Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1855-04-07
SPECIFICATIONS

Far a Vire Suspension Bradge:s TO be
erected at Bid.oeil, Butte County, Cal
ifornia, for the Bid'rM Bridge Com
Pany.
The Bridge may have span Of two hun
dred and forty feet. measured in straight
line from pier to pier. There are to be four
wire cables, tive on side. about two inches
apart. on the same plane Zach cable TO con-
tain three hundred wires, size number ten :;
each wire in said cables 10 be hrst stretch
ed, tested, and freed from kinks, AID If of the
proper strength, to be then layed together
compactly, giving to each wire III position, the
same tension. Each wire, before they shall
have been made into the cables, shall be Dip
ned several times into linseed oil, boiled with
"A small portion of litherage and lampblack-
Each cable is to raped spirally with a wire
tightly Each cable before being placed to its
position. is to receive thick coating of the
foregoing preparation Of inseed oil &c, and
finally painted with wife lead paint. Each OF
said cables when placed in lis position, to have
the same sine and versine. The swag of
each cable to be not less than twelve feet
The cables at each end are to run over tow
ers, and resting on east iron saddles the same
as hereinafter mentioned, running back with
versine to the tower, twenty feet, on to the
point, where they strike the anchorage, each
being fastened to different anchorage on the
same line, on the same plane, and making
equal versines. The anchorages are to be
wrought iron bars, imbedded securely to the
best advantage ia the bed rock, so that each
anchorage will bear pressure or pull in the
direction Of tho cables, equal to one hundred
tons, the same to be done in the best and most
durable manner. Each cable is to be fastened
hn hv oil
keys, in the most approved manner, having a
strength equal to. or greater than each cable.
The suspension claims are to be of number
ten wire, and about three fourths of an inch
in diameter, each wire to be tested and paint
ed as those in the cables. Said chains are to
be fastened alternately to each cable. They
are to be fastened at the top to their respect
i've cables, by an iron saddle clasping the ca
Bile securely. The saddle and suspending
chains on each cable are to be apart alternate
ly seven feet, measuring from the centre of
each saddle through the entire span, making
the roadway bearers three and-a-half feet
spart. The saddles on each cable are to be
fastened one to the other in suitable manner,
by a number seven wire tapping its respective
cable three or more times between cash saddle.
The chains at the lower ends are to be fasten-
ell securely to a stirrup that shall clasp the
tranVersal road bearers, The stirrups at the
suspendng points to be made with an impress
sion at the point of suspension, to receive the
chain. These chains from the point of sus-
pension are to have slight and uniform obi
guilty towards the longitudinal axis of the
Bridge. as well as towords the centre of the
curve.
ABUTMENTS OR PIERS,
There is to be one on each side of the river,
about two hundred and forty feet apart Its
foundation is to be ieveled and solid. Each
abutment might be thirty feet long, ten feet
widc and twelve feet high, where the road
way passes above high warter mark That
particular portion of the pier which is design
ed 10 support the towers. if the same shall be
built of cast iron-shall be raised about one
foot above the roadway. These abutments
shall have groove on their face towards each
other, Of the proper Dimensions and quality,
for the road way to abut against.
These abutments or piers shall be constructed
of the strongest and best quality of stone
within one-half mile of the site of said Bridge
The same is to receive batter on all Sides
The stone is to be layed in hydraulic cement
and grouted The cement to be the best and
most durable. The work to be dressed Rub
BILE Masonry.
There shall be four towers, cast iron or
stone. They shall each be composed of four
east iron columns, inclining inwards at the
top. and their base resting on. and fastened to
a tabular iron plate of sufficient size and
strength. Said plate thall be anchored to the
pier. The columns at the top shall be firmly
united to each other, and SO constructed that
the towers the same side, can be firmly
fastened at the top to each other by an iron
cross-bar of sufficient strength. Said cross bar
to have iron bracse connecting it with the
towers. Each tower to be constructed with a
view to fasten the cast iron saddles over which
each cable is to pass. The saddles are to be
seated on rollers on the top of the towers so
that the cables can accommodate themselves
The same to be done securely. They are to be
sixteen feet high, and bear pressure of nine
ty tons.
If the towers should be constructed with
stone, they are TO be sixteen feet high and
strong to bear pressure of ninety
tons, with proper batter, to be connected at
the top by cross-bar of iron or timber, and
braced to the towers. The tops shall receive an
iron plate, made fast and permanent to the
tower, to which shall be fastened the east iron
saddles made as aforesaid.
The roadway is to be eighteen feet in the
clear, and the timber used shall be Yellow
Pine, or other timber Of equal strength and
dun ability. 1t is to be crowned at the centre
about two feet. The road bearers are to be
five by teninches, and not less than TWEEN
ty feet long, excepting every sixth one, which
shall not be less than twenty five and a-half
feet. The road bearers are fastened to the
suspending chains bp stirrups as heretofore
described, and shall at least be one for every
chain, three and-a-half feet apart. The road
way bearers shall be covered diagonally with
plank two and-a-half inches thick by not less
than twenty-tiv feet l5ng, upon which flooring
there shall be second flooring of the same
thickness and dimensions, layed in a cross di-
agonal to the first, each to be thoroughly
spiked. Inside of the suspending chains
piece of timber two by eight inches shall be
layed the length Of the road way, which shall
be fastened by iron bolts to every fourth road
bearer
THE PARAPET
Shall be constructed on the principle of
Towns Lattice. The upper cord shall be
curve with crown of not less than five feet
above the crown of the Bridge The cords
shall be two by eight inches, with diagonal
braces. with three and a-half feet run,
screwed together with iron rods; also, iron
straining rods, connecting the upper cord of
the parapet with the road bearers, and the
same screwed together firmly. The circular
cords of the parpet at each end to be securely
anchored into the stone abutments. The road
bearers that are twenty-five and-a half feet
long, are to be braced at each end to the para
pet, to prevent any outward pressure Of the
parapet There is to be corresponding num-
Der on the inside. The parapet is to be built
on the inside of the inner cables, and eighteen