Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-11-30
M(istfllaneol,s.

THE BftKDGa OVER THE ST. LAWRENCE
The Victoria Bridge over the ST. Lawrence
will certainly be the most remarkable work of
the kind in the Canadas--we might say in the
whole world. 1t reminds US Of some of the old
Roman works, such as the ancient acqueducts
which span the valleys of Italy, in their grand
and gigantic proportions, more than of an ordi-
nary bridge over river. We know of nothing
on the continent of Amerioa-nothing on the
continent Of Europe-which approaches this
work in the grandeur and greatness of it's de-
sign.
The success of the engineer in the building of
the Britannia Bridge, has fully justified him in
deciding upon the adoption OF the same plan for
the Victoria Bridge, which will be constructed
on twenty-foar piers, with spans or spaces, for
the navigation, exclusive of the two abu tmenta,
from whence the tubes spring at either side
The center space or span will be $50 feet wide,
aud each Of the other twenty-four spans, will be
220 feet wide. The width of the two piers near
est to each abu tment will be fifteen feet. and as
the piers approach the centre span, the width
and strength of each will be increased until they
reach the two contre piers, when it will amount
to eighteen feet.
The abutments from which the tubes spring
will be each of them 242 feet long and 20 feet
wide, and from the north shore of the st. Law
rapoo tn tho nortb obutnart N tbora Ill ho sol; 4
smbankment of rough masonry 200 feet in
length, raised like an artificial rock to resist the
current. The stone embaRkment leading from
the south shore Of the river to the south abut-
ment will be half this length, or 600 feet. The
length Of the bridge itself, from the abutment,
and its total length from river bank to river
bank, will be 1884 feet, Or about so yards less
than two English miles.
The summer average depth of the St. Law.
renee varies from IA feet near tho centre to 4
feet near the banks, and the current runs in thil
part at the rate OF from to 10 miles an hour
The clear distance between tho under surface o.
the centre tube, and the average summer leve
VI sio AA'~e 'e ~ po w oct, anu Iit HelSHJ VII
diminish towards either side, with grade o.
. the out or river edge of each abutmsnt, thu
8 height Of which will be Sc feet above the sum
NOR level.
r On the 9th Of July last, the first stone il
8 tho bed Of tho river was raised for the construc
non 81 she frst pier of the bridge, and now, OF
= the l4th OF September, 8" Pier No. l." has aris
en- several feet above the level of the river. ant
: the process of binding the blocks may be seer
8 and understood Each stone of the structure 4
= olamped to its fellow by bands of iron, and tn,
: insterstices are filled with molten lead and th
o strongest Roman Cement The result will b.
3 the construction of masonary as durable as tha
y Of the Coliseum or the Appian ways, whicl
% have withstood the wear and tear of time an,
traffic for moro than 1900 years, and whic
n will continue to exist as monuments of the skill
Q and industry of man.
Y Unless unforeseen difficulties arise, the frs
d railway train will pass over the broad st. Law
d renee by the summer of 1858. The commercia
advantages will consist in the fact that the Vic
. toria Bridge will bring into direct communica
d tion, without break Of guage or bulk, the e,
l. haustlsss products of Canada West, and of Micl
l. igan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and all th
Western States of the Union. #
Reciprocity will have opened the door so il