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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 29, 1900)
( THE ILTjUST It ATE D BEE. July l!i, 1000. Modern Progress I r- . . I "Ily IIh position New York Is cortaln lo liocoino u city of ninny ami mighty bridges," Bays n wrltur In AIiihIou'h Magazine. "Tho llrooklyn brldgo lias been ono of tho city's glories hIiico Its completion and lias been ruckoned one of tho wonders of tho world, lint othur bridges far surpassing It aro no.v pioji'cted. Tho cornpletloti of u series of groat bridges nrross tho Knst, North and llnrlom rivers will do moro than provide a great convenience. They will glvo tho city an appearance- of sightliness and finish which will greatly heighten Its Impression of mngnlllconco ami power. Ah bridge arch itecture In Its profcnt form Is distinctively an Amerlcun product, It Is worth while- lo consider at soinu length tho character of theso now structures nnd their probable effect upon tho city. "Ilrldgo construction In New York will go on at a rapid, rate for tho next decade To unlto tho two great cities which now constitute tho greater city no less than four now bridges to span tho Hunt river Clara Clriiy COUNCIL I1LUFFS ANGLKUS are planned ur actually In process of con struction. On tho woBtorn sldo of tho city tho greatest brldgo of tho world Is projected to cross tho Hudson and contracts for Us erection hnvu been let. Add to theso tho existing llrooklyn brldgo and tho half dozen great spans that now cross the Harlem, nnd New York hoouis to be in a fair way noon to realize Its destiny In this particular direction. "Of thosu vntloiiH enterprises tho ono furthest afoot at present Is the new Kast river brldgo. It Is to connect llrooklyn and Manhattan at a point nbout n mllo above tho present brldgo. Its piers are now abovo tho water and, nB IIiobo familiar with brldgo building aro aware, tlila moans that In paint of tlmo it is more than half completed. According to tho plans of the construction, It Is to bo ready for uso by tho end of tho year 1001, "Tho Kast river bridge Is tho model of the other three bridges which will bo built about tho city. Ono of theso Is to cross tho river midway between tho two bridges mentioned, n second la to bo located nbout a mile above tho Kast rlvor brldgo nnd tho third Is to connect .Manhattan with Long Island City. This will not bo n suspen slon brldgo, but a cantilever, with one pier resting on tho lower ond of Hlnckwell's Idund. A Wo iderfiil llrhlu. "Although tho now Kast rlvor bridge Is to surpass tho llrooklyn bridge ns an engineer ing marvel, it Is not likely to hold 11 Ml place for long, It will bo eclipsed almost as soon ns It Is finished by n great railway bridge across the Hudson between Now York nnd Now Jerioy. It Is promised that this will bo tho most woudorful span of its kind in tho world; it will bo nenrly twice as largo as any suspension bridge now in existence. Its steel towers will rUo to tho height of 5S7 feet abovo high water moro than 250 feet abovo tho Statue of Liberty and half ngalu ns high as tho tallest skyscraper In tho city. "Its main span will stretch 3,254 feet be tween piers, twlco as far as thosu of the llrooklyn nnd Kast river bridges. The brldgu completo will bo moro than two miles long. "Tho purposo of tho New York and Now Jersey brldgo Is to afford entrance to tho city for tho various railroads now having tholr terminus on tho Jersey shore When fully completed It will Include an Immense union terminal station In the vicinity of Seventh avenue nnd Flfty-llrst street, In Now York. Tho construction of this brldgo, In Bridge Building llko that of tho Kast river brldgo, Is In tho hands of u commission. Contracts for a part of tho work have boon let, nnd tho promoters of tho project say that tho bridge will bo completed In seven years. It will cost $23,000,000 and with tho land approaches and tho slto for tho termlnnl will Involve tho expenditure of fully $60,000,000. Hut It will bo tho Colossus among bridges. "Tho effect of all theso bridges with their lofty steel columns nnd Blonder spans will b3 very grncoful and pleasing, nnd thoy will do much to glvo tho city n distinctive and at tractive charncter. Tho usefulnes3 of tho llrooklyn brldgo has boon hampered and Its appearance impaired by Inadequate ap proaches. Tho now bridges will not sudor from this defect, for tho approaches aro to begin four or llvo blocks away, and by tholr artistic treatment tho surrounding district will bo greatly improved. llrnoUlj'ii llrlilK' Oiid-liiNNCtl. "No bottor Illustration of tho rapidity with which tho art of brldgo construction A " KINK" CATCH. has been advancing In this country could bo obtained than will bo presented by theso two bridges of almost equal dimensions, standing only n mile apart. Tho llrooklyn brldgo Is, comparatively speaking, n new t'tructuro. It was opened for tralllc In 18S1. Nevertheless, tho new span, while built on tho same principle, will bo very dlfforout In general nppenrnnco. "The contrast that will appeal most strik ingly to tho eyo in a comparison of tho two structures will bo in tho nppenrnnco of tho great lowers cnrrylng tho cables on which tho bridges rest. In tho Brooklyn brldgo these towers aro of solid masonry for their full height, nnd their dimensions bring homo to every beholder nu ldcn of solidity and strength. Firm as tho eternal hills whence wo