very durable, for the reason that 
 the causes which usually wear out wooden pavements 
 are not found here, as it is well drained by the slope; the 
 frost will not upheave it, and since it will not have to be 
 taken up for any purpose, it will wear evenly all over. 
 The space between the tramways can be filled in with 
 asphalt or concrete. 
 
 Under the principal railway tracks where the passen- 
 ger trains run, we have the option to leave the spaces be- 
 tween open or closed. If left open they will furnish 
 light for the spaces underneath, which otherwise must 
 come from the distant end walls; but, on the other hand, 
 
30 
 
 a separate roof would be required underneath to carry 
 off the rain ; hence, if these spaces are not to be utilized 
 at once it may be as well to close them ; either way is 
 immaterial, as far as the track is concerned. 
 
 The trains of passenger cars will be from 400 to 500 
 feet in length. The floor of such a car from two and a 
 half to three feet above the track, hence the platform 
 on which the passengers stand, must be at the same 
 height above the track for the distance already given. 
 This will take in a greater portion of the Brooklyn ap- 
 proach, and about one-third of the New York approach. 
 It will therefore be advisable to continue the central 
 sidewalk at this elevation over the remainder of the New 
 York approach until it passes the anchorages. We thus 
 fivoid two awkward sets of steps up and down. This 
 height of three feet also affords an opportunity of put- 
 ting in side lights along the central platform, and thus 
 lighting the place underneath, even if the railroad tracks 
 are closed up tight. 
 
 As to the material of which this platform should be 
 made, I prefer yellow pine planking to stone flagging ; 
 planking is more pleasant to walk on, does not get slip- 
 pery in freezing weather like stone, which is quite a con- 
 sideration on account of the grade ; it can be easily re- 
 paired piece by piece without interrupting the whole 
 travel, as would be the case when replacing flagging. At 
 the ends of the approaches, between Chatham and 
 William streets, and Sands and Prospect streets, the 
 spaces will be covered with regular pavement. 
 
 All the bridges at the street crossings will be plate 
 girders except the Franklin Square bridge and the cross- 
 ings at William and North William streets, where solid 
 brick arches may be p'referable, provided we have the 
 necessary head room underneath. 
 
 Between North William and Chatham streets there 
 will be required an underground room for holding the 
 return wheels of the propelling ropes and the sliding 
 frames for tightening the latter. 
 
31 
 
 A brief recapitulation of the foregoing remarks goes 
 to show that all the questions involved in this approach 
 are pretty well settled except one ; which is the manner 
 of supporting the roadway of the approach. Either of 
 the two methods proposed are adequate as far as the 
 mere supporting power is concerned. The plan of 
 wrought ir<»n columns will probably be a little cheaper 
 as regards first cost, but independent of price the plan 
 of brick arches and piers has so many considerations in 
 its favor that it should, on the whole, be adopted. Brick 
 piers can be erected with equal rapidity, will be more 
 substantial and permanent in their character, and abso- 
 lutely resist the action of lire, whilst iron columns do 
 not. The manner in which the division and surround- 
 ing walls will be tied together gives also a greater 
 stability to the whole structure, besides furnishing one 
 great step towards future utilization. 
 
 Foundations for the walls of the approach must be of 
 various characters, according to the nature of the ground. 
 In the " Swamp" piles must be driven ; in the sand we can 
 make concrete foundations; and in more compact ground 
 ordinary rubble walls will answer, with broad flat stones 
 for footings. 
 
 The foundation walls and brick arches resting against 
 the rear of the anchorage will add a little weight thereon, 
 which is not undesirable. 
 
 The amount of work required to perfect the drawings 
 for the details of these approaches — involving, as it 
 does, designs for a series of structures a quarter of a 
 mile long — is very great. Fortunately we have in Mr. 
 Hildenbrand an architect both by profession and prac- 
 tice. The Grand Central Depot was built from draw- 
 ings made by him. and his designs for the International 
 Exhibition building show great capacit} 7 . Since his 
 release from the duties of stone inspection, Mr. Vander- 
 bosch has also rendered very able and efficient aid in 
 making these designs, a work which comes in the line of 
 his profession. 
 
32 
 
 In conclusion, I must express my satisfaction and ap- 
 preciation of the services rendered by the gentlemen 
 who have assisted me thus far in the construction of the 
 various parts of this work. Owing to my prolonged ill- 
 ness and consequent enforced absence, the actual 
 execution of the work lias largely devolved upon my 
 assistants. As Engineer in charge. Mr. Martin lias had 
 a general superintendence of the whole work, which he 
 has done in his usual faithful and energetic manner. 
 
 Col. Paine, in addition to completing the New York 
 tower, has attended to all the details connected with the 
 work and tests incident to the wire ropes and the cable- 
 wire, a task for which he has shown a special aptitude. 
 He has given to this subject an untiring application, 
 united with a spirit of patient investigation, which takes 
 nothing for granted, resulting in new and valuable dis- 
 coveries and improvements. 
 
 Mr. Colling wood has had charge of the New York 
 anchorage for the past two years, and has conducted 
 this work to a successful completion in the i most able 
 and efficient manner, and in a remarkably short space of 
 time. 
 
 Mr. McNulty successfully completed the Brooklyn 
 anchorage, since wliich time he has been employed in 
 the office making plans and designs for different parts of 
 the work. 
 
 Mr. Hildenbrand, of whose ability as an architect I 
 have already spoken in my remarks about the approaches, 
 is the repository of most of the calculations and plans 
 pertaining to the superstructure of the Bridge. 
 
 Mr. Farrington, of whom I have spoken in connection 
 with the foot-bridge, will, after its completion, continue 
 in immediate charge of cable-making. 
 
 All of the more important specifications for materials 
 issued during the past two years, together with the re- 
 ports upon tests of steel wire recently submitted to the 
 Board of Trustees, will be found in the appendix to this 
 report. 
 
So 
 
 Below is given the revised estimate brought np to 
 January, 1877, showing the total cost of the work and 
 the expenditure yet to be made to complete it. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Engineer. 
 
 ESTIMATE OF JANUARY 1st, 1877. 
 
 Amount required to complete the Brooklyn tower 87,000.00 
 
 Amount required to complete the New York tower 14,778.00 
 
 Amount required to coniplele the Brooklyn anchorage. 50,948.41 
 
 Amount required to complete the New York anchorage. 59,552.41 
 
 Suspended superstructure, original $3, 011, 010. 00 
 
 Expended during 1876 94,056.42 
 
 Suspended superstructure, amount yet to be expended 2.916,953.58 
 
 Approaches 742,516.00 
 
 Toll Houses and gateways 20,000.00 
 
 Engineering (unexpended balance) 108,886.76 
 
 Contingencies (unexpended balance) 93,957.49 
 
 Am't required to complete the Bridge and approaches. 4.020,592.65 
 
 Land yet to be taken (unexpended balance) 2,267,381.76 
 
 Amount yet to be expended for land, and to complete 
 
 the structure 6,287,974.41 
 
 WHOLE COST OF THE BRIDGE AS NOW ESTIMATED. 
 
 Amount thus far expended, as per 
 
 Treasurer's statement $7,059,808.49 
 
 Deduct receipts for rents, wharfage 
 
 and material sold 164,896.41 
 
 $6,894,912.08 
 
 Add liabilities on January 1, 1877 15,304.75 
 
 Net expenditure, as per Treasr's books.$6, 910,216.83 
 
 Deduct material, etc., on hand, as per 
 
 inventories 82,064.92 
 
 Total net expenditures to January 1, 1877 6.828,151.91 
 
 Total cost by present estimate 
 
 3 
 
 $13,116,126.32 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
I. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR GRANITE FACE-STONE AND ARCH- 
 STONE, REQUIRED FOR THE NEW YORK TOWER, 
 EAST RIVER BRIDGE, APRIL, 1875. 
 
 1. Proposals are invited up to April loth, 1875, for the delivery of 
 6,056 cubic yards of cut Face-stone, Archstone and Dimension-backing, 
 from and including the fourth course above springing line of arch to the 
 coping, comprising a height of 68 feet. 
 
 2. An inspection of the plan shows three solid vertical shafts of a cru- 
 ciform section, extending from the fourth arch-course to the upper cornice, 
 and having a height of 46 feet. 
 
 3. Above this is the upper cornice, extending across the whole width 
 of the Tower, having a total height of about 22 feet, and comprising two 
 diamond beads with a necking between ; an outward sloping section about 
 9 feet high, a square cap course, and the coping and lower roof-stone 
 forming the roof of the Tower. 
 
 4. The three vertical shafts are connected by two pointed arches which 
 have a rise of 35 feet 6 inches : a span of 33 feet 9 inches, and a width 
 of 21 feet. 
 
 5. These arches consist of 18 ring-stones on each side, surmounted by 
 a key-stone. 
 
 Above the arch is the spandrel-tilling of varying thickness of courses, 
 and covered by a broad band-course at the line of the key-stone. The 
 space between the key-stone and the cornice is occupied by a recessed 
 panel. 
 
 (!. The interior space above the spandrel-filling is not all solid, but con- 
 sists of three parallel walls, separated by two hollow spaces. The mid- 
 dle wall is 4 feet 2 inches thick, the two outer ones vary from 4 feet 
 2 inches to 5 feet 3 inches in thickness, and the width of the hollow spaces 
 varies from 4 feet 3 inches to 4 feet 9 inches. 
 
 7. In order to maintain communication with the roof of the Tower, a 
 hole is built into the masonry on the south side, commencing at the sec- 
 ond arch-course, extending through the spandrel-filling into the hollow 
 
33 
 
 spaces above the arch, and opening out upon the roof through a trap- 
 door. 
 
 8. A detailed plan on the scale of five feet to the inch will be furnished 
 for all the regular courses, as well as for the Arch-stone and spandrels, 
 giving the exact dimension, location, and denomination of each stone, 
 and an isometrical projection where necessary. 
 
 The plan of bond must be in every case adhered to. 
 Templates will be furnished for each Arch-stone. 
 
 9. The rises will vary in the main from 22 to 30 inches. They will be 
 fixed on the plan of every course. 
 
 CHARACTER OF CUTTING IN THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF MASONRY. 
 
 10. The Pace-stone of the buttresses in the vertical sections will all 
 be rock-face, with a draft cut all around the lace l£ inches wide. 
 
 The appearance of the stone will be that of subdued rock-face, the pro- 
 jections not to exceed 3 inches. 
 
 No special pains need be taken with this rock-face, the idea simply 
 being to have it less bold than that below the floor. It will not be re- 
 quired that the rock-face shall be leveled off to one uniform face 
 3 inches high, but merely that the projection shall not exceed 3 inches. 
 
 11. Since the draft-line extends around the four edges of the face of 
 every stone, it follows that all the outer as well as the inner angles of the 
 buttresses will have a clear vertical draft of l£ inches wide. 
 
 The color of the stone is immaterial, but it must be granite, of good 
 clear stock. 
 
 12. The outward slope of the upper cornice will be cut precisely like 
 the one in the cornice below the floor. 
 
 Each stone has a draft-line of 1^ inches wide all around the face, and 
 the face itself is pointed down to a uniform projection of about \ an 
 inch. 
 
 The color of the corn ; ce stone must be light, so as to form a contrast 
 with the darker buttress stone. 
 
 13. Square openings are left in the sloping part of the upper cornice for 
 the passage of the cables. 
 
 ARCH-STONE. 
 
 14. The number and dimensions of the Arch-stones are given in the 
 plans. It will be noticed that the lower Arch-stones are not alike on 
 each side, owing to the fact that the arch is not symmetrical with the 
 centre lines of outer and middle buttresses. It will also be observed that 
 the extrados and intrados do not form concentric curves, but that the 
 Arch-stones become smaller as they approach the vertex. 
 
 15. The face of the outer ring-stone of the arch will be cut with a draft 
 all around the five edges. This draft will be three inches wide along the 
 curved edge (intrados), two inches wide along the two adjoining edges 
 
39 
 
 (lower and upper bed), two inches wide along the upper horizontal bed, 
 and 2 inches wide aloug the vertical edge. 
 
 The face within the draft will be cut down to a uniform projection H 
 inches high. This inner face is simply rough-pointed to a uniform level, 
 but without plug-holes. 
 
 The intrados, or inner facing of the Arch-stone, will be pointed down 
 smooth, or else rough-axed or peen-haramered. The cutting need not be 
 fine, but no plug-holes are admissible. 
 
 16. It will be noticed that the Arch-stones are cut on all faces. 
 
 Patterns will be furnished of full size for each Arch-stone and detail- 
 drawings given on a large scale, with the exact dimensions. Iti these 
 patterns as well as in the detail-drawings, allowance is already made for 
 joints, hence the stones must be cut exactly to the patterns or given 
 dimensions. 
 
 The upper corner of each ring-stone is a right angle ; a horizontal bed 
 is thus formed for the spandrel course above to rest on. Moreover, owing 
 to the different curvature of the extrados and intrados, the radial joints 
 all differ in length, being 1 foot deeper at the springing line of the arch 
 than at the key-stone, the former depth being 5 feet and the latter 4 
 feet. 
 
 The courses of ring-stones are bonded among themselves, the alternate 
 courses containing respectively 4 and 5 stones. 
 
 17. Reference has alreadv been made to the hole in the masonry on the 
 south side. It is 3 feet by 2 feet 5 inches, and passes up vertically and 
 inclined, coming out in the hollow space above the arch. Its course is ac- 
 curately traced in all the plans, and care must be taken that all stones 
 facing it, Face-stones as well as dimension-backing, do not lack in width 
 or length, and are nicely sqnared-off. 
 
 18. The key-stone forms a pointed wedge, 7 feet 6| inches high and 5 
 feet £ inch wide. 
 
 It projects 13 inches beyond the face of the arch, and care must there- 
 fore be taken that the projecting part is cut as fine as the lace. This 
 latter consists of two raised panels each 2 inches high, separated from 
 the outer edges of the stone and from each other respectively by 7-inch 
 draft-lines along the sides and 9-inch draft-lines along the upper edges. 
 The projecting panels are sloped on the upper side to shed water. 
 
 The whole face of the key-stone, panels and drafts, is 6-cnt work. There 
 are four pieces of front key-stone. The inner key-stones, six in number, 
 are cut after the same pattern, but only 5 feet 6^ inches high, and uo other 
 work put on them than good pointed beds and builds, not lacking in any 
 dimension, and having none or only small plug-holes. 
 
 SPANDREL-COURSES. 
 
 19. In place of projecting the ring-stone beyond the face of the span- 
 drel-courses, as is usually done, the reversed plan is adopted. 
 
 The lowest spandrel-course will project £ inch, each succeeding one £ 
 
40 
 
 inch more, so that the upper spandrel- course below the key-stone pro- 
 jects 7£ inches beyond the face of the aroh. 
 
 20. The top spandrel, or band-course, in range with the key-stone, pro- 
 jects, in addition, 2% inches more, making 10 inches in all beyond the 
 face of the arch. 
 
 This band-course will be 30 inches high, and the projecting part of its 
 top-bed will be sloped down 2 inches to form a water- shed. 
 
 The two double headers in the middle buttress of this course will have 
 the figures " 1875" cut on their faces. In order to make these prominent, a 
 raised panel 3 inches high, 25 inches wide, and 6 feet 9 inches long, with a 
 draft-line 2^ inches wide all around, will be cut on the face. What re- 
 mains of the stone is rock-face, as usual with H inch drafts on the three 
 sides. From this raised panel, which must be smooth eight or ten cut- 
 work, the figures project, in addition, 3 inches more. They are about 21 
 inches high and 4 inches broad, and their exact shape, position and size, 
 will be given in a full-sized drawing. The upper face of these figures 
 must be highly polished, so as to form aMark contrast against the white 
 back-ground of the panel. 
 
 21. The face of the spandrel-courses will be cut without drafts, either 
 horizontal or vertical, and will be pointed down to a uniform surface, a 
 little finer than the pointed work of the sloping offsets, and without plug- 
 holes on the face, but not near as fine as 6-cut work. 
 
 The spandrels should convey the idea of one stone extending from the 
 buttress to the Arch-stone ; hence the intermediate vertical joints must 
 be worked close and snug. 
 
 22. The band-course has horizontal drafts 3 inches wide. Xext to key- 
 stone and buttress, it has vertical drafts 9 inches wide. The intermediate 
 vertical joints have no drafts. The raised panel formed by the drafts is 2 
 inches high, its face being pointed work. Along its upper edge it is 
 sloped to shed water. Care must be taken that this panel comes clear 
 out to the intermediate joints, with sharp and unbroken edges. 
 
 This stone must be of a light color. 
 
 23. It will be noticed that the thickness of the spandrels decreases as 
 we go up. 
 
 The thickness of the buttress-couroes likewise diminishes to the 
 fifth course below the band-course. From here on, the buttress-courses 
 are uniform, whereas the spandrel-courses are notched out to form the 
 bond. 
 
 There is, consequently, one more spandrel than buttress-course ; it is 
 called 135£th course. 
 
 24. The courses above the band-course, six in number, form what is 
 called the recessei panel, because they step 10 inches back from the face 
 of the band-course, ranging plumb with the general face of the arch. 
 Their rises are the same as the adjacent buttress-stone with which they 
 bond in. 
 
 Each stone will have a horizontal draft of 1^ inches, and in the corners 
 
41 
 
 next to the buttresses there will be a vertical draft 9 inches wide. 
 Between the draft is subdued rock-face, projecting not more than 2 inches. 
 This horizontal draft is continuous between the buttresses, and hence the 
 vertical joints have no draft. 
 
 PARALLEL WALLS. 
 
 25. Above the upper line of the key-stone the filling above the arches 
 is no longer solid, but will consist of three parallel walls, inclosing two 
 parallel hollow spaces of the sizes given" in § 6. 
 
 The centre wall will consist of a single stone 4 feet 2 inches wide, of vary- 
 ing length, to break joint, with an occasional binder reaching across the 
 space to tie the walls together. At a point 4 feet above the arch-filling 
 there is a hole in the middle wall 2 feet by 4 feet to connect the hollow 
 spaces. The stones of this middle wall are considered as dimension- 
 backing, but where they face the hollow epaces rock-face will be allowed. 
 The same holds true for the rear of the face-stones which face the hollow 
 spaces. 
 
 UPPER CORNICE. 
 
 2G. This consists of light colored stone throughout. The lowest section, 
 which comprises two diamond beads of 16£ inches high each, with a smooth 
 necking or band of 29 inches between. It extends around the entire 
 tower. The cutting will be G-cut work like the coping, without draft of 
 any kind, except the sloping portion above upper bead, which will have a 
 l£ inch draft around it, and be pointed down to £ inch projection, and the . 
 portion below the lower bead, which will have a l£ inch draft around it 
 and be rock-face. 
 
 27. The outward slope is about 9 feet high, and also extends around the 
 whole Tower. The face of each stone has a draft line of l£ inches all 
 around the four edges: and the panel within is pointed work of about £ 
 inch uniform projection. Where the rear face of these stones faces the 
 hollow spaces it can be rock-face; but where it joints dimension-backing 
 it must be cut true and plumb like the latter. 
 
 28. Openings are left in these courses in the buttresses for the passage 
 of the main cables. These openings are square on the external face, but 
 enlarge inwardly towards the saddle-plates. The inner faces of the stone 
 in ihese openings will be cut vertical, and must be rough-axed or rough- 
 pointed, but without plug-holes. 
 
 29. Above the slope is the square cap-course projecting 1 foot, and ex- 
 tending over the entire Tower, thereby covering the hollow spaces. It 
 is 24 inches high, consists in the main of large stones, and must be 6-cut 
 work. 
 
 The coping and lower roof-stone above are in two courses, and extend 
 over the whole space, with the exception of the saddles, where an un- 
 covered space is left. The face of the cap and coping-stone is smooth 6- 
 cut work, like the lower coping at the floor-line. 
 
 The projecting sqir re cap course will have a water-drip cut in its lower 
 
4^ 
 
 bed 2 inches from the outer edge, and being l£ inches wide by 1 inch 
 deep. 
 
 The upper roof-stones are cut on the upper surface according to the 
 various slopes and lines corresponding to the lines of the water-shed and 
 the buttresses, as shown on the plan. The cutting will be smooth 6-cut 
 work like the face. All joints must be cut close and true. 
 
 DIMENSION-BACKING. 
 
 30. All dimension-backing must b3 cut exactly to the size given on the 
 plans, as allowance for joints is already made in these figures. The 
 beds and builds must be of the usual quality, and the sides must be cut 
 square and true, or, if not square, exactly to the angle given on the plan. 
 The greatest pressure comes under the saddle-plates ; hence special care 
 must be taken that all dimension-backing under the saddles for four 
 courses below — that is, from 151st to 147th course — are perfectly 
 sound, without crack jor flaw. Those directly under the saddle-plates 
 shall have no plug-holes whatever, neither in lower nor upper 
 bed. Tnese are the stones: Nos. 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 61, 62, 63, 
 64, 65, 66, 67, 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78, of dimension-backing, and Nos. 
 41, 44, 48, 32, 36, 20, 24 and 27, of face-stones of 151st course. 
 The outlines of the saddle-plates are traced on the plan in blue lines, so 
 as to show which portion of the face-stone must be free from any plug- 
 hole. All the above-named stones, besides Nos. 3, 8, 12 and 17 must be 
 cut exact to dimension and be square and true in order to make close 
 joints. 
 
 REMARKS ON THE CUTTING OF THE STONE. 
 
 31. The upper and lower beds of all face-stone and dimension-backing 
 must be rough-axed and cut true and parallel to each other, as well as 
 square to the face where the work is plumb. 
 
 The bedding must be sufficiently true and ejven for j-inch joints. It 
 must bear the straight-edge all over, but need not be fine. Square and 
 parallel cutting of beds will be insisted upon. No hollow or slack cutting, 
 or falling away towards the rear of the bed, will be permitted. 
 
 The vertical joints of each stone must be sufficiently true to make ^- 
 inch joints. They must be cut square with the face of the stone for a 
 distance back equal to the width of the bed of the adjacent stretcher. 
 Beyond that the side and rear face3 may be left rough, in case they ad- 
 join common backing. But where they join dimension-backing all faces 
 must be throughout plumb and true. 
 
 32. In regard to the dimensions of the stones the following remarks 
 shall be noticed : 
 
 All stones shall be cut full to the rise given in the plan, except other- 
 wise stated thereon. 
 
 Each Face-stone must be cut \ inch short in width or length for each 
 'ace-joint between tnemselves, but must have full width and length when 
 they join dimension-backing or other Face-stone inside the wall, because 
 in the latter two cases allowance is already made. 
 
43 
 
 Arch-stone and dimension-backing must be cut exactly to the patterns 
 for the one and to the given dimensions for the other. All face Arch- 
 stone will be cut \ incli short in width, and all middle Arch-stone £ inch. 
 
 The given figures never include raised panels or rock-face, but give 
 only the distance between the edges of the drafts. 
 
 To illustrate the above by an example, some stones of the 133d course 
 shall be nearer described, as follows : 
 
 No. 1, marked 3 feet 3 inches by 7 feet 1 inch, must be cut 3 feet 2f 
 inches by 7 feet f inches. Xo. 2, marked 4 feet by 7 feet 1 inch, must 
 be cut 3 feet ll£ inches by 7 feet f inches. 
 
 No. 4, marked 10 feet 6 inches by 3 feet 6 inches, to be cut 10 feet 6 
 inches by 3 feet 5£ inches. 
 
 No. 5, marked 9 feet by 3 feet 6 inches, to be cut about 9 feet by not 
 less than 3 feet 6 inches, with a face of 5 feet 9 inches. 
 
 No. G, marked 3 feet 3 inches by 9 feet 4 inches, to be cut 3 feet 2\ 
 inches by 9 feet 4 inches. 
 
 No. 7. Arch-stone, marked 3 feet 9 inches wide, to be cut 3 feet S| 
 inches without the panel ; together with the panel the whole width will 
 be 3 feet 10^ inches. 
 
 No. 8, Arch-stone, marked 4 feet 8 inches wide, to be cut 4 feet 7£ 
 inches wide. 
 
 No. 47, marked 3 feet 3 inches by 8 feet 5f inches, to be cut 3 feet 3 
 inches by 8 feet 5^ inches exactly. 
 
 No. 25, marked 10 feet by 3 feet 6 inches, to be cut 10 feet by 3 feet 
 5| inches. 
 
 No. 79, marked 3 feet by 8 feet 5f inches, to be cut these figures exactly. 
 
 33. In every case the best bed of the stone must be the bottom bed. 
 No plug-holes will be allowed more than 9 inches in diameter and 1£ 
 
 inches deep, and must not occupy more than one-fifth the area of the 
 stone ; they must not tome within three inches of the cuter edge. But 
 in all stones directly under the saddle-plates, as already stated, no plug- 
 holes can be permitted. Unless the width of a stretcher is indicated in 
 the plans, it is understood to be no less than one and one-half times the 
 rise, and when the face and back are not parallel the average width must 
 be no less than one and one-half times the rise. 
 
 The length of headers, if not stated on the plan, must be no less than 
 three times the rise. Where there is dimension-backing, the width of 
 the header must be uniform throughout, and the rear face cut square. 
 
 34. No common backing will be wanted. All Face-stones with a sharp 
 arris must be boxed. 
 
 All stones must be properly lewised with a flat lewis, and a portion of 
 the Arch-stone must have two lewis holes. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 35. Steam-power and derricks for unloadmg vessels will be furnished 
 by the Bridge Company. 
 
 The crews of the vessels must assist in the unloading ; they must 
 
44 
 
 bring the stone under the arm of the derrick, and must attach the lewis 
 to the hoisting-block, and furnish all the labor that is required on board 
 the vessels. 
 
