Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-05-27
fulfilled, the bridge would have been finish.

fulfilled, the bridge would have been finish
ed some months sooner.
The Washington Bridge is the longest in
the United States !; and, we believe in the
world. Its length is upwards Of 5000 feet
and, with the abutments, is a mile. 1t is
36 feet wide, 90 feet of which is appropri.
ated for a carriage way, and a foot way on
each side, of 4 1-2, for foot passengers, Sc
parated from the carriage way by a light
railing. The bridge is supported by POI
piers, rs feet opening. Each pier is com
posed of S piles on the flats, 6 in the chan.
mel, and z. at the draw. These piles are
driven from 20 to 80 feet into the mud, and
strongly braced and bolted. The floor j.
supported by Is stout stringers, and it i:
covered with four-inch plank. The railing
is strong and durable, and the bridge j.
lighted by 20 lamps. There are two draws,
one of IS feet, opening in the little chan
mel; the other, of IS feet, in the large
channel. The construction Of these draws
the manner in which they are hung, the ma
chinery by which they are raised, are ex'
tremely ingenious, and combine strength
with great facility and ease in raising. A
boy of ten years old will be able to raise
one leaf. At the widest and principal draw
there is a wharf on each side, projecting
out at right angles with the bridge, 100 feet
of great strength, and calculated for YES.
sells to lay at and warp through. The whole
work combines strength, durability and con.
venience. 1t is built of the best and choic.
est materials, in the most workman-like and
strongest manner. The best proof of its
strength is, hat in an unfinished state, many
of the piers Embraced and unsupported, il
stood the severest winter, which has been
known here for twenty years, uninjured.
The ice broke up with a fresh when ii
was nine inches thick, and strong enough
to bear a loaded Wagon. The bridge, when
complicated with additional strength, will
have cost 100000 dollars. Great credit
is due to Mr.. Mills, the builder, and Mr..
Nattage, his foreman, for the elegant de-
sign, and faithful execution, of this beau
tiful and important work. Mr.. Mills's cha
racter, as a bridge-builder, established by
a successful practice of twenty FIVE years,
in different parts of the United States, will
receive additional credit from this work.
The Importance of this Improvement to
the public at large, and to the district in
particular, is obvious to those on the spot !;
but'requires explanation to the former. The
present mail rout passes over a ferry, fire.
quently difficult, and sometimes impossible
to cross, is twelve miles from the Capitol to
Alexandra "a, and is a circuitous, hilly and
a miry road. On an average, it takes 8,
and when the roads are bad four hours to
travel it. The distance from the Capitol to
Alexandria is less than 6 miles is straight,
level, and beautifully %turnpiked by the A.
lexandrians, and can be travelled with ease
in fifty minutes. Connecting Washington,
which contains 5000 inhabitants, with A
%lexandria, a commercial place OF 5000, u
hitting the two counties of the district, the
states of Virginia and Marylend, and the
southern andnorthern portions of the union,
it extremely facilitates communication and
opens more markets for the accommodation
OF the country. We believe there is no
point ON the mail route, from Georgia TO
Maine, capable Of SO great Improvement.
MAT. Int.