Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-10-08


Tho magnitude Of the immense Wire Bridge, now 10
he progress Of construction over the Ohiofver.a at Wheel-
ing, will be understood from The following Description Of
il. the Items II which arc derived from the report Of the
Engineer, Mr.. Chas. Ellei, J:
The span Of the Bridge is | Clio feet from centre to
centre of the eu 7porlng towers. being 1852 fret longer
than The celebrated Fribourg bridge, which is The or eat.
esi span hereIuf re constructed. The height of the
flooring. at its greatrs, elevation. is 81 feet above The low
water level OF the Ohio, giving an elevation Of SO feet
abpve The great q oi of 1882. aud So feet above any other
known rise Of The stream n stage Of water, by the way.
,ha. is 81 seldom attained. and when attained is never
~naviga,ed in consequence of the overflow If the hanks,
the submerging Of the bottoms. and the general sweeping
III Of wuoi-piles, &c.; 50 that all references 10 and com.
Parsons with II are matters rather Of curiosity than Of
practical utility. On a rise of ,wen'y Zee, above low -wa,er
there will be- an elevation Of " teet trum The surface Of
thu water to the 4 er Of the bridge.
The summit of the Eastern tower is 1884 feet above
low water. and 60 fcet abpve The abulment by which il
is supported. The n1oiing is "A fee, wide. with two
foot ways. each 81 teei, and an intermediate carriage
way II feet wide. The flooring is supported by IL
cables of itn wire, 4 inches in diameter and $3.50 fee,
long. these cables rest on iron rollers, placed ON the
submits Of the towers, the movements of which will re-
lieye the ,uwers Of the strain which would be occasioned
by The cpntlaction and %elongation Of the wires, conse-
srquent on variations Of temperature, or the irausilory
luads that may pass over, The cables are anchored into
the heavy masonry of the wing walls nj each end If the
bridge, The length Of the wtDd work which rests on
the cabels i. 96O feet lis weight $40 pounds per lincal
foot, or 52i l60 ~pounds.or 262 tons in the whole. Each
cable is composed Of $50 strands of No. 10 in wire, The
weight OF each lnesl foot of The IL cables. composed OF
6.60O Stands. is $50 pounds, making with the weight
of timber, bolts, castings. suspenders. Sc, 920 pounds
\ per lin.al faoi, or Al tons as tho permanent weight OF
The bridge itself. Now, independent of this, lis owr
, weight, the bridge is constructed TO support the greatest
transltory weight thai is ever likely 10 be, or ! may say,
cn possibly be brought upon IL. A column Of 10 Of The
six forse wagons used on the National road, would ill
he length Of the span from one abutment to The other
n The flooring is wide enough to receive two such col.
nmns. and therefore capable Of containing 81 such team.
al a lime ; and assuming the average weight of each
3 horse a, 700 pounds aud of each loaded wagon at l2,OOC
pounds. and allowing 500 men nj the average weight Of
$50 pounds each. at the same line, we have an aggre-
gate Of 593. 100 pounds. OF 27 ions as a test uf any
iransIlory weight, ever likely to be brought upon it
This Is about 'qual TO the weight Of 700 cattle, or 4 .00C
men. Now the aggregate strength of the 6 1000 strands
of wire composing The II cables, at 500 pounds ten.
sion for each. (and this is ascerlained by q machine lor
the purpose,) is 1900 900 pounds, or 1850 tns. In
Z the ordinary ,tne Of The bridge. therefore, they will be
capable of supporting Jipc fines the tension shich &C
inally has place. and when the platurm is covered with
81 loaded teams hey will be rapabls of resisting thrre
? times The tension produced by The freight of The bridge
Y hset. and three times he additional tension produred bu
The load upon theJlooring. Thus it would seem that HE
sire, 9Th oi the cables is more than sufficient for all prac-
r .ca, purposes; and all other parts Of the structure are
/" IN The same piuporu,ns.
~ Is Confidently expected, no un,oward even, oc
y curing IN the meantime. that the bridge will be
y Ieaay 'f service by .he first of Nnyember next
. ne" may wheeling he proud Of her great achi, yeneo,.
= Then eili she have distinguished herself as having erc, ted
M" Of The modest, and une vi la. mvs, n.ful ,s.,L. :.
Thy aye.