 36. The delivery to commence June 1, 1875, and the stones must be 
 all delivered by Dec. 1st., 1875. 
 
 37. In case mistakes are made in the cutting of the stone, either in regard 
 to their dimensions or in the character of their faces, beds and joints, 
 different from the drawings and specifications, the contractor is hereby 
 distinctly notified that such stone will be condemned, and must be re- 
 placed by a new one if there is time to send for it ; and, if not, then the 
 cutting of a new one will be done by the Bridge Company at the contrac- 
 tor's expense ; and such cost of labor and detention will be deducted 
 from the monthly estimate. 
 
 38. Monthly estimates will be made on or about the 10th day of each 
 month for stone delivered during the previous mouth, deducting 15 per 
 cent., which sum will be kept as a guarantee for the satisfactory per- 
 formance of the contract, and will be paid in one month from the time 
 the contract is complete, and it is understood that in all estimates the ex- 
 act cubic contents of the stone when delivered will be taken and no more. 
 In no case will the rock-face which projects beyond the draft-line be 
 measured or paid for. 
 
 39. The Bridge Company reserves the right to reject any or all bids 
 offered ; and, in order to obviate the contingency of an excessive price, 
 they further reserve the right to let the contract in two or more parts, if 
 it should prove to their advantage so to do. 
 
 40. Proposals will be directed to the New York Bridge Company, 21 
 Water street, Brooklyn. 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Chief Engineer New York Bridge Company. 
 
 QUANTITIES OF MASONRY. 
 [Note. — Stone having about the same quality of cutting are grouped 
 ■ together in brackets.] 
 
 Buttress Face-stone, draft-line ' 
 
 Panel above arch 
 
 Outer slope of upper cornice 
 
 Spandrel-filling 
 
 Band course 
 
 Necking and square course 
 
 2 bead courses and low'r roof-course 
 
 Upper Roof-stone or coping. „ 
 
 Arch-face stone 
 
 Inner Arch-stone and in'r Keystone 
 
 4 Keystones 
 
 Stones with figures il 1875 " 
 
 Dimension backing 
 
 Total 
 
 Cubic Yds 
 
 1483 
 331 
 566 
 270 
 
 70 
 317 
 467 
 370 
 236 
 345 
 
 20 
 
 Two pieces. 
 1 156 
 6056 
 
 Price 
 per Yard. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Per piece 
 
45 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR GRANITE CUT STONE, REQUIRED FOR 
 THE PARAPETS AT THE ROADWAY, BROOKLYN AND 
 NEW YORK TOWERS, EAST RIVER BRIDGE. 
 
 1. Proposals are invited up to November 6, 1876, for the delivery of 
 about 116 cubic yards of Granite Cut Stone for parapets on top of the 
 cornice at the floor-line of the bridge towers. 
 
 2. The parapet has a height of 5 feet 4 inches, and an aggregate length 
 of 446 feet, consisting of 164 single pieces, which vary in length from 5 
 feet to 11 feet, and in weight from f to 1\ tons. 
 
 3. The height is divided into three courses, called the base, the shaft 
 and the cap. 
 
 The base consists of a stone 13 inches high and 18 inches wide, which 
 is surmounted by a water-table 4 inches high, and a sloping back '2| 
 inches. The vertical shaft has a height ef 2 feet 11 inches, and a width 
 of 15£ inches. In order to relieve the uniformity of this plain surface, 
 rectangular panels are cut in, 5 inches deep. The height is 1 foot 7 
 inches, and their sides slope towards the rear, making the inner face only 
 1 foot 4 inches high. The different lengths of the panels will be given in 
 the detail drawings. 
 
 The cap consists of a concave quarter oval 3f inches high, a square belt 
 6^ inches high, and a water-shed 2 inches high, making a total height or 
 thickness of 12 inches. At the belt or greatest projection it has a width 
 of 20| inches, while the bottom bed is only 17 and the top face 15^ inches 
 wide ; the latter dimension making it apparent that the water-shed must 
 fall back 5£ inches. The top face is not horizontal or parallel to the bot- 
 tom bed, but slopes towards the rear \ inch, making the total height of 
 the cap at the back face only 11£ inches. 
 
 4. In order to drain the water, trapezoidal openings will be cut in the 
 base at suitable places, fixed on the detail drawings. They are 2 
 inches high, 2 feet 2 inches long in front, and 1 foot 8 inches long in the 
 rear. 
 
 5. As each stone will be held in place by dowels, the contractor is re- 
 quired to drill 4 holes in each stone belonging to the base and shaft; two 
 in the bottom, and two or occasioually three in the top-bed. The cap- 
 stones will require only two holes in the bottom bed. All holes in the 
 base-stones and those in the bottom of the shaft-stones, must have a 
 diameter of 1 1 inches. Those in the cap-stones and in the top-bed of 
 shaft will be only 1 finches. The depth of the latter shall be 5 inches; of 
 those in the bottom of base 9 inches, and of those in the top of base and 
 bottom of shaft 8 inches. 
 
 It will be strictly required that all of these holes shall be drilled per- 
 fectly plumb. 
 
 6. Detail plans made to the scale of 2 inches to the foot will be fur- 
 nished to the contractor, which will guide him in everything not described 
 in this specification. 
 
46 
 
 CHARACTER OF MATERIAL AND CUTTING. 
 
 7. The material used must be granite of clear stock, fine grain and light 
 color, such as Mount Waldo, Blue Hill or Mount Desert Granite, or from 
 East Boston quarry, on Fox Island. 
 
 No sap, or stones with knots, seams, flaws or iron will be admitted. 
 
 8. The cutting of all front faces, beds and side joints must be 6-cut 
 work of best workmanship. The rear face can be pean-hammered work, 
 bvt without any plug or drill-holes. All of the other faces must also be 
 entirely free from plug-holes. All sides of the drain-holes in the base of 
 the panels in the shaft, and of the concave rounding in the cap must 
 also be best 6-cut work. 
 
 9. In the projecting part of the bottom of the cap, a water drip must 
 be cut, commencing 1 inch from the edge, being triangular in shape, £ 
 inch wide by £ inch deep, and runuing all around the parapet. 
 
 10. The dimensions, as given in the detail plans, must be strictly ad- 
 hered to, and no variation from them whatever will be allowed, as the 
 harmony of the whole depends on them. 
 
 11. Stones with inaccurate cutting, for instance, faces out of plumb or 
 beds out of level, or insufficient workiug in the upper moulding, will be 
 rejected. Also, stones with broken edges, or corners in any part of the face. 
 
 12. No lewis-holes will be allowed in the cap-stones. 
 
 13. All stones must be properly boxed and the edges protected. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 14. Steam power and derricks for unloading vessels will be furnished 
 by the Trustees of the Bridge. The crews of the vessels must assist in un- 
 loading ; they must bring the stone under the boom of the derrick, and 
 attacli the chain to both stone and hoisting block ; in short, do all the 
 labor that is required on board the vessels. 
 
 15. All stones must be delivered at the stone-yard of the New York 
 and Brooklyn Bridge, at the Brooklyn tower, on or before April 1st, 1877. 
 
 16. Incase mistakes are made by the contractor in cutting the stone, 
 or in case poor material or workmanship is furnished, contrary to this 
 specification, such stone will be condemned and must be replaced by 
 others at the expense of the contractor. 
 
 17. Payment will be made on the 10th of every month for all stone 
 delivered during the previous month, 15 per cent, being deducted until 
 the satisfactory fulfillment of the contract, when the contractor will be 
 paid in full. Each shipment should comprise either the whole or the half 
 of the parapet for one tower. The stone for the Brooklyn tower must be 
 delivered first, and no stone for the New York tower will be paid for 
 before all of the Brooklyn parapet has been delivered. 
 
 18. Bids may be made per lineal foot or per cubic yard. In the latter 
 case it is understood, that only the exact contents of the stone will be 
 paid for, from which, however, the sunken panels, the drain-holes and 
 dowel-holes shall not be deducted. 
 
47 
 
 19. The Trustees of the Bridge reserve the right to reject any or all 
 bids offered. 
 
 20. Proposals must be directed to ' ; The Trustees of the New York and 
 Brooklyu Bridge," 21 Water street, Brooklyn. 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Chief Engineer Ntw York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR CUT FACESTONE AND BACKING, 
 LIMESTONE AND GRANITE REQUIRED FOR THE 
 NEW YORK ANCHORAGE, EAST RIVER 
 BRIDGE, 1875. 
 
 1. Proposals will be received until 12 M., April 17th, 1875, for the 
 delivery of 5,008 cubic yards Cut Face-stone and Archstone, all of Lime- 
 stone; 5,987 yards Cut Backing, of Limestone or Granite ; and for 294 
 yards Cut Face-fctone, and 644 yards Dimension-backing, of Granite. 
 
 2. This quantity is comprised in twenty-nve. courses of Masonry, as 
 follows : 
 
 0/ 
 
 er . 
 c to 
 
 v. 3 
 
 5 g 
 
 4... 
 
 4. . 
 
 22in.. 
 
 . 529 yds... 
 
 
 yds... 98 v ds. 
 
 
 yds. 
 
 .. 627 yds. 
 
 5... 
 
 A... 
 
 26 ".. 
 
 
 30 
 
 ... 146 " .. 
 
 
 
 .. 176 " 
 
 6... 
 
 B.„ 
 
 28 
 
 
 209 
 
 " ... 195 " .. 
 
 
 
 .. 404 " 
 
 7... 
 
 C... 
 
 30 ".. 
 
 7 " ... 
 
 161 
 
 " ... 205 " .. 
 
 
 
 .. 373 " 
 
 8... 
 
 D... 
 
 26 ".. 
 
 
 227 
 
 
 
 
 .. 227 " 
 
 9. . 
 
 K... 
 
 24 ".. 
 
 . 21 44 ... 
 
 229 
 
 ii _ <( 
 
 
 
 .. 250 " 
 
 10... 
 
 F... 
 
 28 •«.. 
 
 . 119 " ... 
 
 264 
 
 
 
 
 .. 383 " 
 
 11... 
 
 G... 
 
 30 ".. 
 
 . 391 " .. 
 
 256 
 
 
 . 20 
 
 yds. 
 
 .. 667 u 
 
 12... 
 
 11... 
 
 26 ' 
 
 
 228 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 .. 244 " 
 
 13... 
 
 1... 
 
 24 
 
 300 " ... 
 
 208 
 
 II u 
 
 . 16 
 
 ti 
 
 .. 524 " 
 
 14... 
 
 K... 
 
 22 ".. 
 
 . 270 41 ... 
 
 118 
 
 
 . 14 
 
 
 .. 402 11 
 
 15... 
 
 L... 
 
 26 
 
 
 227 
 
 II (( 
 
 . 17 
 
 
 .. 244 " 
 
 16... 
 
 M ... 
 
 28 ".. 
 
 '. 334 " ... 
 
 245 
 
 
 . 17 
 
 
 .. 596 " 
 
 17... 
 
 N... 
 
 30 ".. 
 
 . 354 " ... 
 
 261 
 
 II II 
 
 . 18 
 
 
 . 633 " 
 
 18... 
 
 O... 
 
 28 ".. 
 
 . 316 " ... 
 
 ■l 1 1 
 
 
 . 17 
 
 u 
 
 .. 577 " 
 
 19... 
 
 P... 
 
 26 ".. 
 
 . 319 " ... 
 
 188 
 
 
 . 17 
 
 ii 
 
 .. 524 " 
 
 2('... 
 
 Q. • 
 
 26 ".. 
 
 . 348 " ... 
 
 182 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 ii 
 
 .. 546 " 
 
 21... 
 
 B... 
 
 22 ".. 
 
 . 298 " ... 
 
 152 
 
 II II 
 
 . 14 
 
 ti 
 
 .. 464 " 
 
 22... 
 
 S... 
 
 30 ".. 
 
 . 386 " ... 
 
 215 
 
 
 . 18 
 
 .i 
 
 .. 619 " 
 
 23... 
 
 T... 
 
 26 ".. 
 
 . 386 " ... 
 
 191 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 ii 
 
 .. 593 14 
 
 24... 
 
 U... 
 
 24 ".. 
 
 . 340 11 ... 
 
 192 
 
 
 . 15 
 
 
 .. 547 44 
 
 25... 
 
 V... 
 
 24 
 
 . 205 " ... 
 
 191 
 
 
 . 15 
 
 ii 
 
 .. 411 44 
 
 26... 
 
 w... 
 
 26 
 
 . 361 ' ... 
 
 207 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 
 .. 584 44 
 
 27... 
 
 X... 
 
 28 ".. 
 
 . 379 " ... 
 
 226 
 
 
 . 17 
 
 
 .. 622 44 
 
 28... 
 
 Y... 
 
 24 ".. 
 
 . 324 " .. 
 
 190 
 
 
 . 15 
 
 
 .. 529 ' 4 
 
 Arch-Stone. — 
 
 
 127 Sheeting \ u 
 40 Face J 
 
 
 
 .. 167 44 
 
 Totals. 
 
48 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Limestone Facing, proper 4,841 yards. 
 
 " Arch end Facing 40 " 
 
 " Archstone aside from end fencing... . 127 " 
 
 Total Limestone Face-stone 
 
 Total Limestone or Granite Backing 
 
 5,003 yards. 
 5,987 
 
 Granite Dimension-backing, 
 
 644 yards. 
 
 Granite Corners 
 
 Total Granite, 
 
 294 
 
 938 yards. 
 
 Total stone to be furnished, 
 
 11,933 yards. 
 
 3. Detail drawings on a scale of 5 feet to the inch will be furnished for 
 every course. All of the Grauite, and part of the Limestone, are dimen- 
 sion stone, and every such stone will be designated by a special num- 
 ber. Every dimension stone must be cut full, and no allowances made 
 for joints, as this has already been done. The bottom bed is the one re^ 
 ferred to in every case, and allowances for projections, or batter, must be- 
 made accordingly. 
 
 Stones having no special number, may vary in dimensions from those 
 given on the plans; provided that the total lengths of wall faces are made 
 up, and that the dimensions, as furnished, do not make it necessary to 
 change the bond. With these restrictions, stretchers may range from 5 
 feet to 10 feet in length, and shall not be less than 2 feet 9 inches wide ; 
 and headers may range from 5 feet to 7£ feet in length, and shall not be 
 less than 3 feet, or more than 3^ feet in width. 
 
 4. The Limestone shall be equal in quality to the Kingston Limestone, 
 or the Lake Champlain Bluestone. All stone with dry or flinty seams, 
 which split with frost, will be rejected. 
 
 5. Of this, all the Face-stone must be cut with a bold rock face. A 
 small portion will have plumb faces, but the greater part must be cut with 
 a batter of one-half inch to the foot rise ; this will be indicated by a 
 note on the plan in every case. The front edges will be pitched off to 
 a line. No draft will be required except at the projecting angle of corner 
 stones, on which there shall be a 1|- inch vertical draft on each face. 
 
 6. The upper and lower beds of each Face-stone, must be rough-axed, 
 and cut true and parallel to each other; and where the work is plumb 
 they are to be cut square to the face. 
 
 The stone must gauge full to the rise The bedding must be suffi- 
 ciently true for Half-inch joints. It must bear the straight-edge all over 
 but the cutting need not be fine. Square and parallel cutting of the beds } 
 will be insisted upon. No hollow or slack cutting, or falling away to- 
 wards the rear of the bed will be permitted. No plug-holes will be 
 
 LIMESTONE MASONRY. 
 
49 
 
 allowed more than 9 inches in diameter, or more than l£ inches deep, nor 
 within one foot of each other, or of the edge of the stone. 
 
 7. The vertical joints of the stone must be eut sufficiently true to make 
 half-inch joints. They must be eut square with the face, for a distance 
 back of no less than two feet; and in a header the joints must be cut 
 back full and square for the whole width of the adjoining stretcher. They 
 must in all cases be perfectly plumb, and at right angles to the plane of 
 the bed. 
 
 8. The rear faces of stretchers may be left rough as they are split 
 from the quarry. It will not be insisted upon that they shall be parallel 
 to the front faces, although it is preferred. Headers must run back full 
 width for at least half their length ; the tail may, however, be wider than 
 the front, and their rear faces may be left as they come from the quarry. 
 
 9. The best bed of every description of stone must be the bottom bed, 
 and the lewis-holes must be put in the top bed and not the bottom. 
 
 10. In each course there will be a tail bond at each re entrant angle of 
 the masonry. "When these stones are headers they must be long enough 
 to make a good bond. In all cases they must be properly jointed back, 
 and exposed portions of their faces left rock-face as on other Face-stone. 
 
 1 1. Courses A to F. inclusive, will have ten corner-stones in each, with 
 a batter on two faces. Courses E and F will also have four corner-stones 
 in each, with a batter on one face and the other face plumb; and four 
 also with both faces plumb. 
 
 12. There are two semi-circular arches running through the rear por- 
 tion of the masonry, having a length at the springing line of 33 feet 6£ 
 inches, and a radius of intrados of 7 feet. They will have an average 
 thiekuess of 2 feet 6 inches, and be laid up in 13 longitudinal courses. 
 
 The upper faces of these, or the extrados, may be left as they come 
 from the quarry, with the exception of the ring-stones, at the two ends, 
 which must be pointed off to allow of a half-inch joint. The ends and 
 sides of each archstone must likewise be pointed to allow of half-inch 
 joints. 
 
 The outer faces of the end archstones, and the faces of all forming the 
 intrados, shall be rock-face, with a draft line l£ inches wide cut entirely 
 around each. 
 
 BACKING. 
 
 13. The backing may be either Limestone or Granite, and must be (mar- 
 ried in rectangular blocks, with even, parallel beds. Both beds will be 
 dressed and rough-axed, so as to make joints of not more than half an 
 inch. All four vertical sides must be good quarry splits, with no projec- 
 tion exceeding four inches. The sizes of blocks may vary from twenty to 
 eighty cubic feet, the larger blocks being preferred. 
 
 The stone must be of good quality, sound aud durable, free from all 
 cracks and seams in any direction. 
 
 No plug-holes more than nine inches diameter, or more than one and a 
 half inches deep, will be allowed ; and at least three-fourths of the upper 
 
 4 
 
50 
 
 bed and the whole of the lower bed, must present a good, uniform bear- 
 ing surface. 
 
 GRANITE MASONRY. 
 
 14. The Granite for the corners must be white— as white as the Con- 
 cord or Hallowel Granite, or that from East Boston quarry, on Fox Is- 
 land. It must be uniform in color, sound and durable, free from all 
 cracks or weak spots, and without seams of any kind. 
 
 15. Every course above F has ten Granite corners. Each face of these 
 has a four-inch projection, which is made by cutting a chamfer entirely 
 around the face, except at a projecting corner, which is left square. The 
 chamfers must be fine cut. The surface between the chamfers must be 
 pointed to a uniform surface, and a 1^ inch chisel draft cut entirely 
 around each face. Samples of the work can be seen at the anchorage. 
 
 The cutting of beds and joints shall be similar to that of other Face- 
 stones, as described in sections 5, 6 and 8. 
 
 16. The Dimension-backing must be sound in every respect. The beds 
 must be cut as described in sections 5, 6- and 8; and the sides, except at 
 the points where rock-face is noted on the plans, must be cut square, 
 vertical and true. 
 
 As these stones serve to distribute the pressure from the Anchor-plates, 
 it is very important that care be taken in selecting and cutting them. 
 Fine cutting is not required. 
 
 GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
 
 17. All stone, both face and backing, must have suitable lewis-holes. 
 A sample lewis will be furnished to the contractor, and all holes must be 
 cut so that it will tit properly, and allow the lewis to be inserted its full 
 depth. Xo round lewis-holes will be permitted. All lewis-holes must 
 be so placed that when the stones are suspended they will hang in proper 
 position for setting. 
 
 L8. The: stones are- to be delivered at the wharves of the Bridge Com- 
 pany at Red Hook. 
 
 Steam power, for unloading vessels, will be furnished by the Bridge 
 Company,, six unloading derricks being provided at the ed^e of the wharf. 
 The crews of the vessels must assist in unloading. They must bring the 
 stone under the boom of the derrick, and must attach the hoisting block 
 to the lewis, and furnish all labor that is required on board the vessel for 
 unloading as rapidly as the Bridge Company may require. 
 
 19. The first course of stone must be delivered by July 1st, and the 
 balance at the rate of two courses per week, in the order of the numbers. 
 As it is of the utmost importance that the delivery of the stone be 
 prompt and in the order of the courses, this rate of delivery will be in- 
 sisted upon and if there are delays in the delivery, from any cause 
 whatever, the stone will be obtained elsewhere, aud the attendant ex- 
 pense will be charged to the contractor, together with all damages 
 arising from, delays^ 
 
51 
 
 20. Parties proposing must be known as men both skilled in the quar- 
 rying and cutting of stone, as well as prompl and reliable in their business 
 transactions, and must bring satisfactory references to that effect, as well 
 as to their financial responsibility. 
 
 21. In case any mistakes are made in the cutting of the stone, as re* 
 gards the character of the beds or joints, or in the rise, or if there are 
 other gross violations of the provisions of these specifications, the con- 
 tractor is distinctly notified that such stone will be either wholly con- 
 demned and thrown back on his hands, or else a proportionate reduction 
 in the price will be made, the same being at the option of the Engineer. 
 Condemned Facestone will be reckoned as backing. 
 
 22. Any question as to the intent or meaning of these specifications 
 shall be referred to the Engineer, whose decision shall be tinaL 
 
 23. The Bridge Company reserve to themselves the right to reject any 
 or all bids offered, and to make awards of separate portions of the total 
 quantities required, if to their interest so to do. 
 
 24. Bids will be received as follows: 
 
 LIMESTONE. 
 
 For 4,841 cubic yards Face-stone, delivered, per cubic yard $. . . . 
 
 For 127 u Arch Sheeting, delivered, per cubic yard. ... $. . . . 
 For 40 " Arch Face-stone " " $.... 
 
 LIMESTONE OR GRANITE. 
 For 5,987 cubic yards cut Backing delivered, per cubic yard $. . . . 
 
 GRANITE. 
 
 For 644 cubic yards Dimension-backing, delivered, per cubic yard. . $. . . . 
 For 294 " Granite corners a 11 .. $ 
 
 25. Monthly estimates will be made on or about the 10th day of each 
 month for stone delivered durincr the previous month, provided that no 
 stone will be estimated for until all courses below them are completed. 
 Payments will be made on these estimates after deducting 15 per cent., 
 said deduction to be kept as a guarantee for the satisfactory perform- 
 ance of the contract, and to be paid in one month from the time the con- 
 tract is completed. In making these estimates the cubic contents of the 
 stone will be taken, except that the rock-face projections will not be 
 allowed for. 
 
 26. Proposals will be addressed to the New York Bridge Company, 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., indorsed, M Proposals for Anchorage Stone." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Engineer. 
 
52 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR CUT FACE-STONE, BACKING AND ARCH- 
 STONE OF LIMESTONE REQUIRED FOR THE NEW 
 YORK ANCHORAGE, EAST RIVER BRIDGE, 18*75. 
 
 1. Proposals will be received until 12 M . October 9, 1875, for the de- 
 livery of 1,000 yards Cut Backing; 899 yards Cut Face-stone; and 731 
 yards Arch Sheeting, all of Limestone. 
 
 2. The quantity is comprised in nine courses of masonry, as follows: 
 No. of Stones to be Kise of 
 
 Course. Marked. Course. Backing. Facing. Total. 
 
 29 Z 28 in 250 yds 216 yds 466 yds 
 
 30 A .. J 24 " 250 " ..... 140 " I ..402 « 
 
 \ 12 " — .... 12 " ( 
 
 31 B 28 " — 120 " 120 " 
 
 32 C 24 " 250 " 106 " 356 " 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 J-..121 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 39 
 
 293 
 
 60 
 . 42 
 
 Totals 1,000 yds. 899 yds. 1,899 yds 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Limestone Backing 
 
 " Facing 
 
 " Arch Sheeting 
 
 Total 
 
 3. Detail drawings on a scale of five feet to the inch will be furnished 
 for every course, and templates and drawings for the archstone. A part 
 of the stone are dimension stone, and each will be designated by a 
 special number. Every dimension stone must be cut full, and no allow- 
 ances made for joints or beds, as this has been already done. 
 
 The bottom bed is the one referred to in every case, and allowances for 
 projections or batter, must be made accordingly. 
 
 1,000 cubic yds. 
 899 " 
 731 " 
 
 2,630 cubic yds. 
 
53 
 
 4. Stones having no special number may vary in dimensions from those 
 given on the plans, provided that the total lengths of wall faces are made 
 up. and that the dimensions, as furnished, do not make it necessary to 
 change the bond. "With these restrictions, stretchers may range from 5 to 
 10 feet in length, and shall not be less than 2 feet 9 inches wide; and 
 headers may range from 5 to 6 feet in length, and shall not be less than 
 3 feet, or more than 3^ feet in width. 
 
 5. The limestone shall be equal in quality to the Kingston limestone, 
 or Lake Champlain blnestone. All stone with dry or flinty seams 
 which split with frost, will be rejected. 
 
 6. The face-stone mnst be cut with a bold rock-face. A small portion 
 will have plumb faces, but the greater part must be cut with a batter of 
 one-half inch to the foot rise ; this will be indicated by a note on the 
 plan in every case. The front edges will be pitched off to a line. No 
 draft will be required except at the projecting angle of corner stones, on 
 which there shall bean l£ inch draft. 
 
