True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1838-10-06
Bridge euer the M,sstsappi.- II

Suspension Bridge over the M,sdsnppi-In the
Courier of Thursday is the following extract from
fore en journal. "
"THE BRlpek op CuBzAc.-A remarkable bridge
il now considerably advanced in France, which |
will be- one OF the most remarkable structures OF
the kind in the world. II 10 a suspension bridge,
of five arches spans, each Of which is 800 feet
10 width. The floor will be 10 feet above tho
surface of the water The suspension chains will
be supported by columns of cast iron 80 fee, in
height, resting on pedessals Of masonry"
From these facts, the Courier deduces the
startling proposition Of bridging the Mississippi,
and that, too, oRly order to reduce the price Of
crossing from six and quarter, to three cents, and
gravey asserts that by SO doing the property hol-
aers in the three villages opposite the city, would
have the cos, returned to them fold, in the in
creased value Of their lots! BY what logic this re.
suit is come at, passes our conception. The
width of the river opposite Canal stree, 10, a. high
water, less than 'welve hundred yards, instead
of 800 The depth Of the river, the nature Of the
soil beneath and the rapidi.y Of it's current, all rem
der i, impossible to raise any column in its midst,
and consrquen,ly,i if made, the bridge n'ust be of
one entire span of 1900 yards. Ships Of The lar
gcst size constantly sail past our city, bu. even
one Of 600 TOMS has from the water to the truck
, Of her Ak -aail mas, height Of something over
TWO hundred feet, which mus, consequently be
the minimum elevation Of the floor Of the propo
sed bridge Now if an arch Of 800 fee, in width !,
I and 70 in height, requires an iron colums OF W
feet TO support the chains. it 10 plain that one Of
5000 feet, or 1900 yards would require each side
. the river, an erection Of iron, or masonry, OF al
!. leas, from twelve to fourteen hundred feet in
a height.
. An entire square would scarcely afford suf1ieisn
c room for the base Of such an elevated s.fucture
: and 10 make any thing like accessible approach
to the bridge tina opening to it mu" be some whsr
between Rampant Street, and the Mstsirie Ridge
Il The bearing Tor the chains must be at losH fifteen
e or eighteen, hundred feet from the elevated
3 colomns, aud could the flooring be by any pos
i, sibility constructed, the bridge in high VIM
would have an oscillation like the pendulum OF
clock, Of scending parachute, or boys swim
between NV" upright pines. VI tbs cost Of sucl
:. a giant structure not prepared to give ct
hr estimate, but Of its prscticabili.y child nigh
I'd Judge. If ts objee, be. as suggested by this sag
r. protector Of public Improvements, to save ihre
cents in crossing, humbly opine that the labo
70 of reaching the entrance and .rsversing tho vas
ne extent Of this mammoth bridge would cause q
IL ex,ravagant waste Of shoe leather, alone. -
AZ The only large suspension bridges known, az
formed from projected eminenee to anothe
and vet with all these natural advantages we he
IS, eve there 10 not one that stretches an eighth
this vas. projected span. The Sunderland SUI
st pension bridge lie about q hundred yards in widtt
u and will Just admit vessels Of 200 TONS to pas
beneath. That OF tho Menai is Of nearly III
st same proportions; that Of the Cubzae is muc
BY abou, the same, for though 1900 feet in Width.
., has i've iron columns support it, tina, the spa
an Is nowhere greater than hundred yards
a By whom could such structure be erected
NJ, by the property holders the right bank, Fl
the millions i, would cost is far beyond the
mssns No, by tho city, since it's protested obee
l. is to take away its population. Not by the State
for who would propose to i, so Utopsn a scheme
st and even were il built does the dreamer Of tn
W Courier think it would he free of toll? To bridg
NJ the Lake from Pontchartrain to Vaudeville woul
he but labor Of love; but 10 arch the Missisaipp
10 fitted for a dream Of or the seepers.