camo, thoy Beem to any. In tho new bridge tho masonry piers will extend only n short dlstnnco nbovo tho wnter The towers will bo of skeleton stcol construction Slender nnd open, springing nway to the MH. AND MRS. CHAHLKS F. 5 height of 333 feet, they will look light nnd fragile besldo tho solid stone of tho older brldgo. Hut stool plates nnd nngles nre us durabln ns mnsonry, much cheaper, moro elnstlc nnd cnsler to erect. Of tho Hrok yn brldgo tho towers weigh five tlmos nB much n nil tho rest of tho structure together. Of tho Knst river brldgo they will weigh ntout tho snmo as tho mnln span. Tho sub stitution of steel for stono In brldgo work Is an American development. It hns made Amorlcnn bridges tho lightest nnd cheapest In tho world. Tin- SdlTeiiliiK TriiMN. "Next to tho towers tho most unique fea turo of tho new bridge will bo tho great Btlffonlng truss which will extend from pier to pier. In tho past ono dllllculty with suspension bridges hns been tho swnylng of tho main span duo to tho force of tho wind! or tho shocks Incident to tralllc. The truss will prevent this, will glvo stability to tho structure nnd will relievo tho strain which otherwise would cotno upon tho towers nnd cables. It will bo of steel, forty-flvo feet high, n groat metal fence along each side of tho brldgo rondway. "Tho work of building tho Kast river brldgo may bo said to have begun In 1802, when the charter for It was granted. It was not until three years later, however, that tho plans weru completed nnd tho legal dllll cultles clenred nway. Then tho cities of New York nnd llrooklyn, at that time two dif ferent municipalities, took up the matter nnd turned it over to n commission which has had it In charge since that time. In the spring of 1S97 tho work of nctual construc tion was begin and has since gone steadily on. Tho construction of the bridge began, as otic might naturally suppose, with the laying of the foundations. Hut theso liavo been built, contrary to natural supposition, from tho top downward. Tho task of carry ing the foundations to bed rock, beneath tho wnter nnd mud of the river, has been nc compllshed by means of caissons such as aro now used In all underwater work of this na ture. "The tops of the four niasonnry piers of Hie completed bridge nri to bo twenty-thrco feet above high water. The towers will rlso above them to tho height of 333 feet, or six feet higher than thoso of tho llrooklyn bridge. The object in having loftier towers Is to glvo n shnrper deflection to tho cnbles carrying tho bridge platform than there Is In tho older bridge. "The main span of the bridge will be sup ported by four cables, each one eighteen Inches in diameter. Tho strands of tho ca ble aro to bo three-sixteenth of an inch In diameter, and CS.O0O of them will be required to make ono of tho big supports. Knch sep arate wire has n sustaining power of two and one-half tons, which makes tho full ca ble strength equal to a strain of 170,000 tons. "Tho cables will pass over the tops of tho steel towers on grent sliding saddles. Their weight nnd thnt which they will carry will bo held In position by linmenso nnchornges placed between COO nnd nnd GOO feet back of tho bridge piers on each shore. These nnchornges nre of masonry, 100x150 feet, and together will weigh, when completed, 160, 000 tons, or thirteen times as much ns tho main span of tho bridge itself. "Tho new brldgo will bo n mile nnd three quarters In length, 135 feet above tho water ELLER, FAMILY AND GUESTS PICNICKING AT FlllESS' LAKE. In the center nnd US feet wide It is In tended to enrry two elevated ral.roa 1 tracks, four surface car tracks, carriage ways, foot nnd blcyclo paths. It Is estimated that tho cost of the brldgo proper w.ll be $7,500,000, but with the expense of approaches the cost will more marly reach $12,000,000." Told Out of Court In a sketch of the career of Lord Morris, a representative of the "Tribes of Calway" and a member of the Irish bench for thirty three years, a Iimlon paper relates a num ber of stories Illustrating his wit and wis dom. Lord Morris never lost the melll llutus broguo vhlch distinguish West cf Ireland folk. This characteristic provides the groundw rk for at least two stories told of him. On one occasion the noble lord, twice an occupant of the Irish bench, was present nt a wedding In c mpany with Judge Keogh. Morris was lamenting that he had forgcttou to throw an old shoo after the bride and brldegr om, when Keogh re marked: "Throw your brogue after them; It will do Just as well." At another time Lord Morris was sitting at the Four Courts as lord chief Justice of Ireland, when a young barrlnter frcm the north arose nerv ously to make his (list nntlon. Tho Judge had declared that no one listening to him self would ever take him for anything but an Irishman, v.hlch was prefeclly correct. Hut Oalway c uld net understand Antrim. Tho lord chief Justice leaned over the bench to ask tho ass elate where tho barrister hailed from. "County Antrim," was the response. Then asked his lordship of the nllUial: "Old ye Ivor enme across slch a frightful acclnt in tho cotlise of yer loife?" When Lord MorrU' first went the Cju naught circuit, whero he had practiced be f. re his elevation to the bench at the early ago of 31), ho gave many specimens of hU natlvo wit. At one assize town tho Judge arrived late, and tho grand Jury, after being sworn In, sent down a true