 7. The upper and lower beds of all stone, both facing and backing, 
 must be rough-axed, and cut true and parallel to each other, so as to bear 
 the straight edge all over, and allow of half-inch joints; but the cutting 
 need not be fine. Square and parallel cutting of the beds will be in- 
 sisted upon. No hollow or slack cutting or falling away towards the 
 rear will be permitted. . 
 
 No plug-holes will be allowed more than nine inches in diameter, or 
 more than l£ inches deep, nor within one foot of each other, or of the 
 edge of the stone. 
 
 8. The vertical joints of the face-stone must be cut sufficiently true to 
 make half-inch joints. They must be cut square with the face for a dis- 
 tance back of at least two feet. The rear part of the stone shall in no 
 case project beyond the jointed portion ; and all headers shall be jointed 
 hack three feet on each side. They must in all cases be perfectly plumb, 
 and at right angles to the plane of the bed. 
 
 9. The vertical sides of the backing must be good quarry splits, with 
 no projections greater than 4 inches. 
 
 The blocks of backing may vary in contents from 20 to 80 cubic feet; 
 the whole lower bed, and at least three-fourths of the upper bed being 
 equal in quality of cutting to that prescribed for the face-stone. 
 
 10. The rear faces of stretchers may be left rough as they come from 
 the quarry. It will not be insisted upon that they shall be parallel to the 
 front faces, although this is preferred. 
 
 Headers must run back full width for at least half their length ; the 
 tail, however, may be wider than the front, and their rear faces may be 
 left as they come from the quarry. 
 
 11. The best bed of every stone must be the bottom bed, and the lewis- 
 holes must be put in the top bed in every case. 
 
54 
 
 12. All stones must be cut full to the rise named in the plans. 
 
 In each course there will be a tail-bond at each re-entrant angle of the 
 paasonry ; and also up to course D, inclusive, at the inner angles of the 
 tunnels. When these stones are headers they must be long enough to 
 make a good bond. In all cases they must be properly jointed back, and 
 exposed portions of their faces left rock-faced as on other face-stone. 
 
 13. Courses Z to D, inclusive, will have ten granite corners each, and 
 course E will have six such corners. 
 
 The face-stone of course F are to be granite throughout, except over 
 the spandrel courses of the front or curtain arches, and a portion of the 
 rear face. 
 
 Courses G and H are to be granite-faced, except a portion of the front 
 and rear of each. 
 
 The curtain arches are also to be of granite. The granite for these is 
 not included in these specifications. Wherever the limestone facing 
 comes adjacent to granite facing of any kind it must be jointed back to 
 the full extent required by the plans. 
 
 Special elevations of the spandrel courses, and courses over the arches 
 are given in the plans. 
 
 All these stones are to be plumb-faced. 
 
 The sides of course D are partly, and of course E entirely, made up of 
 stone with the upper bed sloped § inch per foot run. These stones must 
 each be carefully cut to the dimensions given and plainly marked with 
 letter and number. 
 
 14. There are two semi-circular arches running through the front por- 
 tion of the masonry. Each of these is laid up in three separate por- 
 tions, two of 27 feet each, and one of 26 feet 7 inches length; thus mak- 
 ing six distinct arches. 
 
 The radius of the intrados is 11 feet 6 inches, and that of the ex- 
 trados 14 feet 6 inches. 
 
 The outer faces of the archstone may be left as they come from the 
 quarry. The ends and beds must be pointed off sufficiently true to allow 
 of half-inch joints. 
 
 The intrados. is to be left rock-face, but must have a two-inch chisel 
 draft, carried entirely around the face of each stone. 
 
 The voussoirs of the arches need not be cut to the exact lengths given 
 in the drawings, provided that the total lengths are made up in each 
 course. But no variations of more than six inches will be allowed from 
 the drawings ; and every archstone must be plainly marked with its 
 numbtr and letter. 
 
 15. Every stone must have a lewis-hole of a clear depth of 4£ inches, 
 and a width in direction of thickness of lewis, of J inch. 
 
 A sample flat lewis will be furnished to the contractor, and ail holes 
 must be cut so as to allow of its use. 
 No round lewis-holes will be permitted. 
 
55 
 
 All lewis-holes, especially in the archstones, must be so placed that 
 when the stoues are suspended they will be in the right position for set- 
 ting. All re-cutting will be charged to the contractor. 
 
 1 6. In case any mistakes are made in the cutting of the stone, as re- 
 gards the character of the beds or joints, or in the rise, or if there are 
 other gross violations of the provisions of these specifications, the con- 
 tractor is distinctly notified that such stone will be either wholly con- 
 demned and thrown back on his hands, or else a proportionate reduction 
 in the price will be made ; the same being at the option of the Engineer. 
 
 Condemned face-stone, if received at all, will be reckoned as backing. 
 
 17. The stone are to be delivered at the wharves of the Trustees, at 
 Red Hook. 
 
 Steam power, for unloading vessels, will be furnished by the Board of 
 Trustees; six unloading derricks being provided at the edge of the wharf. 
 The crews of the vessels must assist in uuloading. They must bring 
 the stone under the boom of the derrick, and must attach the hoisting 
 block to the lewis, and furnish all labor that is required on board the ves- 
 sels for unloading as rapidly as tli3 Trustees may require. 
 
 18. The first course of stone must be delivered by November 15, or 
 before, and the balance at the rate of one course per week, in the order 
 of the numbers. As it is of the utmost importance that the delivery of 
 the stone be prompt and iu the order of the courses, this rate of delivery 
 will be insisted upon; and if there are any delays in the delivery from 
 any came whatever, the stone will be obtained elsewhere, and the atten- 
 dant expense will be charged to the contractor, together with all damages 
 arising from delays. 
 
 19. Parties proposing must be known as men both skilled in the quarry- 
 ing and cutting of stone, as well as prompt and reliable in their business 
 transactions, and must bring satisfactory references to that effect, as well 
 as to their financia^ responsibility. 
 
 20. Auy question as to the intent or meaning of these specifications 
 shall be referred to the Engineer, whose decision shall be final. 
 
 21. The Board of Trustees reserve to themselves the right to reject any 
 or all bids offered, and to make awards of separate portions of the total 
 quantities required, if to their interest so to do. They also reserve the 
 right to increase the quantity of backing required beyond the amount 
 heretofore named in this specification, provided it be required to complete 
 this portion of the New York Anchorage. 
 
 22. Bids will be received as follows: 
 
 LIMESTONE. 
 
 For 899 cubic yards Face-stone, delivered, per cubic yard $. . . . 
 
 For 731 '* Arch Sheeting, delivered, per cubic yard $. ... 
 
 For 1,000 u Cut Backing, delivered, per cubic yard $. . . . 
 
56 
 
 23. Monthly estimates will be made on or about the 10th day of each 
 month, for stone delivered during the previous month, provided that no 
 stone will be estimated for until all courses below them are completed. 
 Payments will be made on these estimates after deducting 15 per cent., 
 said deduction to be kept as a guarantee for the satisfactory performance 
 of the contract, and to be paid in one month from the time the contract 
 is completed. In making these estimates the cubic contents of the stone 
 will be taken, except that the rock-face projections will not be allowed 
 for. Archstone will be measured net, at three feet thickness of arch, 
 except that projections on top, in excess of this, will be paid for as backing. 
 
 26. Proposals will be addressed to the Trustees of the New York and 
 Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, N. Y., indorsed " Proposals for Anchorage 
 Stone." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Engineer. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR CORNERS, FACING AND ARCHSTONE, 
 OF GRANITE, REQUIRED FOR THE NEW YORK 
 ANCHORAGE, EAST RIVER BRIDGE, 1875. 
 
 1. Proposals will be received until 12 M., October 9th, 1875, for the 
 delivery of 85 yards of Granite Corner-stone; 250 yards Cut Face-stone ; 
 and 31 yards Arch Face-stone, all of Granite. 
 
 2. The quantity is composed in nine courses of masonry, as follows : 
 
 No. of To be Rise of Granite Granite 
 
 Course. Marked. Course. Corners. ' Face-stone. Total 
 
 29 Z 28 in 18 yds 
 
 30 A 24 in 12 '• 
 
 31 B 28 in 17 " 
 
 32 C 24 in 12 " ? 
 
 30 in 10 " 
 
 33 D J 20 in 3 " 
 
 32 in 4 " 
 
 34 E 35£ in 9 " 
 
 35 F 26 in 94 yds. 
 
 36 G 26 in 81 " 
 
 37 H 24 in 75 " 
 
 Totals 85 cub. yds. 250 cub. yds. 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Total Granite Corners 85 cubic yds. 
 
 " " Cornice " V " Course 94 
 
 " " Cornice Bevel Courses 156 " 
 
 Archstone 31 " 
 
 Total Granite required 336 cubic yds. 
 
57 
 
 3. Detail drawings on a scale of five feet to the inch, will be furnished 
 for every course. Special drawings will be furnished for the corner- 
 stones and archstones, and templates for each archstone. 
 
 4. Every stone must be plainly marked on delivery, with its appropri- 
 ate letter and number as given on the plans. 
 
 5. Every stone must be cut full to the dimensions given, and no allow- 
 ances made for joints or beds, as this has already been done. 
 
 The bottom bed is the one the measurements refer to in every case, 
 except where specially mentioned, and allowances must be made for bat- 
 ter or projections accordingly. 
 
 6. Courses Z to D have 10 granite corners in each, and course E has 
 six. Of these all, but the two rear ones in D, and those in E, must have 
 the beds cut true and parallel, one to the other, and must be out full to 
 the rise named for each. The upper bed of corners excepted above, must 
 be sloped § inch per foot run, as shown in the plans. 
 
 The beds of all the face-stone in courses F, G and H must also be 
 parallel. The beds of all stone must bear the straight edge all over, so 
 as to allow of half-inch joints, but the cutting need not be fine. No 
 hollow or slack cutting will be permitted. 
 
 No plug-holes of over 9 inches in diameter, or more than l£ inches 
 deep, nor within one foot of each other, or of the edge of the stone, will 
 be permitted. 
 
 7. All vertical joints must be sufficiently true to make half-inch joints. 
 They must be cut square with the face for the full width of the stone in 
 the case of stretchers; and in the case of headers they must be jointed 
 back for the full width of the adjacent stretchers. 
 
 8. For the corner-stone the vertical joints shall be at right angles to 
 the plane of the beds. For the cornice courses F, G and H, they must 
 be cut so as to be vertical when the bed is sloped § inch per foot run, as 
 shown in the elevations of each course. 
 
 9. The rear faces of stretchers and headers may be left rock-face. If 
 they exceed the dimensions ^iven in the plans, however, the excess will 
 be paid for as backing. 
 
 10. The best bed of every stone must be the bottom bed. 
 
 11. The Granite must be uniform in color, sound and durable, free from 
 all cracks, weak spots or sap, and without seams of any kind. 
 
 12. Each corner-stone has a four-inch projection, which is made by 
 cutting a chamfer entirely around each face, except at the projecting 
 corner, which is left square. The chamfer must be fine cut. The sur- 
 face between the chamfers must be pointed to a uniform surface, with a 
 projection of £ inch, and a l£ inch chisel draft cut entirely around each 
 face. Each face has a batter of £ inch per foot rise, and the measure- 
 ments refer to the bottom bed, the four-inch projection being in addition 
 to the same. 
 
58 
 
 13. Two Granite arches are required. These are semi-circular, with a 
 radius of intrados of 11 feet 6 inches, and length in direction of the axis 
 of three feet each. A special drawing and template will be furnished 
 for each archstone. 
 
 The intrados of each stone must be smooth pointed. 
 
 The exterior face of each (except where it is hidden by the buttress 
 masonry), is to have a l£ inch draft entirely around it, cut to a depth of 
 1 inch. The raised panels thus formed is to be smooth pointed. 
 
 The beds and rear face are to be cut true, but may be rough pointed. 
 
 The Keystones are to have a three-inch draft around each face, cut to 
 a depth of three inches, and the panel thus made is to be smooth pointed. 
 The exposed portions of the sides and the top of the key-stones and the 
 intrados are also to be smooth pointed. 
 
 14. Courses F, G- and H are to be cut to dimension, and the beds and 
 joints as previously mentioned. A clean 1^-inch draft is to be cut around 
 every face except the > projection in course F. The space within the 
 draft is to have half-inch projection, and be smooth pointed, and the > 
 projection finished smooth. 
 
 Samples of the work can be seen at the anchorages. 
 
 15. The top bed of every stone must be lewised for a sample flat lewis, 
 which will be furnished to the contractor. Every lewis-hole must have a 
 clear depth of 4^ inches, and a width in the direction of the thickness of 
 the lewis, of ^ inch. 
 
 All lewis-holes, especially in the archstones, must be so placed that 
 when the stones are suspended they will be in the right position for set- 
 ting. All re-cutting will be charged to the contractor. 
 
 16. In case any mistakes are made in the cutting of the stone, as re- 
 gards the character of the beds or joints, or in the rise, or if there are 
 other gross violations of the provisions of these specifications, the con- 
 tractor is distinctly notified that such stone will be either wholly con- 
 demned and thrown back on his hands, or else a proportionate reduction 
 in the price will be made ; the same being at the option of the Engineer. 
 
 Condemned stone, if received at all, will be reckoned as backing. 
 
 17. The stone are to be delivered at the wharves of the Trustees at 
 Red Hook. 
 
 Steam power, for unloading vessels, will be furnished by the Board of 
 Trustees ; six unloading derricks being provided at the edge of the 
 wharf. The crews of the vessels must assist in unloading. They must bring 
 the stone under the boom of the derrick, and must attach the hoisting- 
 bloek to the lewis, and furnish all labor that is required on board the ves- 
 sels for unloading as rapidly as the Trustees may require. 
 
 18. The first course of stone must be delivered by November 15th, or 
 before, and the balance at the rate of one course per week, in the order 
 
59 
 
 of the numbers. As it is of the utmost importance that the delivery of 
 the stone be prompt, and in the order of the courses, this rate of delivery 
 will be insisted upon ; and if there are any delays in the delivery, from 
 any cause whatever, the stone will be obtained elsewhere, and the atten- 
 dant expenses will be charged to the contractor, together with all damages 
 arising from delays. 
 
 19. Parties proposing must be known as men both skilled in the quar- 
 rying and cutting of stone, as well as prompt and reliable in their busi- 
 ness transactions, and must bring satisfactory references to that effect, 
 as well as to their financial responsibility. 
 
 20. Any question as to the intent or meaning of these specifications 
 shall be referred to the Engineer, whose decision shall be final. 
 
 21. The Board of Trustees reserve to themselves the right to reject any 
 or all bids offered, and to make awards of separate portions of the total 
 quantities required, if to their interest so to do. 
 
 22. Bids will be received as follows : 
 
 GRANITE. 
 
 For 85 cubic yds. Granite Corners, delivered, per cubic yd $ ... 
 
 For 31 cubic yds. Archstone, delivered, per cubic yd $ 
 
 For 94 cubic yds. V course of Cornice, delivered, per cubic yd $ 
 
 For 156 cubic yds. Bevel courses, delivered, per cubic yd $. . . . 
 
 23. Monthly estimates will be made on or about the 10th day of each 
 month for stone delivered during the previous month, provided that no 
 stone will be estimated for until all courses below them are completed. 
 Payments will be made on these estimates after deducting 15 per cent., 
 said deductiou to be kept as a guarantee for the satisfactory performance 
 of the contract, and to be paid in one month from the time the contract 
 is completed. 
 
 In making these estimates the net cubic contents of the stone will be 
 taken, estimated according to the exact dimensions of the plans 
 
 24. Proposals will be addressed to the Trustees of the New York and 
 Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, N. Y., indorsed " Proposals for Anchorage 
 Stone." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 En gineer. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR SADDLES AND SADDLE-PLATES FOR 
 THE BROOKLYN AND NEW YORK TOWERS, EAST 
 RIVER BRIDGE, 1874. 
 
 1. Proposals are invited by the undersigned up to October 1, 1874, for 
 the delivery of eight cast-iron Saddles and eight cast-iron Saddle-plates for 
 the Brooklyn and New York Towers of the East River Suspension Bridge. 
 
60 
 
 2. Each Saddle will weigh about 25.000 pounds; four of the Saddle- 
 plates will weigh about 22,000 pounds each, and lour about 19,000 pounds 
 each: thus making a total weight of at least 18 2 tons. 
 
 SADDLES. 
 
 3. The object of the Saddles is to furnish a bearing with easy vertical 
 curves upon which the main cables and a portion of the main stays may 
 rest in passing over the pier. In plan, they are rectangular 13 feet by 4 
 feet 1 inch over all ; extreme height, 4 feet 3 inches, and the main portion 
 4 inches thick. 
 
 Over the centre of each, one of the cables passes through a groove 19^ 
 inches wide and 17^ inches deep at its middle section. 
 
 On each side of the main groove are two smaller grooves, in each of 
 which, four of the long stays are placed. 
 
 The ends and edges of the grooves are all rounded wherever there is 
 possibility of chafing of the wires. 
 
 Seventeen openings are made underneath the grooves, to reduce weight 
 and secure uniformity in thickness as far as possible. 
 
 4. The longitudinal edges are carried one inch below the under surface 
 of the Saddle to make end bearings for iron rollers, upon which the whole 
 will rest. 
 
 The inner faces of these edges must be planed true; the under surface 
 must also be planed true, very smooth, and so as to bear a straight edge in 
 any direction. For this purpose the contractor must make sufficient allow- 
 ance in the pattern, as the dimensions given are to be those of the fin- 
 ished Saddle. 
 
 5. The outside of the two longitudinal edges must be true — that is, per- 
 fectly parallel and i4 out of wind,'' and free from roughness, but need not 
 be planed. 
 
 6. The grooves must also be free from roughness, but need not be fin- 
 ished. 
 
 SADDLE-PLATES. 
 
 7. The Saddle-plates are to rest in seats prepared in the masonry, and 
 form perfectly true beds, upon which the rollers supporting the Saddles 
 may traverse. 
 
 They are to be 16 feet 2 inches long, 14f inches high over all, the 
 outside ones 8 feet wide at the centre and 6 feet 3 inches at the ends; 
 and the inside ones 6 feet 6 iuches wide at the centre. The same pattern 
 answers for the inner ones by cutting a strip from one side. The central 
 portion is to be 4^ inches thick, and the sides 3^ inches thick, when fin- 
 ished. 
 
 There are two lugs in each side channel to which stays will be attached. 
 At the ends of the side channels as well as the main channel, all the 
 edges are to be rounded off to prevent chafing. 
 
61 
 
 8. The central channel is to have its surface planed perfectly true, 
 very smooth, and so as to bear a straight edge all over. The edges which 
 form end bearings for the rollers are also to be planed true. The verti- 
 cal sides of the main ribs on the face towards the rollers must be perfectly 
 parallel, and must be planed true. 
 
 9. Sufficient allowance must be made in the pattern for planing, in all 
 cases. 
 
 10. The edges of the central plates, where cut off, are to have a rough 
 cut of say & inch to insure their being true and parallel, but need not be 
 planed smooth. 
 
 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS. 
 
 11. Complete detail drawings, which form a part of these specifications, 
 will be furnished the contractor, and the castings are to conform to them 
 in measurement when planed and ready for delivery. 
 
 12. All angles are to be filleted, except those abutting the ends of the 
 rollers. 
 
 13. As soon as the castings can be removed from the sand, cleaned and 
 dressed off, they are to receive a thorough coat of raw linseed oil. Alter 
 this is hardened, a second coat of boiled linseed oil is to be applied. 
 
 After the planing is completed, the planed surfaces are to be coated 
 with tallow and white lead. 
 
 14. The contractor is to make all patterns, do all the planing and fin- 
 ishing required, and deliver the finished castings either at the Tower 
 wharves, East river, or in the yard at base of the Towers. 
 
 15. The patterns are to be the property of the Bridge Company when 
 the work is completed. 
 
 16. The quality of the iron must be tough and strong. In order to 
 test this, the contractor will be required to cast at least six sample bars 
 from the same melting used in the plates. They must be 5 feet long, 1 
 inch square, and when placed on supports 4 feet 6 inches apart, must 
 break with no less than a central load of 500 pounds. 
 
 Trial bars of the metal proposed to be used must also be furnished the 
 Engineer for experiment, before the plates are cast. 
 
 17. The castings must be sound throughout, free from air bubbles, cold 
 shuts, strains or cracks ; and in order to insure freedom from strains, 
 they must lie a sufficient time in the sand to insure slow cooling. 
 
 18. It is hereby distinctly understood that the contractor takes all risks 
 of any cracks appearing in the castings which may arise from strains, due 
 either to hasty cooling, shrinkage, or the shape of the patterns. If any 
 of the castings should crack from any of these causes within one month 
 after their acceptance, it is understood that they will be replaced by the 
 contractor ; injuries resulting from accidents while in the hands of the 
 Bridge Company excepted. 
 
62 
 
 19. Before the plates will be accepted they must he subject to the in- 
 spection of the Engineer, or his authorized assistant, at the foundry. 
 
 20. The bid for the castings will be so much per pound for the Saddles 
 complete, and so much per pound for the Saddle-plates complete, all de- 
 livered, or a bid may be made for the whole lot at one price ; and no bids 
 will be received from such foundries as have not heretofore made cast, 
 ings approximating these in size and weight. 
 
 21. The Bridge Company reserves the right to reject all or any of the 
 bids offered. 
 
 22. The plates will be required first, and the delivery must begin by 
 December 10th, and must be completed before the 1st of February, 1875. 
 
 23. Monthly payments will be made about the 10th of each month for 
 all work delivered during the previous month, reserving fifteen per cent, 
 until the completion of the contract. 
 
 24. Bids are to be marked on the outside of the envelopes, " Proposals 
 for Saddles and Saddle-plates," and addressed to the " New York Bridge 
 Co., No. 21 Water street, Brooklyn, N. Y." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 Chief Engineer N. T. Bridge Co. 
 
 SPECIFICATION FOR ANCHOR PLATES, NEW YORK ANCHOR- 
 AGE, EAST RIVER BRIDGE, 1875. 
 
 1. Proposals are invited by the undersigned up to April 15, 1875, for 
 the delivery of four cast-iron anchor plates for the New York anchorage 
 of the East River Suspension Bridge. 
 
 2. Each plate will weigh about 46,000 pounds, making a total weight 
 of 92 tons for the four plates 
 
 3. The general shape of the plate is that of an oval spider, 17 feet 6 
 inches by 16 feet, and 2 feet 6 inches in depth. It has 16 arms, com- 
 posed of heavy ribs and flanges. The centre of the plate has 18 open- 
 ings for the passage of a double set of anchor chains. These openings 
 are separated by ribs 3 inches thick and 15 inches long, and extending 
 the full depth of the plate 2 feet 6 inches. The sides of the ribs must 
 be true and perpendicular, and out of wind. After the plate is cast, a 
 pattern bar must pass easily through the openings. Plans may be seen 
 at the Engineer's office, 21 Water street, Brooklyn. 
 
 4. The upper surface of the plate must be a true surface, and out of 
 wind throughout its entire extent. 
 
 5. The semi-circular grooves at the bottom of the ribs must be straight 
 and true. A 5-inch pin must be fitted to them, so as to bear uniformly 
 at every point, and lie parallel to the upper face of the plate. 
 
 6. Two of the plates will have the three arms on one side, cut two 
 foot shorter. This must be done so as to make the plates " right and 
 
63 
 
 left," in other words, cut from opposite ends. These two plates will be 
 cast last. 
 
 7. The quality of the iron must be tough and strong. Such a mixture 
 of iron should be used as will give great tensile strength, because the 
 uplifting strain of the anchor chains is such as to produce a tensile strain 
 in the upper flange of the arms, tending to break them off. 
 
 The casting must be sound throughout, free from air bubbles, cold 
 shuts, t trains or cracks. 
 
 8. In order to test the quality of the iron, the contractor will be re- 
 quired to cast two or more sample bars from the same melting used in 
 the plates. They must be 5 feet long, 1 inch square, and, when placed 
 on supports 4 feet 6 inches apart, must break with no less than 500 
 pounds placed in the middle. 
 
 9. Such trial bar3 of the metnl proposed to be used by the contractor, 
 must also be furnished to the Engineer for experiment before the plates 
 are cast. 
 
 10. In order to insure freedom from strains, due to rapid cooling, the 
 castings must lie in the sand for one week before uncovering. 
 
 11. Before the plates will be accepted they must be subject to the in- 
 spection of the Engineer or his authorized assistant, at the foundry. 
 
 12. The castings are to be delivered with the flat side up, on deck of a 
 scow or vessel, at the New York tower wharf, East river. 
 
 13. It is hereby distinctly understood that the contractor takes all 
 risks of any cracks appearing in the casting, which may arise from 
 strains, due either to hasty cooling, shrinkage, or the shape of the pat- 
 tern. If the plate should crack from any of these causes within one 
 month after the acceptance, it is understood that the contractor will fur- 
 nish a new one. 
 
 Injuries resulting from accidents while in the hands of the Bridge 
 Company excepted. 
 
 14. The pattern will be furnished by the Bridge Company at the 
 Brooklyn Anchorage. 
 
 15. The bid for the castings will be so much per pound, delivered. 
 
 16. The castings must be delivered by July 1st, 1875. 
 
 17. No bids will be accepted except from such foundries as have 
 heretofore made castings approximating these in size and weight. 
 
 18. Payment will be made by the Bridge Company in one month after 
 lelivery of plates. 
 
 19. Bids to be marked " Proposals for anchor plates," on outside of en- 
 velopes, and directed to the " New York Bridge Company, 21 Water 
 street, Brooklyn, N. Y." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLINGr. 
 
 Engineer Neiu York Bridge Company. 
 
64 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR IROX ANCHOR BARS. NEW YORK 
 ANCHORAGE, EAST RIVER BRIDGE, APRIL, 1875. 
 
