John A Roebling Wire of Trenton, NJ supplied the cable for the bridge. Not sure what the discrepancy was, as Roebling made the finest and strongest wire rope in the country back then. For the main suspension cables it's usually a single strand run back and forth until the desired diameter is reached. The down runners to the deck are usually twisted strands of wire rope. Helped erect a few bridges in my day and Roebling had an excellent reputation for a superior product. Last I heard, the original plant was still there but shut down in the late 60s. PJ