bill In a very simple case. Intended to 111 1 up tho spare time of tho court for tho "heel" of tho even Ing. It was a case of tho abducticn of a small farmer's daughter by a shopkeeper, who could net nrrange tho matter of duwiy to tho satisfaction of his sweetheart's re lations. Tho accused had met tho maid near his shop, and had kept her, halt resisting, half-consenting, on his premises In company with nn elderly female relative. Tho offense was, therefore, only of a tech nical character. Mr. Charlie O'Malley made n wonderful speech for tho prlsjner, In tho courso rf which ho told tho frlezo conted Jurors that thoy wero tho most In telligent, high-minded nnd naturally gifted men ho had over nddresscd. Mr. Justice Morris, when tho proper tlmo came, said to tho Jury: "You havo seen by friend's, Mr O'Malley, nmuslng performance. Dis miss it from your minds, and don't go homo to your honest wives with peacocks' feathers In your hats to proclaim tho distinction he pllts upon you. I am compelled to direct you to find a verdict of guilty In this case, but you will easily seo that I think It is n trilling thing, which I regard ns qulto unfit to occupy my time. It Is more valuable than yours. At least, It Is much better paid for. Find, theref re, tho prisoner guilty of abduction, which rests, mind ye on four point j the father was not av. re, tho mother was not opposed, the girl was willing and the boy was convaynlent." After tho verdict the Judge sentenced tho prisoner to remain In the dock till the ris ing of the court. Then, turning to the sheriff, ho said: "Let's go." Ileforo the "boy" was clear of the dock the Judge's head appeared again. Marry tho girl nt once," he said, "and God bless you both." Ono day It fell to the lot of Lord Morris ti hear a caso at Coleralno, In which dam ages wero claimed from a veterinary sur geon for having poisoned a valuable horse. Tho issue depended upon whether a certain number of grains of a particular drug could be safely administered to tho animal. A dispensary doctor proved that ho had often given eight grains to n man, from which It was to bo Inferred that twelve for a horso was not excessive. "Never mind yer eight grains, docther," said the Judge. "We all know that somo poisons aro cumu lative In effect, nnd ye may go to the edge of ruin with Impunity. Hut tell mo this: Tho twelvo grains wouldn't thoy kill tho dlvll himself If ho swallowed them?" The doctor was annoyed and pompously replied; "I don't know, my lord, I never had him for a patient." From tho bench camo tho answer: "Ah! no, docther, yo nlver had, more's tho pity. Tho old bhoy's still alive." The30, of course, nre stories of the early days of a brilliant career, in which politics it one time played a considerable part. In later years Lord Morris has always followed with keen ci ncern the fortunes of his coun try, and he Is credited with sundry caustic observations concerning home rule. An . 'dent bcpnrntlst emce observed to him that in his opinion Mr. Gladstone was a heaven born genius. "Then," said Lord Morris, "mny It be n Rug time before heaven is again In nn Interesting condition." "You understand, of course," pursued the law or, "what Is meant by a 'preponderance of evidence?' " "Yes, sir," replied tho man whom ho wns examining with reference to his qualifica tions as a Juror. "Let mo havo your Idea of It, If you please." "I understand It, I toll you." "Well, what is it?" "Why, anybody can undorstnnd that." "Still, I would llko to havo your dotlnl tlon of It." "I know what It Is, all right. When I tell you I know what n thing Is I know It. That's all thero Is about that." "Well, What was tho question I nskod you?" "You ought to know what that was. If you'vo forgot your own questions don't try to get rao to remember them for you." "I don't want to henr any moro of that kind of talk," Interposed tho court. "An swer the questions addressed to you by tho counsel." "Judge, I did. Ho asked me If I know what It was, and 1 said I did." "Aro you suro you understand what Is meant by tho term 'preponderance of ovl donco?' " "Of courso I am, Judge." "Woll, let us hear your Idea of It." "It's evidence that has been previously pondered." When You Visit Washington Post: If a pleasure Is pro posed, accept It. You aro expected to be entertained. The host's chair nnd tho host's desk nre not to bo Invaded. Keep your own room neat. Disorder Is most trying to tho maid, who will complain of It. And bo agreeablo to all guests, whether you llko them or not. Always ask your hostess what her plans aro for tho day and abldo by them. All visitors should recollect that their ovenlngs belong to tho host and hostess and they are expected to add to their enjoyment. Absent yourself some hours In the morn ing, so that tho mlstreps of the house will have n chance to sottlo her nffnlrs. This sort of consideration Is appreciated. Ho stono blind, deaf and dumb to nil family matters of nn unpleasant nnture In n household. Ilo punctual at meals. To bo lato is a disrespect to your hostess -bad form for yourself. His Own Medicine Philadelphia Press: "Yes," said the faith curlst, who had taken tho stand In his own defense, "wo euro by tho laying on of hands." "Well," thundered tho coroner, forget ting his oniclal dignity for tho moment, "if I wero a relative of tho deceased you'd be cured In tho samo way and tho hands would bo laid on pretty violently, too,"