 1. Proposals are invited up to April 19, 1875, for the delivery of about 
 1,027,000 pounds of iron, anchor bars and about 30.000 pounds iron 
 pins, for the New York Anchorage, East River Suspension Bridge. 
 These bars embrace the entire chains for this Anchorage. 
 
 2. An inspection of the plan shows 4 sets of chains arrauged in a 
 curved position, and comprising 10 sets of links connected by pins in 
 each. Each set of chains is double, consisting of 2 tiers of links, one 
 above the other, and secured at the bottom to one anchor plate. 
 
 3. The total contract comprises : 
 
 Sets. Weighing. 
 1 2 3 j 200 bars » wittl a section in tne body of the bar, 7 in. by 3 in.) 231 Q00 lbg 
 
 4 5 6 /216 bars, with a section in the body of the bar, 8 in. by 3 in.) 294 0Q0 lbs 
 ' ♦ ■ ) 24 u ** " 11 8 " ly ) ' 
 
 7,8,9 (216 bars, with a sectioninthebodyof thebar, 9in. by3in.) ,, M nftft , ho 
 &10. \184 » " " " 9 " 1% ) 5UU > 0U0 1DS - 
 
 Total S56 bars 1,0-25,000 lbs. 
 
 4 bars. S inches by 1 inch, about 2.000 lbs. 
 
 80 pins, about 30,000 lbs. 
 
 4. The different sets of links and pins will consist of the following 
 
 sizes and lengths : 
 
 Position Sizes 
 of of 
 
 Links. No. Bars. 
 
 - of - 
 
 Chains. Bars, inches. 
 
 No. 1 ) 28 7 X3 
 
 Upper.) 
 
 No. 1 ) 
 Lower.) 
 
 No. 2. ) 
 
 Length of 
 Bars. 
 C. to C. of eyes. 
 
 13 ft. 9 in. 
 
 7X1^ 
 7 X3 
 
 Sizes of 
 holes m heads. 
 
 for 5 in. pins. 
 
 No. 
 ot 
 Pins. 
 
 | 4 pins. 
 
 Lengths 
 Sizes of of 
 Pins. Pius. 
 
 in.diam. 5S in. 
 
 Upper.) 
 
 No. 2. ) 
 Lower. ) 
 
 No. 3. ) 
 Upper. ( 
 
 No. 3. ) 
 Lower. / 
 
 No. 4. • 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 4.' 
 Lower. 
 
 No. 5. 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 5. 
 Lower. 
 
 No. 6 s 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 6. 
 Lower. 
 
 No. 7. ' 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 7. ' 
 Lower. 
 
 No. 8. ' 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 8. ' 
 Lower. 
 
 Mo. 9/ 
 Upper. 
 
 No. 9. ' 
 Lower. 
 
 32 7x3 
 
 32 7 x3 
 8 7x1^ 
 
 I X3 
 
 12 ft. 10 
 
 y 13 ft 
 
 40 8 X 3 12 ft. 10 
 36 8X3 
 
 36 7 X 
 
 32 8 X3 
 8 8X 
 
 13 ft. 3y in. for 5 in. pins 
 in. " " 
 
 (4 pins. 
 
 qi/ in /One 5 in. and 
 ui. \ one 6 in . pi n . 
 
 for 6 in. pins. 
 
 13 ft. 3> 
 
 36 Sx3 12 ft. 10 
 8 8x1^ 12 ft, 10 
 
 8x3 ) 1Qf . 9iv in /One 6 in. and 
 avivC i6Jl - m - \one &y in. pin. j 
 
 in. 
 
 in. 
 
 8 8x1^/ 
 
 8 11 } 12 ft. 10 
 
 8 . 
 
 9 xi 
 
 in. 
 
 /One 6^" in. and) 
 ( one 7 in. pin./ 
 
 13 ft. 3}£ in. 
 
 36 9 x3 12 ft. 10 in. 
 
 8 9x1^ 12 ft. 10 in. " " 
 
 32 9 x3 " /See paragraph for 7 in. pin. 
 
 8 9 x ly \No.5 astolgth " " 
 
 40 9x3 12 ft. 10 in. " " 
 
 36 9 x3 13 ft. Zy in. " " 
 
 8 9X1^ " " " " 
 
 36 9 x3 " ** " " 
 
 8 9x1^ 
 
 " " 5Sy M 
 
 " " 63% " 
 
 5 in.diam. 61% " 
 
 « " m% " 
 
 6 in. diam. 64% " 
 " " 69% " 
 u " 64% « 
 " " 69% " 
 
 6% in. diam. 64% " 
 " " 75 " 
 
 7 in. diam. 65 " 
 H " 69% " 
 " " 68 " 
 " " 69% H 
 " " 68 " 
 « «< 69% " 
 
 No. 10. 152 9 xl^ 17 ft. 5 in. " " 
 
 5. The length of the link No. 8, in the upper chain, cannot be deter- 
 mined until the lower bars of the same link are set in place. They will 
 
65 
 
 probably be a little longer than 13 feet 3^ inches, but will not exceed 13 
 feet 6 inches, so that the iron can be rolled of the latter length, in ad- 
 vance, if desired. 
 
 6. Each bar will be forged with a head at each end, and inasmuch as 
 the sizes and shapes of heads vary according to the mode of upsetting 
 employed, such shape will be determined on by the Engineer after the 
 contract is let; provided, however, that the dimensions shall be such as, 
 with the form employed, will, in the judgment of the Engineer, give a 
 strength of head equal to that of the body of the bar. 
 
 7. The heads must, in all cases, be upset on the solid bar, and not 
 welded on. All heads of one size must be of a uniform and regular out- 
 line. They must be forged smooth and flat. The bar, as well as the 
 head, must be out of wind, and not bent to one side or twisted. The thick- 
 ness of the head must not exceed that of the bar by more than £ of an 
 inch, and in no case must it be less than the bar in thickness. The heads, 
 on set Xo. 1 must be as nearly as possible of the exact thickness, as it 
 will be impossible otherwise to pass them through the anchor plates. 
 
 Particular attention is called to this section, for the reason that in every 
 case before the insertion of any set of bars (after the first) the preceding 
 set is rigidly fixed in the masonry, and the intent is to leave the smallest 
 possible space between the sides of the heads. 
 
 8. Each chain has a width of about 6 feet, and each pin passes through 
 from 17 to 31 bars. It is, therefore, essential that the bars be drilled 
 exactly at right angles to their length, and with absolute exactness as re- 
 gards the distance between the holes, so that the pins may pass at right 
 angles through the sets when in position. 
 
 An important point to be observed here is, that the heads shall not be 
 sprung when clamped in the drill press, otherwise the holes will not be at 
 right angles to the bars, and the pins will bind in them when the bars 
 are placed in position. 
 
 9. The holes must all be drilled with a play of 1-32 of an inch ; that 
 is, with a diameter 1-32 of an inch in excess of that given for the pin. 
 
 10. The Engineer will make the following test, as to length, of each 
 set of bars: Nine b?.rs of the set, selected at random, shall be laid over 
 each other, aud separated by three-inch blocks, and the proper pins 
 passed simultaneously through the two ends without difficulty. 
 
 All the bars shall be at the same temperature while making the test. 
 
 The contractor shall furnish the labor and facilities for making the 
 tests, and shall retain at least two pins of each diameter, until the tests 
 have been made. 
 
 PINS. 
 
 11. The pins will be turned oft" so as to gauge throughout their length 
 to the exact diameter mentioned, the allowance for driving having been 
 mack- in the pin-holes. 
 
 To facilitate driving, the pins must have the angles at the ends slightly 
 rountlod. 
 
 5 
 
66 
 
 12. The pins must be of hammered iron, and must be equal in quality 
 to that in the bars. 
 
 13. The Bridge Company reserve the right to reject any or all bids, or 
 to award portions of the total quantity to different contractors. In case 
 this be done, the lots will be as follows: sets 1, 2 and 3 in the first; sets 
 4, 5, 6 in the second, and the remainder in the third lot. 
 
 The contractor for any lot succeeding the first, will be furnished with 
 a template of the pins in the upper end of the set preceding, so as to in- 
 sure the certainty that these pins will fit the holes he has to drill. 
 
 QUALITY OP IRON AND TESTING. 
 
 14. The iron shall be that known as "double refined." It shall be 
 perfectly sound, and free from all blemish, either in the original bars, or 
 after the heads are made, such as burning, unsound welding, or cracks of 
 any kind. 
 
 Its breaking strength shall be not less than 50,000 pounds per square inch. 
 
 For the purpose of testing this, the Engineer shall have the right to 
 select at random one or more bars from each lot of those provided for 
 each set of links. Prom the bar so selected, the contractor shall cut out 
 three test pieces, one near the centre, and one near each end. 
 
 These pieces shall, without working of any kind, be turned down to 
 fit some standard testing machine, and so as to give a uniform section of 
 one inch diameter for six inches of length. 
 
 The average breaking strength of these specimens may be considered 
 the strength of the bar. 
 
 They shall stretch in breaking at least ten per cent, of their length, 
 and shall bear a strain of 20,000 pounds per square inch, without per- 
 manent set. 
 
 If the test on the first bar be satisfactory, no other bar of that lot will 
 probably be tested (provided the iron is all from the same maker, and the 
 Engineer is satisfied with the appearance of the remainder of the bars), 
 and the contractor may proceed with the manufacture of the links. 
 
 If the first test be unsatisfactory, more tests will be made, and the 
 Engineer shall have the right to reject all the bars of any lot, should he 
 have reason, after a sufficient number of tests, to consider the iron un- 
 reliable. He may also reject the links after manufacture, if the eyes are 
 not properly made, or the iron has been injured in making them. 
 
 The contractor shall furnish the extra bars for these tests without 
 charge. 
 
 It will be seen this will require at least ten additional bars in all to be 
 furnished. 
 
 Bars injured in rolling or in making the heads may be used for making 
 tests from, so that the expense for extra bars will be small. 
 
 It is understood that the object of these tests is to insure a sound, 
 tough iron, in the finished work. Testing enough to insure this will be 
 insisted upon, and no mji e. 
 
67 
 
 16. In addition to this test, the 1£ inch bars shall each be tested by 
 the contractor to a strain of 20,000 pounds per square inch of section. 
 Such bars as show a permanent set under this strain shall be rejected. 
 
 17. All tests shall be made at the expense of the contractor, and 
 under the direction of the Engineer of the Bridge Company, or his 
 authorized assistant, the contractor to supply the testing machine and 
 the requisite labor. 
 
 18. All bars are to be delivered on board of a vessel or lighter, at 
 the New York Tower wharf, and are to be unloaded with the assistance 
 of the crew, the Bridge Company furnishing the power and derricks. 
 
 19. The links in set No. 1 must be furnished by July 1st; those in set 
 No. 2 by July 15th, and the remainder at the rate of one set per month ; 
 the delivery being completed by April 1st, 1876. 
 
 20. The Bridge Company will make payments in current funds on the 
 10th day of every month, for all pins and bars delivered during the pre- 
 vious mouth, 10 per cent, of the contract price being retained until the 
 completion of the contract. When the contract is completed, and all the 
 bars are delivered, a final payment, including the back percentage, will 
 be made on the 10th of the ensuing month. 
 
 21*. Proposals will be addressed to the New York Bridge Company, 
 No. 21 Water street, Brooklyn, N. Y., marked "Proposals for Anchor 
 Bars and Pins." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 Chief Engineer New York Bridge Co. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR WIRE ROPES FOR THE EAST RIVER 
 
 BRIDGE. 
 
 1. Proposals will be received until the first day of February, 1876, for 
 the manufacture and delivery of the following Steel and Iron Wire 
 Ropes, required for the erection of the temporary foot-bridge, cradle cables 
 and other appliances necessary for the construction of the main cables 
 of the East River Suspension Bridge. 
 
 The lengths and sizes of the rope are as follows : 
 
 L— STEEL ROPES. 
 
 2. (a.) Two (2 J galvanized steel foot-bridge ropes, each rope to weigh 12 
 lbs. per foot and to be scant 2£ inches in diameter, with a breaking strength 
 of not less than 240 net tons. 
 
 The lengths are uneven, as follows : 
 
 One rope to be 3,625 feet long. 
 
 The second rope to be 3,688 feet long. 
 
 (b.) Three (3) galvanized steel cradle ropes, each weighing 91bs. per 
 foot, and to be lull 2\ inches in diameter. Each of these ropes has 
 a length of 3,625 feet, and a breaking strength of not less than 18 tons. 
 
68 
 
 (c.) One (1) galvanized steel carrier rope, weighing 3 lbs. per foot, arid 
 being about If inches in diameter, having a length of 3,710 feet, and a 
 breaking strength of not less than 60 tons. 
 
 (<?.) Four (4) galvanized steel working ropes (for pulling over wires), 
 weighing f lb. per foot, and being f inch in diameter, each rope having a 
 length of 3,800 feet, and a breaking strength of not less than than 18 
 tons. 
 
 (e.) Four (4) galvanized steel pendulum ropes (for separating strands), 
 weighing f lb. per foot, and having a diameter of 11-16 of an inch. Each 
 rope has a wire core, and a length of 3,700 feet. 
 
 II.— IRON ROPES. 
 
 (f.) Two (2) galvanized iron hand-rail ropes, composed of seven wires 
 to the strand, No. 17 gauge, with a tarred Manila core and ordinary lay, 
 not too long. Length of each rope 3.500 feet. 
 
 (g.) Under-floor foot-bridge guys. They have an aggregate length of 
 10,868 feet, and a thickness of 11-16 of an inch. The rope to be compos- 
 ed of six strands around a hemp centre, and to weigh f lb. to the foot. 
 Each strand must have seven wires, No. 15 gauge, galvanized, and made 
 of best (b. b.) charcoal iron. 
 
 (7i.) Suspender cords, weighing 9 feet to the pound, and consisting of 
 one strand of seven No. 14 galvanized charcoal wires. An aggregate 
 length of 8,000 feet will be wanted. 
 
 CONSTRUCTION OF ROPES. 
 3. (a.) The foot-bridge ropes will be composed of six strands, laid 
 around a central core, all of equal size. The outside strands will contain 
 19 wires each, but the core, in place of being a strand, will be a regular 
 laid rope, composed of six strands and a core, each containing seven 
 wires. The wires of this rope core must be of the proper size, so as to 
 give it the same diameter as the strands. The lay of the rope core must 
 be the same as the lay of the outside strands, which may be either right 
 lay or left lay. The size of the various wires must be so proportioned 
 as to give a total weight of 12 lbs. per foot. No projecting wires can be 
 allowed in the strands. The strands must be round. The lay of these 
 ropes will be that known as long lay ; that of the strands in the rope 
 being not less than one turn in 17^ inches, nor more than one turn in 1 Sc- 
 inches. 
 
 (b.) The construction of the cradle ropes will be similar, viz. : Six outer 
 strands around a centre. Each outer strand will contain 19 wires, and 
 the central strand will be the same as the outer ones, differing in that 
 respect trom the foot-bridge ropes. The size of wires must be pro- 
 portioned, to give a weight of 9 lbs. per foot to the rope. The lay of 
 these ropes will also be long lay; not less than one turn in 14j inches, 
 nor more than one turn in 15^ inches. 
 
 (c.) The carrier rope will be composed of six strands around a wire 
 
69 
 
 centre, each strand containing 7 wires, No. 9 gauge. The lay of the rope 
 will be moderately long, about one turn in 9 inches. 
 
 (d.) Each working rope will be composed of six strands of seven No. 
 14 wires each, laid around a central core of best tarred hemp. As these 
 ropes are intended for running ropes, they must have a moderately short 
 lay of about one turn in 6£ inches ; and, as these ropes are to be spliced 
 into endless ropes, they must all have the same lay. 
 
 (e.) The pendulum ropes will be composed of seven No. 15 wires in 
 each strand, with a wire centre, and made in the same way as the 
 carrier rope. The lay will be moderately long, about one turn in 65- 
 inches. 
 
 (/.) The construction of the iron ropes is sufficiently described in par- 
 agraph 2. under the headings /, g and h. 
 
 STRENGTH AND QUALITY OP STEEL WIRE TO BE USED. 
 4. All the steel ropes are to be made of the best quality of hardened and 
 tempered galvanized crucible cast-steel '* wire. No " Bessemer " wire, 
 or " Siemens-Martin " steel wire, or " Open Hearth " steel wire can be 
 accepted. The strength required is at the rate of 160,000 lbs. per square 
 inch of section. This rate is not excessive, and can easily be obtained 
 by manufacturers of such wire. It requires, for instance, that No. 7 
 wire, weighing 12 feet to the pound, shall have a breaking strength of 
 4.6 00 oo=3,966 lbs.. No. 8 wire, weighing 15 feet to the pound, shall 
 
 3 • 3 6 x 1 2 
 
 have a breaking strength of not less than ^0.0 0.0. =3 5 175 lbs. No. 9 
 wire, weighing 17 feet to the pound, shall have a breaking strength of 
 not less than J^Q g <lo_o==2.384 lbs., etc., etc. 
 
 Specimen, with this breaking strength, must stretch at least 2 per 
 cent., and must have a limit of elasticity not less than § of the breaking 
 strength — that is to say, a sample of wire stretched up to f of its break- 
 ing strength must recover itself without any appreciable permanent set. 
 When the manufacturer has prepared a sufficient quantity of wire for 
 these ropes, he must notify the Engineer or his authorized assistant, who 
 will test a sufficient quantity of the wire to see if it comes up to the 
 above standard. He will continue these tests from time to time, in order 
 to insure a uniformity throughout the manufacture. All these tests will 
 be made after the wire is galvanized, and not before. The manufacturer 
 must furnish the testing machine for this purpose. The necessities of 
 the case require that all our ropes must be suspended with a very small 
 deflection. The strain is consequently very great, arisiug as much from 
 their own weight as from the load placed upon them. An increase in 
 the size of the ropes would, therefore, increase the margin of safety but 
 little, and we are compelled to rely entirely upon the superior quality of 
 the material used in order to be safe. 
 
 The rates of strength in the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 wires are given as ex- 
 amples. The precise weight of wire must be determined by the manufac. 
 turer, so as to produce the weight per foot of rope specified. Where 
 
70 
 
 nothing: is said to the contrary, the Birmingham wire gauge is understood 
 to be standard. 
 
 5. All the steel wire used in these ropes must be properly soldered with 
 brass solder: no other kind of joint can be allowed. This joint must be 
 galvanized, so that there is no interruption in the continuity of the zinc 
 covering. In no case will it be permitted to stick in the ends of the wire 
 loose in place of the proper joint. Inasmuch as the size of wire used is 
 very coarse, the rings will be small and joints very plenty. It is, there- 
 fore, required that rings weighing not less then 501bs. shall be used. 
 
 6. In order to diminish the stretch of these ropes as much as possible, 
 it is desirable they should be laid up under great strain, at least one-tenth 
 of the breaking strain. This strain must be uniform on all the strands. 
 
 7. All these ropes, as well as strands, must be made in one piece, of 
 the whole length required, and in no case can the splicing of a whole 
 strand be permitted. 
 
 GALVANIZING. 
 
 8. All the wires used in these ropes must be completely and thorough- 
 ly galvanized. This is a very important matter, as the durability of the 
 ropes depends entirely upon it. The ropes will be subjected to the direct 
 influence of salt air, not only during their temporary use, but also when 
 used as stays in the permanent work. Some of the smaller ropes will 
 even be dragged through the salt water. The galvanizing must therefore 
 not only be very perfect on the wire, but great care must be taken not to 
 scrape any oft' in manufacturing the ropes. 
 
 The Inspector appointed for the Trustees will in c pect the wire before 
 it is laid in the rope, and reject all rings which show uncovered spots, 
 scales, cracks after bending, or other imperfections in the coating of zinc. 
 
 Another important point — for the consideration of the manufacturer 
 alone — is to have the steel wire galvanized in such a manner as not to 
 diminish the temper, hardness or breaking strength tnereof. The Trustees 
 of the Bridge are fully protected in this respect, because the wire will be 
 tested only after it is galvanized. 
 
 9. Each of the four working ropes, as described in paragraphs 2 and 3, 
 under heading (d), is to be marked by the manufacturer with a promi- 
 nent mark, such as paint, or a wire wrapping, to designate the point at 
 which these ropes will rest on the top of the New York Tower. This 
 poiut will come at a distance of 1,070 feet from the outer end of the 
 rope as it lies coiled on the reel, or its equivalent distance of 2,730 feet 
 from the inner end of the rope. 
 
 10. The ropes will be wanted in the following order : First, the four 
 working ropes (d) ; next, the carrier rope (c) ; next, one cradle rope (b) ; 
 next, two foot-bridge ropes («); next, the two cradle ropes (b); next, the 
 under-ttoor guys and suspenders (g) and (A) ; next, the hand-rail ropes 
 (/); and, lastly, the four pendulum ropes (e). All these ropes must be 
 delivered in three months after the letting of this contract. 
 
71 
 
 11. All the ropes must be mounted or coiled on strong vertical reels, 
 with extra thick wooden sides, provided with an opening for a horizontal 
 spindle on which to revolve them. The side of the reel must be of extra 
 width, to admit of the application of breaks in paying off. Reels must 
 be made of extra strength and size, so as not to be smashed by the great 
 weight of the ropes in handling and moving them. The reels will be 
 paid for extra. In no case can these ropes be received in a loose coil, 
 because they have to be transported through crowded streets of a city. 
 A coil is, moreover, unsuited in other respects for handling the rope. 
 
 12. These ropes may be delivered either directly at the New York 
 Anchorage, or on board of a boat, lighter or scow, at Pier 29, East river, 
 where the Trustees of the Bridge will do the unloading. If delivered on 
 a scow, they must be loaded on deck, resting on heavy timbers. The 
 deck of the scow must be strong enough to stand the moving of the 
 heavy load. It also must be high enough to be even with the dock at 
 mean high water. The four working ropes must, in any case, be deliver- 
 ed at Pier 29. 
 
 13. Payment will be made in current funds, on the 10th of every 
 month, for all ropes delivered and accepted during the preceding month. 
 Bids to be made at so much a lb., in currency, lor each of the different 
 sizes. 
 
 Proposals must be addressed to the " Board of Trustees of the New 
 York and Brooklyn Bridge," 21 Water street, Brooklyn. 
 
 Bids will only be entertained from parties of reputation and experience 
 in the manufacture of wire rope, and who have ample facilities for execut- 
 ing this contract in time. 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 Engineer Neic York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS FOft STEEL CABLE WIRE, FOR THE EAST 
 RIVER SUSPENSION BRIDGE. — 1876.* 
 
 1. Sealed proposals will be received by the Trustees of the New York 
 and Brooklyn Bridge, up to the 1st d<:y of December, 1876, for the 
 manufacture and delivery in Brooklyn, N. Y., of 3,400 net tons or 
 6.800,000 lbs. of Steel Cable Wire, for the East River Suspension 
 Bridge. 
 
 2. For the information of parties living abroad it may be stated, that 
 the East River Bridge will connect the two cities of New York and 
 
 •These specifications are inserted here exactly as they were originally issued, 
 but the following has to be noted, namely : 
 
 The figure of 29,000,000 was used as the modulus in the calculations for the 
 tests in paragraphs 10 and 5. 
 
 In the foot note the words " one-third of its strength is taken up In supporting 
 Its own weight," should have read '*one seventeenth (l-17th) of Its strength, etc.' 
 
72 
 
 Brooklyn, which, are separated from each other by an arm of the sea, 
 called the East river. That the Bridge has one main span of 1,000 
 ft., and two side spans of 930 ft. each, besides approaches at each 
 end, making a total length of more than one mile. The main floor is 
 suspended by 4 cables, each 15 in. in diameter, each cable composed 
 of 6,300 parallel laid wires, which are laid up in place, and it is for 
 the manufacture of these cables that the steel wire, called for in these 
 specifications, is required. 
 
 3. The general character of the wire is as follows: it must be made 
 of steel ; it must be hardened and tempered ; and, lastly, it must all 
 be galvanized. 
 
 4. The size of the wire shall be No. 8 full, Birmingham Gauge. A 
 length of 14 ft. must weigh exactly 1 lb. before it is galvanized, but 
 the weight of the galvanized wire is taken in making up the 3,400 
 tons. 
 
 5. Each wire must have a breaking strength of no less than 3,400 
 lbs. This corresponds in wire weighing 14 ft. to the lb., to a rate of 
 160,000 lbs. per sq. in. of solid section. The elastic limit must be no 
 less than .^4^ of the breaking strength, or 1,600 lbs. Within this 
 limit of elasticity, it must stretch at a uniform rate corresponding to 
 a modulus of elasticity of not less than 27,000,000 nor exceeding 29.- 
 000,000. The quality of the wire, in regard to its stretching, is fur- 
 ther alluded to under the head of " Tests." 
 
 QUALITY OF WIRE.* 
 
 6. The rods of which the wire is made, must be of a superior qual- 
 ity of steel, suitable for wire purposes. It is not implied that the 
 highest priced steel shall be used, such as is required for fine cutlery, 
 springs, or the like, but it is only a superior steel rod, which will 
 make a wire that comes up to the standard here laid down. 
 
 * Note.— It may not be amiss here to present a few of the reasons which led 
 to the selection of the size and quality of steel wire adopted in these specifica- 
 tions. In all previous bridge cables, charcoal iron wire of either No. 10 or No. 9 
 gauge was used. In iron wire it is well known that a remarkable increase in 
 strength is developed by the process of cold drawing. Thus a bar 1 inch square, 
 having a strength of 40,000 or 50,000 lbs. to the square inch, will show a rate of 
 from 90,000 to 100,000 lbs. per square inch of section, when drawn down to No. 9 
 or No. 10 size. In steel, this is also true to a moderate extent, while the process 
 of tempering and hardening still farther increases the strength. The use of 
 this size has three advantages. The first is, that fewer wires are required to make 
 up the cable, thus reducing labor. The second is, that its greater weight offers 
 greater resistance to the wind— a most important consideration when hiving a 
 cable in a locality as exposed as the present one. The third, that it offers less 
 comparative surface to rust. The use of a size much coarser than No. S is, how- 
 ever, barred by the extreme stiffness of the material, making it very troublesome 
 to handle. 
 
 In the question of strength, as regards the choice between using iron and the 
 various grades of steel for cables, we find that the great length of the main span 
 
73 
 
 In case the billets or rods are not made by the contractor for the wire, 
 it is to be understood that the inspector, on the part of the Trustees, is to 
 have ample facility to satisfy himself, by ocular proof, that they are ac- 
 tually made out of suitable steel, and from uniform stock. 
 
 H ARDENING AND TEMPERING. 
 
 7. The standard called for in these specifications, demands that this 
 steel wire shall be of a uniform medium quality ; that is, it must be nei- 
 ther too hard or high in its character, nor too soft or low in its temper. 
 In order to insure this uniform quality, it is necessary that all the cable 
 wire shall undergo the operation of hardening and tempering. The par- 
 ticular manner in which this operation shall be performed is not pre- 
 scribed here, but is left free to the manufacturer. There are at least four 
 methods known to the Engineer, all of which can produce good results, if 
 properly adapted to this size of wire. Some of these processes are con- 
 trolled by patents; others are of a secret nature. Whatever the process 
 pursued by the manufacturer may be, the Engineer, or his inspector, must 
 have satisfactory evidence that every ring of wire has undergone this 
 operation. At the same time, the manufacturer must not lose sight of 
 the fact that the wire is to be galvanized, after beiug hardened and tem- 
 pered. It is not intended, however, that this paragraph shall be an abso- 
 lute bar to an} r other mode or process of manufacture of the steel and 
 steel wire, provided the requirements in the foregoing paragraphs are 
 strictly fulfilled ; it being believed, at the same time, that only the opera- 
 tion of hardening and tempering will produce such wire. 
 
 GALVANIZING. 
 
 8. The cables of the East River Bridge are suspended directly over a 
 salt water stream, and are, in addition, exposed to the salt air of the 
 neighboring sea-shore. Experience has shown that the ordinary means 
 of protection, such as paint, oil or varnish, which would be ample in 
 
 at once excludes the use of iron or the lower grades of steel. Even with the 
 quality called for in these specifications, one-third of the strength is taken up in 
 supporting its own weight ; hence the use of iron wire bearing ouly 90,000 lbs. 
 per square inch, or of the lower grades of steel, is not admissible, because it 
 would necessitate a cable of such weight and size that it would become unman- 
 ageable, and involve the greatest difficulties in making it. I, at least, would not 
 be willing to undertake it. The rate of strength decided upon, namely, 160,000 
 lbs. to the square inch, represents a fair mean of all the objects that it is desira- 
 ble to attain. It is true that steel wire of a very much higher rate of strength 
 can be made. Its use would produce a cable much smaller than 15 inches in di- 
 ameter. Now it is just as undesirable to have too small a cable as too large 
 a one. A certain bulk of cable is absolutely necessary in order to give a mass, 
 and the inertia to resist dangerous oscillations in the cable itself. I would fur- 
 thermore state, that the dimensions of the anchor chains, the sizes of the saddles 
 and plates, the weight of the anchorages and the shapes of the towers, have all 
 been proportioned for a cable 15 inches in diameter, and made of steel wire of 
 the strength above given. W. A. R, 
 
* 
 
 74 
 
 the interior, are totally inadequate to prevent rusting, in localities so 
 near the coast. The only certain safeguard is a coating of zinc, which 
 acts by its absolute air-tightness, as well as by its galvanic action, 
 and is not easily abraded. 
 
 The galvanizing must be done throughout, in a thorough and per- 
 fect manner ; each ring will be inspected in this regard by the inspector, 
 when he tests the wire. All rings will be rejected which show spots 
 imperfectly covered, or are full of rough lumps, showing a defective 
 stripping. The galvanizing must be of uniform thickness, and must 
 not scale off, or show any cracks, when the wire is bent. 
 
 The attention of the manufacturer is particularly called to the point 
 that he must- galvanize at such a temperature and in such a manner 
 as not to destroy the temper of the wire. The manufacturer must 
 run the whole risk in this respect, because the wire is inspected and 
 tested after it has been galvanized. Samples which have been received 
 and tested, show that it is not difficult to reconcile these two opera- 
 tions, and that when proper caution is exercised, and the parties pos- 
 sess sufficient experience, the wire can be properly galvanized without 
 impairing the temper. 
 
 STRAIGHT WIRE. 
 
 9. All the wire called for in these specifications must be ''straight" 
 wire ; that is to say, when a ring is unrolled upon the floor the wire 
 behind must lie perfectly straight and neutral, without any tendency 
 to spring back in the coiled form, as is usually the case. This straight 
 condition must not be produced by the use of straightening machines 
 of any kind, as they only injure the strength and elasticity of the 
 wire. As the cables can only be laid up with straight wires, this 
 necessity is obvious. 
 
 To produce straight wire it is necessary to lead the wire from a 
 point within the galvanizing trough in a straight line, under consider- 
 able tension to the guide sheave or winding drum, and to locate the 
 sheave or drum at such a distance as to permit the wire to be cooled and 
 set before it is coiled thereon. And also to make the sheave or drum of 
 such size as will not cause a permanent bending of the cooled wire. Any 
 method of cooling the wire more rapidly will permit of a less distance 
 between the trough and drum. As the process above described has been 
 patented, the Trustees of the bridge have arranged with the patentee in 
 reference to all the wire called for in these specifications, so that parties 
 furnishing said wire will not be required to pay a royalty thereon. 
 
 MODE OF TESTING. 
 
 10. Owing to the uncertain character of steel, and the percentage of 
 rejection that usually attends the finished product, notwithstanding all 
 the care and the amount of selection it may have undergone in the 
 
75 
 
 various stages of its manufacture, the Engineer considers it absolutely 
 necessary that every ring should undergo a test when finished. 
 There will be four kinds of tests. 
 
 Firstly. — One ring in every forty (40) will be tested, as follows: a 
 piece of wire, sixty (60) feet lorg, will be cut off from either end of the 
 ring, and it will be then placed in a vertical testing machine. An initial 
 strain of 400 lbs. is now applied, which should take out every crook and 
 bend. A vernier gauge, capable of being read to — l.—-^ of one foot, is so 
 attached as to indicate the stretch of 50 feet of the wire. Successive in- 
 crements of 400 lbs. strain are then applied, and the vernier read each 
 time, until a strain of 1,600 lbs. is reached. 
 
 The conditions now are as follows: that the amount of stretch for each 
 of these increments shall be the same, and that the total stretch between 
 the initial and terminal strains shall not be less than y^-g- of one foot, 
 equal to J-9i of the 50 feet. And furthermore, on reducing the 
 
 ^ 10 0.000 ' e 
 
 strain to 1,200 pounds there shall be a permanent elongation not exceed- 
 ing: ' „ 1 * of its length. 
 
 ° TTTo.oolT ° 
 
 The same wire will then be subjected to a breaking strain, and the 
 total amount of stretch noted. The minimum strength required is 3,400 
 lbs., equal to an ultimate strength of 160,000 lbs. per square inch. The 
 minimum stretch, when broken, shall have been 2 per cent, in 50 feet, and 
 the diameter of the wire at the point of fracture shall not exceed ^.tJ^ 
 of one inch. 
 
 Secondly. — One ring out of every five shall be tested by having a pkce 6 
 feet long cut off, and placed in a testing machine with vernier guage, so 
 attached and graduated as to read the stretch of 5 feet of length to 
 ^_JL_. of one foot. When strains shall be applied in the foregoing or- 
 der, and the vernier read at each point respectively, if the results corres- 
 pond with the requirements for the 50 feet lengths, as regard modulus 
 and limit of elasticity and ultimate strength, and the stretch of 5 feet of 
 length exceed 3£ per cent, of its length, the ring will be accepted ; other- 
 wise it will be rejected. 
 
 Thirdly. — Every ring will be tested by having a piece 16 inches long 
 cut from either end, and placed in a testing machine, having a vernier 
 guage so arranged as to include one foot in length of the wire, and shall be 
 graduated as finely as practicable. Each, piece will be subjected to the 
 same strains mentioned for the 5 feet lengths, and the results must cor- 
 respond with the requirements before mentioned, excepting that of the 
 ultimate stretch. 
 
 These shorter pieces are used to expedite the testing, and to economize 
 wire; but tjie requirements mentioned in connection with the 50 feet 
 tests will be insisted on, and any doubt as to results with the shorter pieces 
 may be solved by testing a piece 50 feet long. And in case one ring in 
 forty (40) should not be a sufficient test of the quality, then the inspector 
 
76 
 
 can select, at closer intervals, rings for 50 feet tests. If want of uniform- 
 ity is suspected, a piece of 5 feet in length may be taken from the other 
 end of the ring. 
 
 Fourthly. — Every ring will be subjected to a bending test by cutting 
 off from each ring a piece of wire one foot long, and coiling it closely and 
 continuously around a rod one-half inch in diameter, when, if it breaks, it 
 will be rejected. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS ON TESTING. 
 
 At the first glance these tests may seem rather onerous and exacting 
 in their requirements, but they will not appear so to a manufacturer who 
 has been in the habit of having his work tested, and is desirous of not 
 only maintaining, but adding to an established reputation. The spirit of 
 these tests does not consist so mucli in the rejection of a random ring 
 here aud there, as it does in impressing on the operatives, and all con- 
 cerned, the assurance that no bad work can possibly pass the inspection. 
 It is only when this has become a certainty that we can rely upon a 
 steady and uniform character in the quality of the wire. 
 
 Nothing is more common, for instance, than to lose the whole of the 
 day's work by reason of a wrong temperature in the galvanizing bath, or to 
 spoil tons upon tons, by faulty tempering, all of which would be pushed 
 for acceptance if there were no daily inspections going on. This is usu- 
 ally the case towards the end of a contract when the final deliveries are 
 wanted in a hurry. Finally, it may be said that in these tests no unat- 
 tainable standard has been set up, but the requirements are such as can 
 be filled with ease and certainty by many manufacturers. 
 
 INSPECTORS AND MACHINES. 
 
 12. The inspection will be performed by the authorized assistants of the 
 Engineer, or by specially appointed inspectors. They are paid by the Trus- 
 tees. The testing machines, however, as well as all manual labor required 
 in handling the wire, preparing the specimens, and the actual work of test- 
 ing, must be furnished by the manufacturer. The testing machines will 
 probably not be more than three in number, and this will be comparative- 
 ly a small expense, as their capacity need not exceed two gross tons. 
 After the system of inspection has once been thoroughly organized it 
 will be found that the expense connected with it forms an exceedingly 
 small percentage of the total cost of the wire. Proper room and facilities 
 must be furnished for this work. 
 
 In case of any dispute arising between the inspector and the manufac- 
 turer, the Engineer is to be the sole arbiter. 
 
 SIZE OF RINGS. 
 
 13. Long rings are indispensable The weight must average 60 lbs. 
 None weighing less than 50 lbs. will be received, and they may be as 
 much heavier as can be made, provided the ends are of uniform diame- 
 
77 
 
 ter. With the recent improvements in rolling machinery, loDg rings have 
 become the rule instead of the exception, as was formerly the case. By 
 having long rings the time and labor of splicing the wire is reduced pro- 
 portionably. The splice being the weakest spot we increase the average 
 strength by having long rings, and by reducing their number. The wire 
 is, besides, of so coarse a size, that even a 60 lb. ring will not much more 
 than reach half-way across the main span. Hence, at the best, the rela- 
 tive number of splices will be far greater than in any previous cable. 
 The rings must be of such a diameter as not to give the wire a perma- 
 nent bend. The inspectors will also pay particular attention that both 
 ends of these long rings have the same uniform gauge and thickness — as 
 wire of uneven weight cannot be properly regulated in making the 
 strands. This examination will be made before the wire is galvanized. 
 
 Only one nipper mark can be permitted on the end of a ring, and that 
 at a distance not exceeding 5 in. from the end. 
 
 When the end of the wire is pulled through the draw plate for the 
 purpose of fastening it to the block, it must be done at one operation, and 
 not by successive applications of the nippers, as is usually done. 
 
 The dents caused by the nipper jaws injure steel wire very materially, 
 and hence not more than one is allowed. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS AND TIME OF DELIVERY. 
 
 14. Tt is required that the manufacturer will at once, upon the giving 
 out of this contract, prepare to make and deliver about 50 tons of this 
 wire. This is necessary, in order that the contractor can make the nec- 
 essary preparations in the various processes of the manufacture, so as to 
 be able to turn out the regular quantities in the time specified. In these 
 preliminary 50 tons ample time is given to overcome all defects which 
 may exist in the beginning, and also to come to a perfect understanding 
 with the inspectors as regards any doubtful questions which may arise 
 in regard to the modes of testing or the standards required. 
 
 The regular deliveries of wire will commence February 1st, 1877. The 
 amount of these monthly deliveries must be no less than 150 tons, and in 
 case it should be found that the cable-making proceeds faster than at 
 present anticipated, tho manufacturer must increase this amount to 200 
 tons, upon being duly notified by the Engineer, at least two months in 
 advance. 
 
 15. Inasmuch as the precise quantity of wire in these cables cannot be 
 ascertained until some of the strands are actually made, and all the wire 
 composing a strand has been weighed, the Engineer reserves the right to 
 increase or diminish the quantity of wire called for in this contract by the 
 amount of 200 tons, the same to be furnished at the regular contract price, 
 provided he gives notice to that effect three months before the completion 
 of the contract. 
 
 16. All parties who expect to bid on this wire are requested to send 
 samples in accordance with these specifications, the samples to weigh no 
 
78 
 
 ess than 100 lbs., and to contain two rings. Foreign parties may 'con- 
 sign them to E. L. Alexander, 117 Liberty street, New York, marked 
 Bridge wire. 
 
 17. The wire intended for shipment should be properly packed, and so 
 wrapped as to avoid injury to the galvanizing. 
 
 MANNER OP BID. 
 
 18. Bids will be received at so much per lb., gold, for the whole 
 amount delivered at the Brooklyn Tower. It is deemed best to place the 
 bids on a gold basis, in order to eliminate the question of the probable 
 changes in the value of the currency for the period of time over which this 
 contract will extend. It would be impossible to foresee these changes ac- 
 curately, and the margin that the contractor would be forced to allow 
 himself would, of necessity, be against the interests of the Bridge. The 
 duties on both the steel rod and on the finished wire are payable in gold. 
 The duties on this kind of wire are at present 1\ cents per lb., and 20 per 
 cent, ad valorem. The cost of lighterage from the foreign steamship 
 wharves on the North River, to the wharf at the Brooklyn Tower, is about 
 65 cents per ton in currency. Ocean freights of course differ, according 
 to shipping port. 
 
 No bid will be received which does not include the duties. 
 
 BONDS. 
 
 19. In order to insure the complete and satisfactory performance of the 
 requirements laid down in these specifications, the successful bidder shall 
 give good and sufficient bonds to the amount of $50,000 — gold. This 
 will take the place of the back percentage which has usually been retain- 
 ed in other contracts. 
 
 PAYMENT. 
 
 20. The Trustees will pay on the 10th of every month, in full, in gold, 
 for all the wire delivered during the previous month. 
 
 21. It is furthermore to be understood by the successful bidder, that 
 if at any time during the performance of his contract he shall fail to com- 
 ply with the terms of these specifications and produce a wire which does 
 not come up to the test required, and has to be constantly rejected by the 
 inspectors, or if he is manifestly unable to produce the necessary quanti- 
 ty in the required time, the Engineer of the Trustees shall duly and offi- 
 cially notify him, in writing, of this neglect and failure on his part, and if, 
 notwithstanding this notice, the required improvement is not made, then 
 the Trustees may declare his contract null and void, and shall have the 
 right to contract with other parties at either the same price or some other 
 price, and if loss should occur to the Trustees by this transaction, that 
 they then have the right to take the whole or part of the aforementioned 
 bonds of $50,000, to cover themselves from such loss. 
 
 22. On the other hand, if from some unforeseen circumstance, which at 
 
70 
 
 present the Trustees' have no knowledge of, they should be compelled to 
 suspend operations on the work, they reserve the right to notify the con- 
 tractor to suspend the delivery of the wire, either for a fixed or an indefin- 
 ite period, provided they serve him with a notice to that effect, at least 
 three months before such suspension ; and the fact of having given such 
 a notice is to be a bar against any claim for damages arising from the sus- 
 pension of this contract. 
 
 23. The Trustees reserve the right to reject any or all the bids that 
 may be offered, or to divide the contract into not more than four portions, 
 in case it should prove to their interest to do so. 
 
 24. Bids must be addressed to the Trustees of the New York and 
 Brooklyn Bridge, No. 21 Water street, Brooklyn, N. Y., and endorsed 
 " Proposals for Cable Wire." 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 Engineer New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS. 
 
 1. All proposals must be made upon the form accompanying these 
 specifications, all the blanks of which must be filled. 
 
 2. The full name and address of the parties bidding shall be given, and 
 a seal attached to all signatures. 
 
 3. The guarantee attached to the bid must be signed by two responsi- 
 ble guarantors, known to be good and sufficient by these Trustees, or 
 certified to be such by some responsible person so known. 
 
 4. Parties making bids are understood as accepting all of the terms 
 and conditions contained in the specifications, the specifications being con- 
 sidered a part of the agreement. 
 
 5. The bidder must be a manufacturer of steel wire, and must give 
 satisfactory evidence of his ability to furnish the quantity and quality 
 of wire required, within the specified time. 
 
 PROPOSAL. 
 
 1876 
 
 , the subscriber , do hereby propose to make and furnish all 
 the Steel Wire called for in these specifications, in accordance with all 
 the requirements therein set forth, for the sum of 
 
 cents per pound, gold, payable in monthly installments, upon the terms 
 and conditions mentioned in said specifications. 
 
 further agree that upon being notified that bid is ac- 
 
 cepted, and also furnished with the form of contract, will, within 
 
 ten days thereafter, execute said contract with the Trustees of the New 
 York and Brooklyn Bridge, with good and approved securities, to furnish 
 said wire upon the terms and conditions set forth In these specifications, 
 the same to be embodied in said contract. 
 
 To all of which hereby agree. 
 
 Witnese, [L. S.] 
 
80 
 
 GUARANTEE. 
 
 The undersigned, of 
 hereby guarantee that in case the foregoing bid of 
 be accepted, will, witbin 
 ten days after receipt of contract and notice of tbe acceptance of said bid, 
 execute the contract with good and sufficient sureties ; and in case said 
 shall fail to enter into contract as aforesaid, we guarantee 
 to pay over into the hands of the Trustees of said Bridge the sura of ten 
 thousand dollars, gold. 
 
 Signed, 
 
 Date. 
 Witness. 
 
II. 
 
 WIRE TESTS. 
 
 REPORT OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER ON THE TESTS OF 
 THE SAMPLES OF WIRE. 
 
 No. 33 W. 50th street, December 18, 1876. 
 
 Hon. Henry C. Murphy, President of the Board of Trustees of the 
 New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 In compliance with your request of the 16th inst., I present the 
 following report on the tests for cable wire. 
 
 The samples were presented and tested in conformity with para- 
 graph 16 of the specifications, which says : 
 
 " All parties who expect to bid on this wire are requested to send 
 samples in accordance with these specifications, the samples to weigh 
 no less than 100 lbs., and to contain two rings." 
 
 The only object of this section was first, to satisfy myself that each 
 bidder could make such wire as was called for in the specifications, 
 and secondly, that each bidder should satisfy himself that such wire 
 could be easily made, and involved no impossible demands. 
 
 The testing of these samples was performed by Col. Paine and Mr. 
 Martin. 
 
 Details are given on a sheet accompanying this report (marked A). 
 They comprised samples from the following parties : J. Lloyd 
 Haigh, Cleveland Rolling Mill Company, Washburn & Moen, John 
 A. Roebling's Sons Co., Johnson & Nephew, Sulzbacher, Hymen, 
 Wolff & Co., Carey & Moen, and W. T. Henly & Co. 
 
 A general glance over the results shows the gratifying fact that 
 pretty much every bidder has been able to reach our requirements, 
 and that if every one has not reached perfection on every test, 
 they have at least shown that on further trial the results can no 
 doubt be obtained. 
 
 6 
 
82 
 
 Where all have so nearly approached excellence it would per- 
 haps be wrong to institute any invidious comparisons among them, 
 but the facts certainly show, that Richard Johnson's Nephew 
 stands at the head of the list, and Mr. Henly at the foot, but even 
 his wire is not far out of the way in some respects, and the other 
 bidders range in various degrees between these two limits. 
 
 The appearance of the various specimens present marked con- 
 trasts. Many show signs of having been prepared with the great- 
 est care in getting them up, and of being the product of laborious 
 selection and rejections. Others again show signs of carelessness 
 and indifference, as if they had been pulled at random out of a 
 pile, and nothing in this world were easier than to make this 
 wire. 
 
 There are a number of facts attending these samples which require 
 comment on my part. I possess no information, either written or 
 verbal, except in a few cases, as to the stock or material of which 
 these specimens are composed, that is, whether they are made of 
 crucible cast-steel, Bessemer or Open Hearth steel, or by some secret 
 process. Neither do I know whether the bidder in his written tender 
 states the material from which his samples were made, or from 
 which he intends to make the cable-wire ; of one fact, however, I 
 am certain, that I have no evidence, and in the nature of the case 
 can have no evidence that the successful bidder will make his cable- 
 wire of precisely the same material as shown by the samples here 
 presented. It would be very unwise to accept two specially pre- 
 pared rings, as an absolute guarantee of the perfection of 6,000,000 
 pounds. Fortunately this makes no difference to me, as no wire can 
 reach the Bridge that has not satisfactorily passed through the inspec- 
 tor's hands before leaving the manufactory. 
 
 I desire to extend my thanks to all who have presented the sam- 
 ples for the zealous alacrity with which they have responded to my 
 request. The amount of labor entailed on each in making experi- 
 ments in various grades of steel must have been very great, and the 
 results have been most valuable. 
 
 Furthermore, modes of treatment have been arrived at, which 
 obviated the use of expensive patent processes, and cheaper grades 
 of steel have been manipulated in such a manner as almost to equal 
 the most expensive ones. All of this, together with the close compe- 
 tition caused by the great depression of business, must have the 
 effect to materially diminish the cost of the wire. 
 
 The results of these tests show an average modulus of elasticity of 
 about 1,000,000 in excess of that called for in the specifications. 
 The latter is evidently placed too low by that amount. This differ- 
 ence was owing to the fact that the large number of samples tested 
 prior to writing out the specifications, were almost wholly of curved 
 wire, which showed no true'modulus or limit of elasticity. 
 
S3 
 
 I will close this report by a cursory review of the tests of the sam- 
 ples submitted : 
 
 Mr. J. Lloyd Haigh presented several samples of very good wire, 
 apparently cast-steel, of three different stocks. The tensile strength 
 exceeding the requirements, the elongation very good, the elastic 
 limit up to the mark, the modulus of elasticity admissible. This 
 wire is very straight, galvanizing smooth, the polish, though of no 
 advantage, adds to the appearance of the wire. Some of his samples 
 fully reached the requirements of the bendiug test — others did not. 
 The diameter at the point of fracture was usually too large. 
 
 The Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. presented two rings of very 
 good wire, we do not know of what stock, of high degree of strength 
 and of requisite ultimate stretch, with required limit of elasticity in 
 one ring and a deficiency in the other, owing to its not being as 
 straight. Modulus, high and variable. The diameter at the point of 
 fracture was good, as was also the bending test. 
 
 The want of regularity in the galvanizing has been explained, and 
 attributed to their not being fully prepared to galvanize wire. 
 
 The Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Co. presented two rings 
 of good wire, stock unknown, of a high degree of strength, but 
 somewhat deficient in stretch. A small, permanent elongation ap- 
 pears, owing to the wire not being quite straight. 
 
 The diameter at the point of fracture is considerably within the 
 limit mentioned, and the wire stood the bending test very well. The 
 galvanizing was good. 
 
 The John A. Roebling's Sons Co. presented two rings of cast- 
 steel wire, and two rings of Bessemer stock. 
 
 The short tests of the cast-steel wire indicated a high tensile 
 strength, while the long tests fell below the requirements. The 
 elongation was deficient in the long tests. The limit of elasticity is 
 high and variable, and the bending tests not satisfactory ; galvaniz- 
 ing, rough. 
 
 One ring of the Bessemer wire was very good. It was high in 
 strength and stretch, coming within the requirements as to its elastic 
 limits, and favorable as to modulus and decreased section at fracture, 
 and stood the bending tests very well. The galvanizing a little uneven. 
 The other ring of the Bessemer wire was uneven. One short test 
 made at one end came up to all the requirements, except the elastic 
 limit, and fell below in this because it had not been properly straight- 
 ened. Tests of the other end of the same wire indicated a want of 
 strength. It Bhowej favorable results as to modulus of elasticity 
 and diminution of section at breaking point. The bending test was 
 not as good as the previous piece ; galvanizing, rough. 
 
 Messrs. Richard Johnson and Nephew furnished two qualities of 
 very superior wire. One quality was represented by a single ring 
 
84 
 
 weighing 114 pounds, with the great tensile strength of about 200,000 
 pounds per square inch, with a large ultimate elongation. The mod- 
 ulus and limit of elasticity were unobtainable, as the wire was made 
 on the usual two feet drum and had not been straightened. It had a 
 curve about five feet diameter. The bending and galvanizing was 
 passable, and the diminution of section good. 
 
 The other quality had a strength somewhat above the requirements, 
 with an unusual amount of stretch and diminution of section. The 
 elastic limit and modulus were equally unsatisfactory with the other 
 specimen. The bending test was satisfactory, the galvanizing passa- 
 ble. If this wire had been galvanized straight it would no doubt 
 have met all the requirements. 
 
 Messrs. Sttlzbacher, Hyman, Wolff & Co. sent two rings of ex- 
 cellent steel wire, having a high degree of strength. One fulfilled 
 all that we require, but the other failed somewhat in stretch, 
 diminution of section at point of fracture, and on the bending 
 test. This wire was quite straight, and exhibited a high limit of elas- 
 ticity. The modulus of elasticity was somewhat uneven and high. 
 
 Messrs. Cart & Moen presented four rings of wire, two of 
 which were very high in tensile strength, coming up to the required 
 elongation, except in one test, but failing in regard to limit of elastic- 
 ity, on account of some short bends ; the wire being generally 
 straight. The modulus of elasticity was quite high, the section at 
 point of fracture large, the bending test w T as satisfactory, and the 
 galvanizing good. 
 
 The other two rings were very uneven as regards strength and 
 stretch, some of the tests going above, and others falling below the 
 requirements. The limit of elasticity and modulus were also uneven, 
 as was also the diameter at the fracture. The bending tests were 
 usuall}' good, and the galvanizing well done. 
 
 The irregularities are largely attributable to short bends found in 
 parts of the wire, while other parts were straight and even, owing 
 to imperfect arrangements for galvanizing the wire straight. 
 
 Messrs. Hexley & Co. furnished two rings of wire which failed 
 in strength, stretch, and so many other particulars, that it is not 
 deemed necessary to make further reference to them. 
 ^ The conclusions to be arrived at in this whole matter are simply 
 these. If our cables are to be made of the strongest obtainable wire, 
 regardless of cost, we must take some of the finer qualities of cast- 
 steel, of which some samples have been presented ; but if we make 
 our cables of wire of the strength and quality called for in the speci- 
 fications, combined with the minimum cost, then our course is clear ; 
 because a few of the samples presented are made of the medium 
 grades of steel, which have essentially reached all the necessary 
 requirements. 
 
85 
 
 The duty of the Trustees is to buy a certain fixed quality for the 
 least money. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING, 
 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
 I desire my letter of the 15th inst., to the President of the Board 
 of Trustees, to be appended to this Report, as the views I then ex- 
 pressed are the same as 1 now hold on this question. 
 
 W. A. R. 
 
 (The following is the letter referred to in the preceding postscript.) 
 
 No. 33 W. 50th street, •» 
 December 15, 1876. j 
 
 Hon. H. C. Murphy, President Board of Trustees New York and 
 Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 As my opinion will probably be asked on the wire business before 
 the letting of the contract, I should like to give it before my mind 
 can be biased by a knowledge of the bids, of which I am now in total 
 ignorance. 
 
 I would premise by remarking that an undue importance seems to 
 have been attached to the testing of the samples accompanying the 
 bids. How it arose I am at a loss to imagine. The only reference 
 thereto is contained in paragraph 10 of the specifications, which says : 
 '* All parties who expect to bid on this wire are requested to send 
 samples in accordance with these specifications," etc. 
 
 There is nothing mandatory or obligatory in this. No intimation 
 that if the sample was not sent the bid would be thrown out. This 
 is as it should be, because we have no positive assurance that any 
 bidder will send all the wire exactly like the samples he sent. If one 
 man's samples were too good he would be sure to reduce his stan- 
 dard, provided he got the contract, and another man, whose wire fell 
 short of the standard, would have to make his wire come up to the 
 mark before any could be accepted. 
 
 When I wrote this section No. 16, I had two objects in view ; one 
 was that each bidder should, by actual trial, ascertain for himself 
 what would be required of him, so that he would put in a bid with a 
 full understanding of the subject, and could raise no plea of igno- 
 rance on this point or that ; the other object was, that each man 
 should convince himself that there was no unjust or arbitrary exac- 
 tions in these specifications which it would be impossible to fulfill. 
 
 In paragraph 14 of the specifications, I go still further, and give 
 
86 
 
 the manufacturer two mouths in which to perfect the manufacture 
 of this cable-wire. 
 
 I know that nothing can be done perfectly at the first trial ; I also 
 know that each day brings its little quota of experiences, which with 
 honest intentions, will lead to perfection after a while. 
 
 If I am asked point blank, I shall have to say the wire of Richard 
 Johnson & Nephew was by far the best of all the samples sent with 
 the bids, notwithstanding the fact that it was not straightened. 
 
 Placing his at the head of the list, the rest range down with all 
 sorts of perfections and imperfections. 
 
 When I drafted these specifications in August, of 1875, I knew the 
 contract was to be given to the lowest bidder, without regard to the 
 quality of the wire, and it was my duty to guard these specifications 
 with tests and restrictions, which, if faithfully followed out. would 
 fully warrant the Trustees in giving the contract to the lowest 
 bidder. 
 
 The surety clause of $50,000 is, of itself, a powerful inducement 
 to make the contractor come up to the mark. As for the tests them- 
 selves, they have been scrutinized by interested parties, who all bear 
 testimony as to their searching character. 
 
 We know that the wire is to be tested at the manufactory, and that 
 none can arrive at the Bridge unless it has passed through the hands 
 of an inspector. 
 
 Of all known materials, wire possesses a shape most susceptible of 
 being tested in every direction. If necessary, a wbole mile of it 
 could be tested for its elasticity, throughout every foot of its length, 
 without injuring it in the slightest degree. It is not like a huge 
 casting. wilich may be full of hidden flaws, or like a big gun which 
 bursts at the* first discharge. 
 
 Even in the process of strand making, every wire is strained from 
 anchorage to anchorage with a load of 400 pounds, which is only a 
 few hundred pounds less than the permanent strain caused by the 
 weight of the whole bridge. What more can be asked than this, I 
 fail to see. 
 
 Very respectfully vours, 
 
 W. A. ROEBLING. 
 
 REPORT OF ASSISTANTS MARTIN AND PAINE ON THE 
 RESULT OF THE TESTS. 
 
 Pier 29, East River, > 
 New York, Dec. 16, 1876. j" 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 We herewith present the results of tests made by us in accordance 
 with your instructions, of the samples of wire furnished by parties 
 
TABULAR STATEMENT, 
 
 Giving the rcxults of trstx imvh of sum pits of git/vmn'sed xtxl wire, Kent with the bids for furnishing the 
 cable wire for the East River Bridge. 
 
 EXPIiAlTATIOH OE TIP! E TABLE. 
 
 acreage of strain 
 
 I In- «■ iitlil "I ■ mil 
 
 2 3 4 5 6 7 
 
 9 10 11 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bending Test. 
 Turns - Dlam. 
 
 
 WRIilllT 
 
 Lbs'. ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 straight. 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 StralgM. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sliaiitht. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 tect Diameter 
 
 
 .. ,) .. i, .. 
 
 .. B .. B .. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Contll is H in. 10 feel Diameter. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 L'nil li .V C_100— End A — 
 
 
 88 
 
 3.i)>r. 
 
 1 996 
 
 |«. 
 
 .0440 
 
 .00001 
 
 
 
 139 
 
 
 Nearly straight. 
 
 
 Coil B A C--2"ll— End A— 
 
 
 3!s46 
 
 
 
 
 
 Straight. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29.94S.890 
 
 .159 
 
 
 09 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .0000?+ 
 0+ 
 
 3ii.2ii7.I5I 
 T'i!> 
 
 .154 
 .103 
 
 
 NVaily straight. 
 
 ; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .l|.,23l.9.".l 
 
 ■--.l^.i.r.i 
 
 29.105.023 
 
 
 
 
 Coil 1-Kii.i \-lV.i. 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 00001 t 
 
 ' 1 
 
 1 ! 
 
 29.749.408 
 •.".I.'.I52.II2!I 
 
 
 
 12* It. Diameter. 
 
 
 3 •• is 
 .. .. B 
 
 '.'.'.'.'.'] s.'wii i.'!-.!i!t3 
 
 3,275 150,371 
 
 
 .00001 
 
 ' 13- 
 
 .00001 
 
 ■.".1.749,1111 
 
 ■."j,.'5;.Mi 
 
 29,432.1)10 
 
 
 
 S' It Diameter ' " 
 
 a 
 
 End A-Wire 1." 
 
 " B " 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .149 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 !l29 
 134 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Continuous a in. 
 
 Bend.. 
 
 
 
 
 .00001 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '.imi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 49X 
 
 
 
 173,091, | 100 " 
 
 'h'idii 
 .0234 
 
 .ooooS 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bundle 1— End A — Wire 
 
 1 •• B •• 
 
 2 " B ■• 
 
 
 3,305 
 3.305 
 
 
 
 own 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 II. Diameter. 
 
 
S7 
 
 who have presented proposals to furnish the Steel Cable-Wire 
 required for the construction of the East River Bridge, as called for 
 by the published specifications. 
 
 We have endeavored to make the tabulated results so full and com- 
 plete as to obviate the necessity of writing out a long detailed state- 
 ment. 
 
 All of the parties proposing to furnish this wire were present, in 
 person or by representatives, during all or a portion of the time 
 employed in making these tests, excepting Mr. Henley. 
 
 A few tests of Mr. Haigh's wire were made before the general 
 invitation to all the bidders was given. The results of these tests 
 are submitted on a separate sheet,* as another complete set of tests 
 of his wire were made in the presence of the other bidders, and are 
 included in the tabulated results. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 C. C. MARTIN, 
 W. EL PAINE. 
 
 Test of Steel Wire received from the Chrome Steel Company. 
 
 Designation. 
 
 Feet, per lb. 
 
 Ultimat 
 Per Wire. 
 
 s Strain 
 
 Per Square In. 
 Steel Section. 
 
 *i 
 
 — T. 
 
 Total 
 Stretch 
 in dec. of 
 Length. 
 
 
 
 lbs. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 ft. 
 
 
 Wire 1 
 
 10.97 
 
 4,350 
 
 160,632 
 160,208 
 
 5 
 
 .032 
 
 14 2 
 
 10.S2 
 
 4,400 
 
 5 
 
 .025 
 
 " 3 
 
 10.S3 
 
 4,420 
 
 161,146 
 
 5 
 
 .034 
 
 Coil X, Wire 1 . 
 
 11.77 
 
 4,050 
 
 160.472 
 
 100 
 
 .0106 
 
 " Y, " 1. 
 
 12.17 
 
 4,155 
 
 170,150 
 
 100 
 
 .0190 
 
 " Z, " 1. 
 
 11.87 
 
 3,770 
 
 150,657 
 
 100 
 
 .0155 
 
 No reliable modulus or limit of elasticity could be obtained on 
 account of curve in wire. 
 Tests made March, 187G. 
 
 C. C. MARTIN, 
 W. H. PAINE. 
 
 A arista n t En gin eers. 
 
 * Not printed. 
 
 Note.— From information subsequently obtained, the character of the steel 
 from which the various samples of wire tested were made, is believed to be as 
 follows : 
 
 J. Lloyd Haigrh— English crucible cast-steel. 
 
 Cleveland Rolling Mill— Open Hearth steel, of their own manufacture. 
 Washburn At Moen— English crucible cast-steel. 
 
 Sulzbacher, Hymen, Wolff & Co.— Sample marked B and C 100: Krupp's Besse- 
 mer steel. Sample marked B and C 200 : Krupp's cast-steel. 
 
 John A. Roebling's Sons Co.— Bundle O: Crucible cast-steel. Bundle R: 
 American Bessemer steel. 
 
 Johnson & Nephew— English crucible cast-steel. 
 
 Carey & Moen— English crucible cast-steel. 
 
 Henley— English crucible cast-steel. (?) 
 
 Chrome Steel Co.— Crucible cast-steel, of their own manufacture. 
 
III. 
 
 REPORTS 
 
 OF 
 
 ASSISTANT ENGINEERS 
 
 AND 
 
 MASTER MECHANIC. 
 
 GENERAL REPORT. 1875—1876. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 As no reports from the Engineering Department were printed last year, 
 I herewith submit a summary of the general progress of the work on the 
 bridge for the past two years. 
 
 Beginning at the Brooklyn Anchorage, as first in order, I would state 
 that this structure was practically finished a year ago, so far as it can be 
 until the cables have been made. The work done this year has consisted 
 in cleaning out and pointing the joints of the arches; trimming the cor- 
 ners and arches, and cutting a " wash" on the offset. The cost, including 
 the amount paid for 274 yards of limestone stored for future use, has been 
 $7,486.31. 
 
 During the season 101,909 pounds of anchor bars and pins have been 
 received and placed in position at a cost, including labor, of $7,023.45. 
 
 The final estimate on the chains and plates for both anchorages shows 
 a saving on the whole over the estimate of last year of $1,067.70. 
 
 The large engine and boiler that were used for the main hoist in build- 
 ing the Brooklyn Tower, have been removed to the anchorage and placed 
 in position for running the cable-making machinery, which machinery 
 has also been put in place during the year. 
 
89 
 
 This work has been in charge of Assistant Engineer Mr. G. W. Mc- 
 Nulty. Reference is here made to his report for detailed information 
 concerning the work done in 1875. He has had entire charge of that 
 portion of the Anchorage which is above ground, and has done the work 
 rapidly and well, especially when the many hindrances due to slow de- 
 liveries of stone and other materials are considered. 
 
 The engines, tools, derricks, supplies and materials, aside from cable- 
 making machinery, but including present value of railroad, stored at the 
 Anchorage yard, inventory at $15,875. 
 
 No work was done at the Brooklyn Tower and yard during 1876, ex- 
 cept in connection with preparations for cable-makiug. The report 
 of Assistant Engineer Mr. F. Collingwood, on the work done during the 
 previous year, indicates some of the troubles and dangers encountered in 
 prosecuting the work. The completion of the tower from about the 
 roadway to the top was entrusted to him, and as the pioneer in having to 
 meet all the untried difficulties in construction at this height, he is de- 
 serving of great credit for the entire freedom from accident and the suc- 
 cess of the work. The stone stored here are already charged to the 
 several structures for which they are designed ; aside from these, the 
 machinery, engines, derricks, tools, supplies, materials and office furniture 
 on hand, together with the stone scows, inventory at $21,037. 
 
 A large amount of work has been done in the Engineer's office in the 
 preparation of drawings and the necessary computations for the foot- 
 bridge and cradle-ropes, and of designs for the New York approach. 
 This work has been efficiently done by Mr. Wm. Hildenbrand. 
 
 A large number of maps of property have been made by Mr. B. G-. 
 Lingeman, who excels in this class of work. 
 
 Mr. McNulty has spont all his available time in the office in making 
 the drawings of attachments for the temporary, and also for the perma- 
 nent cables, of the machinery for strand and cable-making, in miscella- 
 neous computations and other work, and especially in designing machinery 
 for propelling the passenger cars on the bridge. 
 
 Since the stone yard at Red Hook was closed up, Mr. Vanderbosch has 
 rendered valuable assistance on the designs for the New York approach. 
 
 To Mr. 0. P. Quintard, the gentlemanly and efficient Book-keeper and 
 Secretary of the Board of Trustees, the Pmgineer's Department is under 
 great obligations for the cheerfulness with which all information required 
 from his department has been furnished. 
 
 Mr. J. C. Moore has held the position of Receiving Clerk and Time- 
 keeper during the last two years, and lias performed his duties in a highly 
 creditable and satisfactory manner. 
 
 The report of Col. Paine covers the operations at the New York 
 Tower for the past two years. During that time 7,356 cubic yards of 
 masonry have been laid, and everything got in readiness for cable- 
 making. The large amount of stone-cutting to be done this year to pre- 
 pare beds for the saddle-plates and grooves for the long bars, also in 
 
90 
 
 dressing up the V course at the springing of the arches, has considerably 
 increased the labor on this portion of the masonry. The estimate for 
 completion, however, shows a slight saving over that made last year, 
 and everything indicates a faithful and economical prosecution of the 
 work. 
 
 In addition to his other duties, Col. Paine has, by your direction, con- 
 tinued the admirable series of tests on steel wire. These are probably 
 more complete and accurate than any that have ever preceded them, ad- 
 vantage having been taken of the very favorable facilities offered by the 
 tower for testing in lengths of 100 feet. This has given a knowledge of 
 the material which no short tests could possibly yield, particularly of the 
 deleterious effects of coiling the wire in small coils when in a heated 
 state at the time of its manufacture. 
 
 The operations at the Xew York Anchorage are fully detailed in the 
 report of Mr. Collingwood. He has had charge of this work from the 
 beginning, and his plans for carrying it out have been closely followed 
 and have thoroughly approved themselves in their execution. It has 
 been really one of the most remarkable pieces of work on record; during 
 1875 nearly 16,000 yards of masonry were laid in four months, 
 and during 1876, 11,000 yards in three and a half months, notwithstand- 
 ing the interruptions caused by raising derricks, putting anchor-chains 
 and plates in position, and inserting the numerous bars and attachments 
 needed in cable-making, and for temporary works connected therewith. 
 
 This is almost the only case in which we have had sufficient material 
 on hand to allow the work to proceed with all possible dispatch. 
 
 As soon as stone-setting was completed, the stone remaining at Red 
 Hook was brought up and stored as follows : 
 
 Cubic yards. 
 
 Limestone at Brooklyn Tower yard 388.0 
 
 Granite for Brooklyn Tower, at Brooklyn Tower yard 208.0 
 
 " for Brooklyn Anchorage, at Brooklyn Tower yard 56.3 
 
 for N". Y. Tower, at Pier 29 230.3 
 
 " " Anchorage, at N. Y. Anchorage 68.5 
 
 Limestone for N. Y. Anchorage, at N. Y. Anchorage 108.8 
 
 Total stone charged to the several structures 1,059.9 yds. 
 
 594 yards of Limestone are also stored at the Brooklyn Tower for 
 Messrs. Noone & Madden, being amount sent in excess of contracts ; also 
 63 Granite corners for Messrs. Pierce & Rowe. Arrangements were 
 made with these parties, by which we were to store the stone, and if at 
 any future time we shall use them, they are to be paid for at the then 
 current price. 
 
 After storing the stone, the yard at Red Hook was dismantled, all 
 engines, derricks, etc., removed and stored for future use, and the lease 
 of the yard was surrendered, thus cutting off that item of expense. 
 
91 
 
 Now that the yard has been cleared up aud the stone left on hand ac- 
 curately measured, a satisfactory reply can be made to all questions con- 
 cerning the amount used in the masonry, and one which is capable of 
 exact verification. 
 
 There have been received on all contracts for 
 
 Average 
 
 Cubic Yards. Price per yd. Total Price. 
 
 Granite 69,0791| $21.83 $1,507,706 02 
 
 Limestone 46,556|i 13.40 623,561 32 
 
 Or a total of 115,636$A $2,131,267 84 
 
 The stone on hand not laid 
 
 as given above measure l,059Ji- 
 
 Leaving stone actually 
 
 placed in masonry 114,576^.1 
 
 A careful computation of the total bulk of the masonry now in place 
 (including, of course, the concrete and mortar joints), made by taking 
 the exact dimensions of each piece of masonry, gives the following 
 quantities, viz. : 
 
 Total when 
 
 Am't now Laid. Am't to be Laid. Completed. 
 New York Anchorage. . 25,897$ 2,986 ' 28,883$ 
 
 Brooklyn Anchorage.... 24,132 2,981 27,113 
 
 New York Tower 46,700$ 243$ 46,944 
 
 Brooklyn Tower 37,995 220 38,215 
 
 Totals 134,724|.yds. 6,430$ yds. 141,155$ yds. 
 
 Cubic Yards. 
 
 Total amount of masonry as thus found to be now laid 134,7246. 
 
 Total stone used in masonry as shown by previous paragraph 114,576^-1 
 
 Excess of masonry over stone used 20, 147|- 
 
 It is thus shown that the mortar and concrete spaces make up about 15 
 per cent, of the total mass. This also explains another fact, viz. : that in 
 the first contracts made, where the spaces were estimated at only 10 per 
 cent., there was always an excess of stone beyond the amount required. 
 
 It may be of interest to insert here a summary of all the materials used 
 in concrete and mortar for the whole work. 
 
 Cubic Yards. 
 
 The total contents of masonry joints as found above are 20,147 
 
 The concrete filling in and around the caissons, and in the well- 
 holes aggregate about 14,883 
 
 Making a total of. 
 
 35.030 
 
92 
 
 The exact amount of material required for this it is impossible to ac- 
 curately estimate, but making due allowance for shrinkage, it would be 
 approximately 57,000 yards of sand, gravel and broken stone. Of this 
 there were bought, 
 
 75,119 barrels of cement, costing $116,740 98 
 
 24,328 yards of gravel, " 41,218 18 
 
 4,098 yards of stone, " 4,764 69 
 
 8,735 yards of sand, " 7,594 17 
 
 Total, 37,161 yards of material aside from cement $170,318 03 
 
 This shows that about 20,000 yards of sand, gravel, stone and brick 
 were saved from the several excavations. The value of the material thus 
 saved and utilized is at least $25,000. 
 
 The progress thus far made in putting up the temporary work for use 
 in making the cables, is fully detailed in the report of the Master Me- 
 chanic, Mr. E. F. Farrington. 
 
 The severe storms of the season make the progress slow at present, 
 but without doubt, the foot-bridge, cradles and appendages, will be in 
 position in time to enable work upon the cables to be started in the early 
 spring. 
 
 The amount expended this year on this branch of the work for labor 
 and all contingent expenses, has been $94,056.42. 
 
 In addition to preparations for cable-making, Mr. Farrington has had 
 charge of the carpenter work and of the blacksmith shop. 
 
 The amount expended during the past year for real estate, has been 
 $439,031.24. This includes all legal expenses paid during the year, in 
 connection with these and other land purchases, and all repairs of build- 
 ings. With the exception of a few pieces yet to be taken, this covers the 
 entire cost of property between the tower and anchorage on both sides of 
 the river, which remained to be taken at the beginning of the year. The 
 considerable saving thus fur made seems to indicate that the estimate of 
 1873 for the cost of all the land would in no case be exceeded. 
 
 I cannot close this report without a word in reference to the work at 
 the Red Hook stone yard. Since we have occupied that yard, about 
 116,000 cubic yards of stone have been received, and they have varied in 
 weight from one to eleven tons each. They have been unloaded from the 
 vessels, which brought them from the quarries, and stored in the yard ; 
 and as ihey were required for the work they were taken from the piles 
 in which they had been placed, and loaded upon scows. This made four 
 times at least that each stone was lifted, and many of them several times 
 in addition, owing to the fact that the stone were never delivered exactly 
 in the order required by the contract All of this work, which would at 
 a low estimate amount to handling 500,000 cubic yards of stone once, has 
 been done without any accident worth mentioning, either to men or ma- 
 chinery. The yard has been in charge of Mr. Frank Mollard, to whose 
 
93 
 
 constant watchfulness and knowledge of this kind of work, this immunity 
 from accident is largely, if not entirely, due. All of the stone received 
 have been measured and inspected by Mr. Win . Vanderbosch ; and. 
 although his inspection, in some cases, seemed to the contractors to be 
 too severe, yet his knowledge of the quality of stone and the require- 
 ments of the specifications, coupled with his evident desire to deal justly, 
 has in the end satisfied all parties. His difficult and delicate task has 
 been conscientiously and faithfully performed. 
 
 With regard to the future work of cable-making, I think I may safely 
 say that no difficulty need be apprehended in securing the services of men 
 to go anywhere or do anything. In the suspended work thus far accom- 
 plished, there has been a spirit of rivalry among our best men as to who 
 should be assigned to the most dangerous and difficult tasks ; and Mr. 
 Farrington has had constantly to hold them back to prevent their taking 
 dangerous but unnecessary risks. During the year Mr. Thomas G-. 
 Douglas, General Superintendent of Masonry, died He had held that 
 position from the commencement of work on the masonry — having set 
 the first stone on the Brooklyn Tower — and he lived to see nearly the 
 last stone set on the Xew York Tower, and the towers and anchorages 
 grow into their present grand proportions. 
 
 "Win. Conners, a foreman of masons, who built a considerable portion of 
 both towers, also died during the year. 
 
 The organization of the working force for the season has not been 
 essentially changed. 
 
 Mr. C. TV. Young still holds the position of General Foreman of labor, 
 and Mr. A. H. Smith is Foreman of the machine shop. "We seem to 
 have the right men in the right places, for the work has moved forward 
 rapidly and with very little friction. 
 
 Respectfully submitted. 
 
 C. C. MARTIX. 
 
 Assistant Engineer. 
 
 Brooklyn, December 31, 1876. 
 
 BROOKLYN TOWER. 1575. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I would respectfully submit the following report upon the work 
 done on the Brooklyn Tower during the season of 1875 : 
 
 The work on masonry closed December 12, 1874. Immediately after- 
 ward the saddle-plates were taken to the top of the tower, and a force of 
 stone-cutters set at work preparing the beds for them. This work was 
 finished early in January. 
 
94 
 
 During the winter the arch centres were all removed, and the material 
 which was useless for general purposes) was afterwards taken to the 
 New York Anchorage, for use in the foundation of that structure 
 
 Regular work on the tower began about the middle of April, when the 
 saddle-plates were set, and the saddles hoisted and moved to their 
 places. Every stone was then set that could be before cable-making, the 
 roof joints caulked, and the work brought to a close about the middle of 
 June. In order to avoid the errors of dimension which were sure to 
 creep in from irregularities in stone-cutting, and running up masonry to 
 this great height by the use of the plummet and line only, frequent 
 measurements of the exterior lines were made, and all referred to central 
 transit lines, which were themselves referred to points fixed upon distant 
 buildings. Levels were also made over the whole surface, and trans- 
 ferred by vertical measurements to a bench mark in the yard below. By 
 this means the joints were kept to their proper thickness, and we were 
 enabled, by a minimum amount of stone dressing, to set the saddle-plates 
 at exactly the height required. In setting the archstones every piece 
 of lagging for them was put in position by level and measurements from 
 transit lines. 
 
 The finishing up of the masonry was a work of considerable difficulty 
 and danger, as many of the roof stones weighed from nine to ten tons 
 each (the key-stones weighed eleven tons each) ; and it was difficult to 
 properly support the derricks, which were not balanced to support so 
 great a weight. 
 
 The risk was considered so great, that one of the engineer corps was in 
 constant attendance whenever stone-setting was being done. 
 
 One other cause of danger arose from the great length and weight of 
 the hoisting ropes of the main hoist. • These were steel wire ropes l£ 
 inch diameter, and had reached lengths from the drums to the sheaves at 
 top of the tower of 350 feet each. The vibrations in them caused by the 
 pulsations of the engine frequently became so violent as to require a 
 stoppage or change of motion of the latter. 
 
 The final effect was a succession of surges on the stone, requiring extra 
 care in the attachments for hoisting. For this purpose extra large 
 lewises were used, and a very careful man was placed on the scow at the 
 base of the tower to examine all the holes and drive the lewises. In 
 spite of this care, however, the granite failed in a few instances, spalling 
 out for two feet around the hole. In only one case did a stone fall. 
 This was after reaching a height of 200 feet. It did no damage beyond 
 completely demolishing the tracks underneath and burying itself in the 
 ground. 
 
 One of the greatest difficulties experienced was that of making effective 
 signals to the engineer in the yard below, so as to prevent overwinding. 
 Sound was often of no avail owing to the high wind ; sight was sometimes 
 partially obscured by fog, and signal bells were 'constantly out of order 
 from the wires getting broken. 
 
95 
 
 The attachments on the tower were all made abundantly strong, and, 
 although a few cases of overwinding occurred, no accident resulted in 
 consequence. 
 
 The most effective signals were found to be a loud whistle to call 
 attention, and a flag used with a very positive motion to indicate what 
 was required. 
 
 It is a great satisfaction to be able to state that, during the building of 
 all that portion of the work which is above the roadway (by far the most 
 difficult part), there has been no accident to life or limb.* 
 
 A narrow escape occurred whilst transferring the last of the saddles 
 from the elevated track at top of the tower to the masonry. This was 
 done by the traveling crane; and while the weight of 13^ ton3 was 
 suspended just over the edge of the masonry, the hook of the upper 
 block began to straighten. It stopped fortunately after opening an inch, 
 and the saddle was quickly lowered and secured. 
 
 The application of steam to the setting derricks has saved a consider- 
 able amount of time, and no difficulty was found in carrying the steam to 
 the top of the work, requiring a length of about four hundred feet of 
 pipe. 
 
 The trestling and stairway have been carried to the extreme height 
 that will be required. The hoisting frames have been removed, and the 
 top cleared of all obstructions. 
 
 The amount of masonry set during the year is 497 yards, leaving 220 
 yards to be set after cable-making to complete the tower, aside from 
 parapets. 
 
 The total expenditure on masonry, including stone on hand 
 
 for completion, has been $32,348 55- 
 
 A further sum has been expended at this yard for repairs of 
 
 dock, watchman, stableman, messenger, etc., of 2,839 34 
 
 The four saddles weighing a total of 103,423 lbs., the four 
 plates weighing 81,595 lbs., and 180 rollers weighing 
 25,260 lbs., including the labor of preparing, hoisting and 
 
 placing them, have cost a total of 10,701 17 
 
 This is a saving of nearly $1,800 on the estimate of 1873. 
 
 The machinery and material at the Brooklyn Tower and yard, 
 
 together with the furniture in the offices, inventory at . . . 32,486 70 
 
 I ought not to close this report without a brief statement respecting its 
 stability as thus far shown. "When the masonry was but a few feet 
 
 * This result has only been secured by incessant watchfulness on the part of 
 engineer and foreman. On one occasion four men were pulling on a tackle with 
 their backs to the edge of the wall. They were told to change about, so that in 
 case anything broke they would be safe from harm. Almost immediately after 
 straining up again, the hook of one of the blocks straightened. Had this hap- 
 pened at first they would have inevitably been precipitated over the edge of the 
 masonry. Sudden gusts of wind of great violence required a constant watchful, 
 ness to prevent being blown off the wall by losing balance when near the edge. 
 
96 
 
 above high water, reference marks were fixed in the masonry at four feet 
 above tide at each of the salient angles and levels, carefully made upon 
 them, and referred to a stationary bench mark on a building some dis- 
 tance away. Recent levels have been made upon the same points 
 and they show an average settlement caused by the mass of masonry 
 added, of only 1^ inches, with an extreme variation between any two 
 points of only \ of an inch. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 F. COLLINGWOOD, 
 Assistant Engineer in charge. 
 
 Brooklyn, December 31, 1875. 
 
 N. Y. TOWER. 1875-1876. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 I have the honor to present the following report of such operations 
 connected with the construction of the East River Bridge as have been 
 entrusted to my charge during the past year, and also a condensed state- 
 ment of the report made to you respecting the work done in 1875 : 
 
 The work of laying masonry on the tower was resumed April 30, 
 1875, at the point where it closed in the previous December, being at the 
 top of the 120th course at the springing of the arches, 196 y 6i_. feet 
 above mean high tide. 
 
 There were two long and vexatious delays, amounting in all to 82 work- 
 ing days during that season. These were caused by the stone contractors 
 not being prompt in the delivery of stone. The work of stone- setting for 
 that season was finally suspended on the 27th of November for the same 
 cause, at the top of the 139th course, being the top of the key-stones of 
 the arches, and had a height above tide of 239JL*_ feet. 
 
 The height laid during 1875 was 43-2JL. feet, leaving 31^UB_ feet to 
 complete the tower, requiring about ten weeks of uninterrupted work — a 
 less space of time than had been lost by delays. 
 
 The quanity of masonry laid during the season was 3,806 cubic yards, 
 using 3,385 cubic yards of stone. 
 
 The total cost of masonry for the season, including labor, 
 
 material and all expenses, was $105,994 70 
 
 The end of the dock was repaired at an expense of 461 03 
 
 The saddles and saddle-plates were on the dock and ready 
 to be placed in position. Their total weight is 183,107 
 
 lbs., and their cost was 5,949 27 
 
 There were 65 yards of granite for use on tower stored here and at 
 
 Red Hook, which had been paid for, aside from a large quantity at Red 
 
97 
 
 Hook received, but not then estimated for on account of the courses not- 
 being completed. 
 
 The value of other materials, supplies, machinery, tools, 
 
 and furniture in this yard, inventoried at $36,760 85 
 
 The estimated cost of completing the tower was 136,800 00 
 
 All of the masonry above high tide had been carefully examined during 
 the year, and rfjointed where it was necessary. A considerable force of 
 carpenters had been emploj'ed in erecting the arch centres, removing the 
 traveling crane and erecting a balance derrick on the centre shaft; also 
 in building up the scaffolding as the work progressed. 
 
 Passing from the work of 1875, the masonry of the New York Tower, 
 which at the close of that year had reached a height of -239-SJL. feet, has 
 during this year been finished, excepting the parapets and such porticns 
 of the three upper courses as could not be laid without interference with 
 the cable-making. 
 
 The present height of the tower to the top of the roof course is 271-^3, 
 feet, making a height of 31.^6^. feet laid this year. The amount of 
 masonry laid has been 3,550 cubic yards. 
 
 The work of laying the masonry was resumed on the 11th of April, a 
 small amount of stone-cutting having been previously done. Only one 
 gang of masons was employed during the season, and they were often 
 delayed by the stone-cutting required to be done. 
 
 The stone-setting was completed on the 24th of July, after which time 
 several masons and stone-cutters were employed until November 13 in 
 trimming and pointing all the masonry of the tower that remained 
 unfinished. 
 
 I ought here to express my gratification at the manner in which the 
 work on the tower has been done. 
 
 Mr. D. J. Cowan proved himself to be a competent, careful and reliable 
 foreman of masons. 
 
 Mr. Harry Supple was all that could be desired as foreman of riggers 
 and laborers on the tower, while Mr. O. B. Poor showed his capability of 
 taking charge of the men variously employed upon the dock. 
 
 The total amount expended during the past year on masonry, 
 including a due proportion of all office and contingent ex- 
 
 penses, and the stone stored for future use, has been $121,979 90 
 
 The amount previously expended was 1.040,065 00 
 
 The total amount expended to date, is $1,162,044 90 
 
 The estimate as revised last winter, was 1,176,865 00 
 
 Leaving amount of estimate unused $14,820 10 
 
 The estimated cost of completion from this date, is 14,778 00 
 
 Showing a small saying on estimate of Jan. I, 1876, of ... . $42 10 
 
 7 " 
 
98 
 
 The amount of masonry yet to be laid, is 243£ yards, for which the 
 stone are now stored at this yard. 
 
 The machinery, tools, supplies, furniture, derricks, etc., on hand at this 
 yard (not including stone stored for future use), inventories at 
 $25,113. 
 
 It is here proper to call attention to the fact that the stone and all other 
 materials required during the past two years for the construction of the 
 New York Anchorage, have been received at this pier, giviug an oppor- 
 tunity of employing all the labor economically. 
 
 The blacksmith and machine work for the Anchorage and for cable- 
 making have also been done here. 
 
 During the past four years I have endeavored to carry out, as fully as 
 circumstances would permit, your instructions in regard to experiments 
 with and tests of wire, and have conducted them with the objects which 
 you desired, kept in view. 
 
 The experiments relative to the properties requisite in the cable-wire 
 to meet all that will be required of it, have been made with great care; 
 while the tests of wire for the purposes of ascertaining the possibility of 
 meeting these requirements, have been very large in number, and com- 
 prehensive in their range, and have occupied much time. 
 
 Besides the wire that has been directly ordered of different parties in 
 this and other countries, many other samples have been received from a 
 large number of different manufacturers. Added to this, the testing of 
 all the wire, used in making the foot-bridge ropes, which now span the 
 river, has given unusual opportunities of becoming acquainted with all 
 the properties of steel wire, that can be practically obtained and relied 
 upon. The experiments and tests have been conducted with a view of 
 harmonizing that which is desirable, on the one part, with that which is 
 attainable on the other, in a practical and economical manner. Full and 
 complete records have been kept of the results of all the experiments and 
 tests that have been made. As the results have been placed before 
 you, from time to time, and I have all along been guided by your in- 
 structions, I need not further dwell on this subject, than to express my 
 satisfaction, in regard to the fact, that although the specifications call for 
 wire, in some respects superior to any ever before produced, they have 
 been met so fully by the sample s presented by bidders. In all this work 
 I have been ably assisted by Mr. C. H. Piatt, who, from his knowledge 
 of engineering, has rendered aid of every character, for which I had 
 occasion to call upon him. 
 
 Very respectfully submitted, 
 
 W. H. PAINE, 
 
 Assistant Engineer. 
 
 New York, December 31, 1876. 
 
99 
 
 NEW YORK ANCHORAGE. 1875-1876. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I would respectfully present the following report as to the work thus 
 far done upon the New York Anchorage, beginuiug with the report writ- 
 ten a year ago upon the work of 1875. 
 
 The property upon which the Anchorage stands was paid for early in 
 April. 
 
 Full possession was not obtained until the 6th of May, when the de- 
 molition of the buildings, and the excavation for the foundation were *at 
 once entered upon. 
 
 Owing to the late letting of the contract for material for the railroad 
 through Roosevelt and Water streets, the work of laying down the tracks 
 could not be started until May 28th. It was completed by June 21st so 
 that dirt cars could be run over it to Pier 29, and a week later all hauling 
 with carts was stopped. 
 
 The temporary hoisting derricks were ready for use June 19th, and the 
 work of sheeting and bracing the banks of the pit began at the same date. 
 The work of bringing the material for this, and for the permanent struct- 
 ure to the Anchorage, was very much facilitated by the railroad. 
 
 The tracks run almost entirely through narrow streets, but by a judi- 
 cious use of curves and switches, all serious stoppages even during busi- 
 ness hours have been avoided. The cost of the railroad was about 
 $6,000, being considerably less than the estimate. 
 
 By June 21st the excavation had so far progressed as to make it nec- 
 cessary to begin pumping to free the pit from water. 
 
 At first, two No. 4 Niagara pumps were used, but by July 3d it be- 
 came necessary to add an Andrews' centrifugal pump. 
 
 From this date for four weeks, the quantity of water thrown out aver- 
 aged about 600 gallons per minute. Pumping finally ceased August 21st. 
 
 The actual work of excavation was very expensive, owing to the mas- 
 siveness and solidity of the numerous foundations to be removed. In some 
 of these the cement was so solid as to make it necessary to break them 
 up with fledges. 
 
 I estimate the quantity of stone and broken brick saved (aside from 
 the brick sold) to have been about 1,100 yards. This has more than sup- 
 plied all the materials of the kind needed thus far, for the vertical spaces 
 in the masonry. 
 
 The sand and gravel saved was but 1,000 yards ; the remainder ol the 
 excavated material being totally unfit for use. 
 This was quite contrary to previous expectations. 
 
 A considerable saving was made in the amount of sheeting required, by 
 
100 
 
 allowing the basement walls along Dover street to stand until after the 
 foundation was completed. 
 
 An additional saving was made by giving wider spaces between the 
 braces than was adopted at the Brooklyn Anchorage. 
 
 This, with other modifications, gave much freer working room, and 
 greatly facilitated subsequent operations. 
 
 The present bulkhead line on the East river is about 600 feet, in ad- 
 vance of the old shore; the intervening space having been filled in and 
 covered by blocks of substantial buildings. Our excavation showed that 
 the old saore line passed directly across the Anchorage site, but was not 
 so regular in outline as previous examination had lead us to infer. 
 
 At the corner nearest Dover and Water streets, the clear sand below 
 the mud was found at about 7 feet below mean high tide. At this point 
 a large quantity of spent tan bark had in time past been dumped into the 
 water, on top of which was the ordinary dirt filling. This was no doubt 
 the refuse from the tanneries, so long ago established in the " Swamp." 
 For the rest of the distance across the front the average depth was about 
 5 feet below tide. 
 
 At about the centre line of the excavation, and also on the east side, 
 there were indentations running back to near the centre of the pit. One 
 of these was entirely filled with peat, which must have grown when the 
 island was in its native state. 
 
 At about the depth of high water, an old dock, long since buried, 
 was uncovered. This ran entirelv across the pit, and the front edge was 
 nearly parallel with Water street, at about thirty feet from it. It was 
 about twenty feet wide, and four feet deep. The logs composing it were 
 from six inches to thirty inches in diameter, and were all p'-rftctly sound 
 after their long burial.* As they extended under the sheeting at both 
 sides, and had to be cut off under water, they caused a great deal of 
 trouble in driving the planks. 
 
 A large number of pieces of fossil coral were found in front of the 
 dock; this is supposed to have been ballast, which was thrown over- 
 board from vessels previous to the river being encroached upon. In the 
 course of the excavation two four-pound cannon balls, whose history 
 would no doubt be of interest could it be told, were found buried deep in 
 the sand. 
 
 Before beginning the foundation, every particle of mud and other com- 
 pressible material was removed. As the mud ran deeper than had been 
 anticipated, it was deemed advisable to extend the timber grillage at the 
 front, about eight feet in advance of the original plan. In addition to 
 this, the grillage was by your order placed four feet lower than that of 
 the Brooklyn Anchorage, or so that the top of it was level with high tide. 
 By these and other changes, the quantity of excavation was increased 
 
 * As a proof of this, some of them were used afterward in bracing the founda- 
 tion under end pressures of seventy tons, on sticks 14 x 14 x 25 feet. 
 
101 
 
 about 2,500 yards, and the quantity of masonry about 2,000 yards, over 
 previous estimates. 
 
 The sheeting across the entire front and east side, and partly across 
 the other side and end, was driven to two feet below the foundation, and 
 allowed to remain, as a further precaution against possible settlement. 
 
 Care was taken with all the back filling, to allow none but selected 
 material to be dumped; and all was thoroughly compacted by a water 
 jet as it was thrown in. This was all brought from other works, without 
 cost to the bridge. 
 
 The first timber of the foundation was placed June 12th, and the last 
 dirt sent to the dump June 14th. 
 
 The total quantity of excavation was 12,761 cubic yards, and the total 
 cost per cubic yard was $lyoV This includes tearing down the walls of 
 a part of the buildings, and all of the foundations, sheeting and bracing, 
 pumping, all labor at the pit and dump, all hoisting and transportation of 
 material, the hire of mud scows, and the cost of tools. 
 
 In constructing the grillage, the deep space in front was entirely filled 
 by partial courses of timber firmly bolted, and with concrete filling in the 
 spaces, which were made wide for that purpose. A level surface over 
 the whole foundation was reached at four feet below tide, and from this 
 point the regular courses of timber were started according to the original 
 plan. The first of these was the bearing course, with three-inch concrete 
 spaces where it rested on the partial courses, and nine-feet spaces, filled with 
 sand, where it rested on the sand. The second course had one-inch 
 cemented spaces; the third had three-inch concreted spaces; and the 
 fourth, or top course, had six- inch ditto. The bolting was systematic and 
 thorough, about 10.000 bolts 20 inches to 30 inches long, of | inch iron, 
 with an aggregate weight of 19 tons, having been used. 
 
 The cubical contents of the foundations are about 1,840 yards, and the 
 cost per yard was SllxoV f° r material and labor. This would have 
 been about $1 more, had new timber been substituted for the old cen- 
 tres and other waste timber, which made up a part of that used. 
 
 The work of erecting the six permanent setting derricks was begun 
 August 14th, and completed on the 2Sth. The foundation was, however, 
 completed on the 9th, and stone-setting begun on the 5th over that por- 
 tion of the foundation then finished. This was done to save time, and 
 about 1,400 yards were thus set before the permanent derricks were 
 ready. 
 
 By August 31st everything was in readiness for the anchor-plates to be 
 put in place; but owing to the delays in awarding the contract for them, 
 the contractors found it impossible to deliver the first two earlier than 
 September 7th, and the remaining two did not arrive until the 25th. This 
 largely increased the labor of setting them, by making it necessary to 
 raise thsm above the masonry which had meantime been laid, and to 
 lower them into the holes that had been left for them, which were about 
 16 feet deep. 
 
102 
 
 In bringing- the plates from Pier 29, the railroad was brought into use 
 with a considerable saving of time and expense. 
 
 For this purpose a heavy framework of timber was made strong enough 
 to support the weight (23 tons) of each plate, and of a length of 30 feet, 
 or sufficient to span the space between the centres of two cars, when 
 the plate hung freely between them. 
 
 The frame was pivoted at each end, and rested on heavy oak bolsters, 
 so as to allow the cars to take the railroad curves easily. 
 
 As a precaution, the curves, one of which had but 34 feet radius, were 
 soaped before starting. 
 
 The plates were 17£ feet by 16 feet in size, making it necessary to re- 
 move a lamp-post and some other obstructions. 
 
 When all was ready, three teams of horses were attached, and the 
 heavy weights were each taken over the 1,000 feet of track between the 
 pier and anchorage in from l£ to 2 minutes. 
 
 September 23d the masonry had been brought entirely above ground, 
 all the sheeting (except that heretofore mentioned) had been withdrawn, 
 and everything was in regular working. 
 
 A night gang of laborers was organized June 21st to facilitate the ex- 
 cavation, and continued for this and other purposes throughout most of 
 the season. About the middle of September a night gang of masons 
 was put on. The experience has been that such work as concreting, and 
 the rougher parts of mason work can be done more economically at night, 
 owing to entire freedom from delays in the transportation of material. 
 
 By November 4th the masonry had progressed so as to require the 
 derricks to be raised 28 feet. 
 
 This work was so thoroughly systematized as to cause a delay of but 
 8^ days. 
 
 During the season three sets of anchor bars were put in place. 
 Thorough inspections have been made from time to time of the iron used, 
 and it is gratifying to state that the quality is even better than that pre- 
 scribed in the specifications for them. Stone-setting was brought to a 
 close for the season on December 11th, at a height of 44^ feet above tide. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that the work has been pushed to the utmost, 
 but few accidents have occurred, and none of these were of a fatal 
 character. 
 
 The total quantity of masonry laid this season is 14,892 cubic yards, at 
 a cost (for labor, superintendence, material, supplies, ^ cost of railroad, 
 and all contingencies) of $14 T 3_2_ per yard, or $3^^. less than the esti- 
 mate of 1873, the total cost being $213,290^-2-.. 
 
 To balance this saving the whole anchorage will contain, as stated, 2,000 
 yards more masonry than was contemplated in 1873, of which 1,600 
 yards belong to the portion now in place. * 
 
 This, with the large increase mentioned in the quantity of excavation, 
 end the increased cost due to the many obstructions met with, have very 
 nearly balanced the saving on the estimate. 
 
103 
 
 The railroad, of which one-third is charged to work of this 
 
 rear, has cost $5,950 59 
 
 The total cost of the foundation, including the excavation, 
 
 has been 36,589 24 
 
 The anchor-plates weigh an aggregate of 182,855 pounds, 
 and cost in place (a saving of about 40 per cent, on the 
 estimate of 1S73) $7,631 35 
 
 559,900 pounds of anchor-bars have been received at a 
 
 cost of (about 25 per cent, less than the estimate of 1873) 33,034 10 
 
 To which must be added for labor in putting three sets in 
 
 place 1,384 10 
 
 Total cost of anchor-bars and plates thus far $42,049 55 
 
 The estimated cost of completing the same, is 36,992 00 
 
 Total estimated cost of anchor-bars and plates for this an- 
 chorage $79,041 55 
 
 The cost of the structure at the end of this season's work, 
 including the total cost of the railroad and of the founda- 
 tion, but not that of the plates and chains, was 253,847 22 
 
 The estimated cost of completing the masonry and the road- 
 way 248,249 06 
 
 Total estimated cost of the structure when complete $502,096 28 
 
 The machinery, materials, supplies and tools on hand De- 
 cember 31, 1875, at this yard, inventory at $19,775 02 
 
 The organization of the force employed has been as follows : 
 
 The labor gangs have been under the charge of Mr. C. W. Young, as- 
 sisted by J. D. Irving and Jos. Scheidecker. The carpenter work has 
 been under the immediate supervision of Mr. E. D. Pepper, and the 
 mason work under the care of T. G. Douglas, assisted by foremen C. 
 Lynch, John Cahill and Thomas Kelly. The records of materials re- 
 ceived were kept by Mr. Frank Brown. • 
 
 In the office I have had the aid of Mr. J. A. Kingsley in the care of 
 orders and accounts, of Mr. B. G. Lingemau, as draughtsman, and the 
 very efficient aid of Mr. F. L. Rowland, in the preparation of working 
 plans for the last stone contract, and in the care of the work. All have 
 done their work well. 
 
 The work done during the year 1876 is, by your direction, prefaced with 
 a brief description of the structure itself, is follows: 
 
 This is a mass which yhen completed will contain 28, 8S3^ cubic yards 
 of masonry. The amount laid during this year is 11,005^ yards (or al- 
 together 25,8974, yards), leaving 2,986 yards to be set after the cables are 
 made. 
 
104 
 
 The joints in this masonry have been found to aggregate about 18 per 
 cent, of the total bulk. 
 
 The whole rests upon a timber grillage four to seven feet deep, the top 
 surface of which is at the level of high tide, and a little below the level, 
 at which fresh water stands in the soil. 
 
 The outline of the masonry in plan is rectangular. It is widened at 
 the rear by an offset of five feet on each side, made at 85^ feet from the 
 front. These offsets serve to give greater mass over the outer anchor- 
 plates. 
 
 The length over all the base of masonry is 129 feet. The width at 
 the front is 106 feet 4 inches, and at the rear 116 feet 4 inches. 
 
 The rear mass is solid, with the exception of two small tunnels 14 feet 
 wide, and 29 feet 7£ inches high to the crown of the arch. 
 
 The front and narrower portion is divided by large tunnels into three 
 parallel walls. These are called anchor walls, and receive the pressure 
 from the anchor chains; the two central chains being buried in the mid- 
 dle wall, and one of the others in each of the outer walls. These tuanels 
 are covered over by semi-circular arches of 23 feet span, springing from 
 a height of about 65 feet above tide. 
 
 The thickness of the outer walls at the springing is 12 feet, and of the 
 middle walls 26 feet. 
 
 All of the faces except those of the small tunnels, and the rear faces of 
 the large tunnels, have a batter of half an inch per foot rise," from about 
 eight feet above tide, and in addition to this there is a wide offset (10 inches) 
 at 22 feet above tide. The courses below the battered portion each step 
 in by wide offsets all around. 
 
 There will be a cornice at top similar in design to those on the towers, 
 of a full height of 12 feet 7 inches. 
 
 The top surface is to be sloped to the grade of the roadway, of which 
 it will form part, and will have a length of 117 feet and a width of 104 
 feet 4 inches, and 94 feet 4 inches at rear and front respectively. 
 
 The height of the roadway at front will be 89.04 feet, and at the rear 
 85.24 feet. 
 
 . The external corners of all courses of stone above the 10-inch offset are 
 granite blocks, with a bold projection, the edges being chamfered off four 
 inches all around and fine cut, and the surfaces being fine pointed. 
 
 The cornice and curtain arches in front are also of granite, with a 1£ 
 inch draft around each stone and fine pointed surface. In addition to this, 
 642 yards of massive blocks of granite weighing five to ten tons each, were 
 placed over the anchor-plates in the first four courses above them, and 
 thoroughly bonded, so as to make the full weight of the masonry above 
 available against any lifting of the plates. 
 
 The remainder of the stone used were limestofie with a bold rock face. 
 
 All limestone were furnished by Noone & Madden, of Kingston, New 
 York. 
 
 The first contract for granite was let to Beattie and Dresser, who filled 
 
105 
 
 it from their quarries at Stony Creek. Conn. The last contract was with 
 Mr. Joseph Brennan, whose quarry is at Charlotteburg, New Jersey. 
 The stone are slightly pinkish in color, and correspond well with those 
 from Stony Creek. 
 
 Stone-setting began this year April 10th, by the day gangs, and April 
 12th. by the night gang; and was carried on as rapidly as was consistent 
 with sound work. From May 16th to 23d, was occupied in raising der- 
 ricks, being a less time than the same work has at any other time re- 
 quired. 
 
 June 6th, the work of putting up the centres for the main arches began. 
 This made it necessary to get another hoisting engine in position, and 
 from this time all the stone were hoisted at the front of the Anchorage, 
 and run back to the several derricks by cars on a temporary track on top 
 of the masonry. 
 
 By July 13th the work had so far progressed that it became necessary 
 to discharge one dny gang, and the next day the night gang was dis- 
 charged. 
 
 August 9th to 18th, was occupied in raising derricks for the last time, 
 and placing them on top of the arches. On the 2 2d all the stone-cutters 
 were discharged ; on the 28th stone-setting was completed, and by Sep- 
 tember 25th the pointing was completed, and all masons discharged. 
 
 This part of the masonry has cost more for labor than that done last 
 year on account of the large number of grooves to be cut, and other stone- 
 cutting made necessary by the anchor-bars, and the bars inserted for at- 
 taching and securing the temporary cables. 
 
 The total expenditure on masonry forthe present year (and not hitherto 
 reported), including a due proportion of all office and contingent expenses, 
 
 and the stone stored for future use, has been $184,405,05 
 
 The amount previously expended was 253,847,22 
 
 The amount estimated as now required to complete the An- 
 chorage is 59,552.41 
 
 Making the total cost for everything except plates and chains $4!»7, 804,68 
 
 The estimate as revised last winter was 502,096.28 
 
 Showing a saving on the summer's work of $4,291,60 
 
 The weight of anchor-bars and pins bought during the year is 509.778 
 
 pounds, making a total weight of 1,069.673 pounds in this Anchorage. 
 
 The total cost of bars and pins in place for the year is $34,469,26 
 
 Amount previously expended on plate and bars was 42,049,55 
 
 Total cost of anchor-bars and plates $76,518,81 
 
 The estimate of last winter was 79,041,55 
 
 The saving on the estimate is therefore $2,522,74 
 
 The organization of the force has been essentially the same as that of 
 last year. I have had the continued assistance of Mr. F. L. Rowland in 
 
106 
 
 the general care of the work, and of Mr. J. Mulqueen in the care of office 
 accounts. 
 
 The materials, tools, derricks and engines on hand at this yard, and 
 present value of railroad (not including stone stored for future use), in- 
 ventory at $20,039.92. 
 
 A considerable portion of this value will at the close of the work be 
 available as a credit upon its total cost. 
 
 The settlement of the masonry at the close of this year's work, as meas- 
 ured at the top of the offset, was an average of l£ inches, and remarkably 
 uniform. This is no doubt due, as in the case of the towers, to the slight- 
 ly increased compression of the foundation caused by the increase in 
 weight. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 F. COLLINGWOOD, 
 
 Assistant Engineer in charge. 
 
 New York, Dec. 31, 1876. 
 
 BROOKLYN ANCHORAGE. 1875. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I would respectfully present the following report upon the work done 
 during the past year at the Brooklyn Anchorage. 
 
 Previous to the time of commencing work for the season, the masonry 
 of the Anchorage (during 1873 and 1 874) had been carried up to 62 feet 
 2 inches above high water, 26 courses of stone having been laid. 
 
 Work was resumed April 6th, and the masonry has been brought up 
 to 78 feet 6 inches above high water, and entirely completed (except 
 some pointing and stone dressing), as far as it can be preparatory to cable- 
 making. 
 
 The masonry laid this year was 5,921 cubic yards (using 5,314|- yards 
 of stone), and making the total amount thus far laid on the Anchorage 
 24,255 cubic yards. 
 
 Considerable cutting of dimension and archstone has been done, in 
 consequence of the contractors having failed to deliver stone on time. 
 This has not been an unusual experience ; and although the cutting has 
 been charged to the contractors, the result has been a considerable in- 
 crease in the cost of the work in consequence of its necessarily irregu- 
 lar prosecution. 
 
 Considerable delay was occasioned also by having to leave large holes 
 in the masonry for the insertion of the seventh set of anchor bars, which 
 arrived too late to be put in place at the proper time. 
 
107 
 
 • The stone-setting derricks have been raised twice during the season, 
 and now rest on the arches, in proper position for use, as they may be 
 required during cable-making. 
 
 The total amount expended upon the Brooklyn Anchorage to date for 
 everything, except anchor chains and plates, is $507, 220.74. 
 
 The expenditure estimated as requisite to complete the masonry is 
 $02,482. 
 
 The 5th, 0th and 7th sets of anchor-bars have been placed in position 
 during the season ; also all the bars for anchoring and holding down the 
 foot-bridge and cradle cable; and for use in letting off strands of the 
 main cables. AH the bars of the remaining sets have been received ex- 
 cept 72 of the 10th. and most of them have been scaled and painted, in 
 preparation for placing. 
 
 The amount expended on them during the year, including 
 
 labor of preparation and insertion, has been $38,335 22 
 
 Total amount to date, including $12,301.31 for the plates, 
 
 has been 83,295 93 
 
 The amount required to complete them will be 5,508 40 
 
 CABLE-MAKING. 
 
 After work upon the masonry was stopped, a shed was built covering 
 the top of the Anchorage, for the reception of the cable-making machin- 
 ery. The drums, wheels and other machinery are now in process of con- 
 struction, and will all be placed in position early in the spring. 
 
 The cost of these various items has thus far been $3,300 
 
 The estimated value of machinery, tools, stores and other 
 
 movable property now in the Anchorage yard, is 10,122 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 G. W. IffcNULTY, 
 Assistant Engineer in charge. 
 
 Brooklyn, Dec. 31, 1875. 
 
 Col. W. A. Roebling, 
 
 Chief Engineer New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I am able to report progress in the preparatory work for cable-making 
 which you have entrusted to my charge, as follows. This includes mak- 
 ing all the machinery for cable work ; getting over the temporary wire 
 ropes, and making the cradles and foot-bridges, and placing them in po- 
 sition. 
 
 The cable-making machinery is located on the Brooklyn Anchorage, 
 and it was made on the same general plan as that used in making the ca- 
 bles for the Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge, with some 
 
108 
 
 changes to suit local requirements. It is in duplicate, for making two 
 pairs of cables at the same time, and each set is constructed so as to 
 work independently of the other. 
 
 The several parts of the running machinery are designated as follows : 
 The driving wheels, the guiding wheels, the sliding beveled gears, the 
 counter shafts, clutches, levers, pinions, segment gearing, and the tighten- 
 ing pulleys. 
 
 The driving wheels are two in number, attached to upright wrought 
 iron shafts, which run in cast-iron boxes set in the masonry. These 
 wheels are eleven feet in diameter, and six inches thick ; having two 
 grooves around the edge. The guiding wheels are single grooved, fbu. 
 feet in diameter, and three inches thick. Three of these, with a driving 
 wheel, form one set ; and they all run in the same horizontal plane ex- 
 cept the centre one, which is inclined the thickness of the rope. They are 
 so constructed that the working rope, or ''traveler," runs on the end 
 grain of the wood. The traveler is so arranged around the driving wheel 
 that the bearing surface is equal to one and one-third times the circum- 
 ference of the wheel; and this friction has been found to more than equal 
 the power of the driving belt. 
 
 A horizontal wrought iron shaft, 3£ inches in diameter, runs on the 
 Front street face of the Anchorage masonry; and motion is given 
 to it by a sixteen-inch leather belt, ninety-eight feet long, leading from 
 the fly wheel of a steam engine, in the yard below. From pulleys on each 
 end of this shaft, 8-inch belts lead to pulleys on two short, horizontal 
 counter shafts, on the top of the masonry. On each counter shaft are 
 two sliding, beveled gears, worked by a clutch and iron lever, so as to give 
 a forward, or reverse motion to another beveled gear, which is fastened 
 on the lower end of an upright iron counter shaft. On the upper end of 
 this shaft is a pinion, which works in gearing, bolted in segments, 
 on the top surface of the wooden driving wheel. Each set of ma- 
 chinery is fixed in a heavy timber frame, which is securely fastened to 
 the masonry. The 8-inch belts run loosely on the pulleys, and the ma- 
 chinery is put in motion, or stopped, by a tightening pulley, worked by a 
 lever, without stopping the engine. 
 
 On the New York Anchorage, each traveler runs around two 4-feet 
 wheels, like those in Brooklyn, placed in a sliding frame, which is so ar- 
 ranged that the slack in the rope arising from its stretching can be taken 
 up at any time, without cutting and splicing. All of these wheels are 
 made of oak. 
 
 Under the head of machinery, we may also include the drums for hold- 
 ing the wire ; the reels and traveling sheaves. There are 32 drums 
 placed in the wire shed which was erected some time since, on the Brook- 
 lyn Anchorage. They are 8 feet outside diameter, 1G inch face, with a 
 depth of rim of 6 inches. Their working capacity will be about 50,000 
 lineal feet of No. 8 wire. 
 
 As soon as it is known what the diameter of the coils of wire will be, 
 
109 
 
 the reels for holding the same will be made. The " Traveling Sheaves " 
 which are to be used in running out the wire, for the main cables, are 5 
 feet outside diameter. They are made with six light wooden arms, radi- 
 atiDg from a wooden hub, and a light wooden rim 2 inches thick, in the 
 outer edge of which is a Y shaped groove, about 1 inch deep. This groove 
 is lined with galvanized sheet iron, which projects 4 inches beyond the wood, 
 thus making the groove about 5 inches deep. The outer edges of this 
 iron are stiffened by having a wire rolled into them, and by thin strips of 
 iron which are riveted at intervals to the outside of the V, and bolted to 
 the wooden rim. Thirty-six holes, 3 by 2f inches, are cut in the sides of 
 these rims opposite to each other, for the free passage of the wind. 
 
 The wire ropes are 17 in number, made of galvanized steel wire. Taken 
 in rotation, their names, sizes and uses are as follows : Four "travelers," 
 f inch in diameter, spliced into two endless ropes around the propelling 
 machinery before described. They have been used for hauling over the 
 other ropes, in part, and for hauling the buggies back and forth ; but 
 their final use will be to carry the traveling sheaves, when the wire for 
 the main cables is run out. 
 
 The next in order is the "carrier," If inch diameter, for holding the 
 weight of the heavier ropes, when they were hauled over the river. 
 Next, 3 cradle cables, 2\ inch diameter, for supporting the cradles, which 
 will be described further on. Two foot-bridge cables, on which a foot 
 walk for the use of the cable workmen, will be laid. These ropes will also 
 support one end of 5 of the 10 cradles. One l^-inch diameter auxiliary 
 rope, which with the carrier will finally be used to assist in supporting 
 the foot-bridge. Two 1^-inch diameter " storm cables," which will extend 
 from one tower to the other below the roadway, and be attached to the 
 foot-bridge cables by small wire rope suspenders, in the form of inverted 
 cables, to prevent the foot-bridge from being lifted by the wind. Two 
 g-inch diameter ropes, for hand-rails for the foot-bridge, and 4 " pendulum 
 ropes," f-inch diameter. These will be used to support small iron rods, 
 having flat leaden weights attached to their lower ends, which will sepa- 
 rate the two parts of each strand of the main cable, while they are being 
 laid, and prevent their entanglement by the wind. The travelers, carrier* 
 cradle cables, and the foot-bridge cables are in position. The auxiliary 
 foot-bridge rope, and one storm cable, have been taken over the river. 
 Attempts have been made to attach the suspenders to the storm cable, 
 and to place it in position, but high winds and extreme cold have preven- 
 ted this from being done. I have arranged swing stagings, or " double 
 buggies," to run on and between the two foot-bridge cables, for doing 
 this work, and on trial they proved well adapted for it. 
 
 The difficult and dangerous problem, how to get the wire ropes across 
 the river, and over the streets and buildings from one Anchorage to the 
 other, was safely and expeditiously solved, in the following manner: 
 
 The two travelers were the first to be taken over. The reel contain- 
 ing the first rope was placed on a woodeu axle, in a frame on one of our 
 
110 
 
 stone scows, at the foot of Brooklyn Tower. The end of the rope was 
 then hoisted over the tower, and drawn down into the yard, where a Ma- 
 nila rope leading to a steam engine at the Anchorage was attached to it, 
 and it was carefully hauled to the Anchorage and made temporarily fast 
 there. Fenders and trestles were erected, and men were stationed on the 
 roofs of the intervening buildings, to protect them. The operation was 
 entirely successful. 
 
 The scow containing the reel with the remainder of the rope, was then 
 towed over the river to the dock at the foot of New York Tower, and 
 the bight of the rope as it unreeled, was allowed to sink to the bottom. 
 The scow was made fast to the dock, and all the rope on the reel was 
 coiled at the foot of the tower, after which the end was hoisted to the top 
 of the tower, and drawn down and fastened to one of the grooved drums 
 of the stone hoisting engine. 
 
 It was at first supposed that the ropes would have to be hoisted out of 
 the water on a Sunday morning, when there were few vessels in the way; 
 but by frequent observations I learned that we could get from 4 to 8 min- 
 utes clear water, on any day of the week, and it was resolved to make 
 the attempt as soon as we were ready. 
 
 Engineers Martin and McNulty took position in the roadway of the 
 tower, to watch for an opening. Foreman Dempsey, with some workmen 
 was left on the top of the tower; while I clambered up on the hoisting 
 frame to note the deflection, with William Brown, carpenter, to pass sig- 
 nals to the engineer of the hoisting engine, when to start and when to 
 stop. 
 
 A tedious wait of more than half an hour followed. At last I heard 
 from Mr. Martin the welcome words, " Go a-head !" and passed them to 
 Brown, who signalled the engineer. In a few seconds the rope began to 
 move ; there was a ripple around it in the water; it began to draw away 
 from the dock toward Brooklyn, and soon we could see the other part 
 coming from Brooklyn towards us. Faster and faster the space of clear 
 water between the two parts narrowed, and in four minutes from the 
 time of starting, it swung clear of the surface of the water, with a spark- 
 ling swish, amid the cheers of spectators, on the wharves and ferry boats, 
 and the shouts of our own workmen. 
 
 Up went the rope, and when it reached the level of the roadway, the 
 engineer was signalled to go slow, and the speed lessened. "When it was 
 within a few feet of its proper deflection, 80 feet, I passed the word to 
 slow the engine, which was done, but not until the rope had reached a 
 point somewhat above the intended deflection, though in time, however, 
 to prevent any damage to the rope. This occurred August 14th. The 
 second rope was taken over in the same manner, on the same day. 
 
 These ropes were securely fastened on the top of the tower, and the 
 two ends were then hauled over the streets and roofs, to New York 
 Anchorage, much in the same manner as in Brooklyn. The ends were 
 next spliced together, around the driving and guiding wheels, thus form- 
 
Ill 
 
 ing one endless rope, capable of being worked to and fro, to draw loads 
 and to carry burdens. It is arranged to run in wood-lined wbeels on the 
 towers, and although it has seen much hard service, it bears no percepti- 
 ble marks of wear. 
 
 The two parts of the other traveler were taken over by being lashed to 
 the first one, and then carried over by steam. After being taken over, 
 the ends were secured on the two anchorages, and the lashings were cut 
 loose by men seated in "boatswain's chairs" — rude contrivances much 
 used by riggers — which were arranged to slide on the first traveler. This 
 somewhat novel feat was skillfully accomplished by Timbs, Supple, 
 Cohne and Carroll, on the first rope. The second was cut by Miller, 
 Arnold, O'Neil and myself. 
 
 The carrier was got over in the same manner as the first travelers — 
 through the water. The tug, in towing the scow across, made a detour 
 down stream, so that when an attempt was made to draw the rope out 
 of the water, the side strain was so great as to pull it out of the 3-feet 
 wooden wheel, in which it was running on the tower. 
 
 James O'Neil was injured at that time, by being struck by a piece of 
 plank, which was thrown against him by the falling rope. This accident, 
 I am happy to state, is the only one which has happened on this part of 
 the work. The rope was replaced in the wheel, and a guiding sheave 
 was put on it outside of the tower, and it was then hauled up without 
 further difficulty. 
 
 After being hauled out of the water, the end was taken from the 
 grooved drum, and hoisted to the tower again, on the land side, and fas- 
 tened to a snatch block which ran on the traveler. A Manila rope, some 
 300 feet long, was made fast to the end of the carrier, and the block was 
 allowed to slide down on the traveler, toward the anchorage, carrying the 
 end of the wire rope with it. It ran down 350 feet by its own gravity 
 the bight remaining coiled on the dock. When it would go no farther in 
 this way, men pulled it along to the Anchorage by the Manila rope. 
 There a tackle was attached, and it was strained up to its correct deflec- 
 tion, by steam, and fastened by a socket and stirrup. I found it lessened 
 the danger and the labor, to hang the end of the rope to the traveler, as 
 above described. 
 
 To get over the five other large ropes, I adopted the plan which I used so 
 successfully at Niagara Falls, namely: by suspending the weight of the 
 rope to be hauled on the carrier, and hauling by the traveler, or a Manila 
 rope, worked by a steam eDgine. The first cradle cable was hauled by the 
 traveler; but this plan did not work well, owing to the frequent slip- 
 ping and breaking of the belt, which transmitted power to the machin- 
 ery. This rope was landed in New York, and it cost much labor to get 
 it into position for running over, besides our trouble with the traveler. 
 
 It was therefore determined to land the remaining ropes at the foot 
 of Brooklyn Tower, which would bring them at once into position ; and 
 
112 
 
 to do the hauling by a Manila rope, worked on the grooved drum before 
 mentioned. The operation was conducted as follows : 
 
 The Manila rope was first drawn over the river by the traveler, and 
 made fast temporarily on Brooklyn Tower. It was suspended from the 
 carrier by small clevises, which prevented the bight from dropping in the 
 way of passing vessels, and at the same time allowed it to move freely. 
 These clevises were put on 80 feet apart. Another rope was drawn up 
 from Brooklyn Anchorage in the same manner, and one from New York 
 Anchorage. 
 
 A stick of oak timber, 6 x 10 inches and 10 feet long, was fastened by 
 stirrups on the top of the carrier just outside of Brooklyn Tower, on the 
 water side. To this a large grooved cast-iron pulley was hung. A 14- 
 inch leading block was also made fast to this stick, near the iron sheave, 
 and through it a 4^-inch Manila rope led to an engine on the dock. By 
 this rope the end of the wire rope was hoisted from the reel on the dock 
 below, and run over the iron pulley. The hauling rope from New York 
 was then made fast to the end of the wire rope, and the New York engine 
 was started, and with the aid of the dock engine in Brooklyn, the wire 
 rope was hauled 10 feet toward New York, and then the first hanger was 
 put on. 
 
 These hangers were grooved iron sheaves, 8 inches in diameter, to 
 which a pair of " sister hooks" were attached, in such a way as to allow 
 of their being opened and slipped over the carrier, in the most expeditious 
 manner. The cables were lashed below the hooks by i-inch hemp ropes. 
 Thus the hauling line pulled the cable along, while the hanger ran easily 
 on the carrier, and held the weight of the cable lashed below. The 
 hangers were put on about 60 feet apart. The oak stick was used to 
 prevent the carrier from being strained, at too sharp an angle, by the 
 weight of the cable aud hoisting line. A buggy hanging on the traveler 
 was used for two men to stand in to put on the hangers. 
 
 In this way a cable was drawn to the New York Anchorage ; a line from 
 that anchorage being attached as soon as the end of the cable reached the 
 tower. It was necessary to use the line at Brooklyn Tower to assist in 
 lifting the weight of the cable, until 350 feet had been run out. after 
 which the New York line did all the work. I also had to " fleet " the 
 New York line 400 feet, on the main span, to help the line from New 
 York Anchorage. 
 
 TV hen the end of a cable reached New York Anchorage, a wrought 
 iron socket was put on, and it was attached to an anchor iron in the ma- 
 sonry by a stirrup. Meanwhile the end remaining on the reel was taken 
 off and coiled on the dock, and then hoisted to the top of Brooklyn 
 Tower, and hauled to the anchorage by the line before mentioned, the 
 weight being held by hangers on the carrier. 
 
 The cable was next strained up until the hangers were relieved from 
 its weight, whsn they were taken off by men who went down in buggies 
 for that purpose. The buggies ran on the carrier, and were hauled back 
 
113 
 
 by the traveler. The cable was strained up still further, to the required 
 point of deflection in the centre of the main span ; then it was cut off, and 
 an attachment was made by a socket and stirrup, as in Xew York. On 
 the towers the cables ran on two grooved oak wheels, 3 feet in diameter, 
 and 6 inches thick. When a cable had been taken over and fastened, it 
 was lifted out of these wheels by powerful screws, set in a strong frame, 
 and lowered on to permanent oak blocking. This plan was pursued with 
 two foot-bridge cables, and two cradle cables. 
 
 Nearly four days were consumed in getting over the first, by the 
 traveler, and fastening it; while the last one was drawn over in less 
 than nine hours, and fastened in less than five hours more; thus show- 
 ing the superioritv of the last plan over the first, and the increased effi- 
 ciency of the workmen through practice. 
 
 The cradles, ten in number, are nearly finished. Those in the main 
 span are nearly 48 feet long, and so arranged that the strands of the 
 main cables will be within easy reach of the men who are to regulate 
 the wires The four cradles in the land spans are about 7 feet shorter 
 than the others, owing to the fact that each pair of cables will be 14 
 feet closer together on the anchorages than they are on the towers. The 
 cradles are made of oak. in the most substantial manner, combining light- 
 ness and great strength. They are 4 feet in width. The centre of the 
 floor is made in part of iron rods, so as to admit of the free passage of 
 the wind, and thus reduce oscillation. 
 
 The foot-bridge, which is to extend from one anchorage to the other, 
 over the tops of the towers, will be made of oak slats 3 x l£ inches, laid 
 directly on the cables, with 2-inch spaces between the slats, for the free 
 passage of the wind. The slats are held in place by longitudinal strips 
 3 x 1 finches, to which they are fastened by round clinch nails. When 
 the floor is laid these strips will lie directly over the cables, to which they 
 will be secured by U shaped stirrups, plate washers and nuts. This floor 
 is all put together in sections of 12 to 16 feet, and as soon as the storm 
 cables are attached, it will be laid. 
 
 When all the cradles are in position, each half of a traveler will have 
 7 supports between the anchorages, namely: one on each of 5 cradles, 
 and one on each tower. Those on the towers will be made of 3 wood 
 lined sheaves, placed a short distance apart ; those on the cradles will be 
 single sheaves. Numerous wooden rollers will be required for the guid- 
 ance of the wire when running out ; but the position of many of these 
 can be determined only by actual trial, when running the wire. 
 
 The carpenter work, blacksmithing and machinery (of which I have 
 the gen- ral supervision), are of such a varied miscellaneous character, 
 that the work is tedious to itemize and difficult to describe. It may 
 suffice to say that a great part of the work in these departments, during 
 the past year, has been directly or indirectly connected with the prepara- 
 tions for cable-making ; and that it has been well and faithfully done, and 
 
 8 
 
probably as cheaply as was compatible, with a due regard to strength 
 and safety. (Mr. A. H. Smith has had immediate charge of the machine 
 shop and steam engines, while Mr. Downey has turned out excellent work 
 from the blacksmith shop.) 
 
 I have anticipated much trouble in instructing inexperienced men in 
 the details of cable-making, as we have only one man who has ever seen 
 anything of the kind ; but the intelligence and skill displayed by the 
 workmen in these preliminary operations, lead me to thiuk that I may 
 have overestimated the difficulties to be overcome. 
 
 It is a matter of history that the river was first crossed on one of the 
 travelers, August 25, and I wish to state here, that the transient notoriety 
 attending the affair somewhat annoyed me. I had a natural desire to 
 cross first, but my principal object was to show my workmen, who were 
 to follow under more dangerous conditions, my own entire confidence in 
 the strength and security of the work. 
 
 Foremen Smallfield, Dempsey, Young and Cohne have rendered efficient 
 service. 
 
 I have carried out your instructions to the letter, unless in cases 
 where you have given me discretionary power ; and, from my perfect 
 familiarity with your plans, and my own experience, I shall expect 
 the cables of this bridge to equal, if they do not excel, the best that ever 
 were made. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted, 
 
 B. P. FARRINGTON, 
 Master Mechanic New York and Brooklyn Bridge. 
 
 Brooklyn, December 30, 1876.