Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-31

their spray the bed Of fhis aerial fabric While
far bel5w they plunge on with deafenine roar
and resistless fure through tie yaWninR eulf
beneath, which seems 20 have been ordained bt
the Creator as the boundary of, and barrier
between, two great countries +'
Crossing the Niagara River at height OF
Two hhhdreH and foriy-fvc feet IRON is surface,
commanding on one side fnll view Of that
mighty waterfall, the wonder of the world
and on the other a partial one Of the renowned
whirlpool, whose fearful eajics defy the sb.
proach of The boldest navigator and the most
fearless adventurer, the Suspension Bridge pre-
sents one Of tho ridst iniposng sights The eye
ever rested on All homage is involohlarilS
rendered 10 the mind thai conceived, ilIe Skill
that designed, ahd tie enterprise that gave ex-
istence 10 this magnificent structure
Viewed from distance, its elevation and lis
great length, as il stretches over the river In
an unbrokeo span Of cighi haadrcd and hreaig,
hco feet, give TO it fragile appearance hut
near approach reveals lis enormous strength
Il is supported by four wire cables, which ate
carried over four stone towers the ends Of
these cables being strongly anchored and firmly
secured in a solid bank Of masonry. into which
they are sunk FROM twenty-five 10 Thirty feet
The height Of the two towers on The Canada
side is 7s feet, while That Of those on the Amer
lean side is ss feet. The diameter Of each Of
the four grea, cables is 10 inches, and they
each contain 3,6i0 wires Is the four, there
are, consequently, IA $50 wires The weight
Of the superstrOcture is $50 tons that Of the
supporting strength Of the cable is 1000 tons,
while their ultimate strength is 70 400 tons
From each of these cables there hang, in
nearly vertical direction, and at a distance Of
about four feet apart, smaller wire cables Of
about one and half inches in diameter By
these the superstructure is suspended and one
Of the most interesting features in this portion
Of the work is, that il forms double bridge
for directly under. and sixteen feet below the
platform en- which the track Of the railroad is
laid, is anolher platform forming bridge for
foot passengers and for vehicles uf all descrip-
tions. This is connected with the upper plat
form, or railroad bridge, BY truss work Of
wood and iron, Of extraordinary strength A
few feet Of each end Of the lower or carriage
bridge rest on stone abuimenis. II is braced in
every possible manner, and completely stay
ed by heavy lateral cables, attached to the un-
der sides, secured 10 the cliffs and in the rocks
at their base, near the edge and on each side Of
the river, that The most furious Winter gales do
not cause the slightest percepiible sibration.--
The railroad bridge is crossed by single track,
on both sides Of which is sufficient space for
foot passengers 10 pass. Ii is laid with four
parallel rails, so arranged as TO form an equal
number Of guages, which is a novel and valua-
BILE arrangement, as il is thus made availableto
the locomotives and cars Of roads having guages
Of various widths. lE -5ns9
For tlre above particulars We are indebted 10
Jons A. RoLRIING, Esq, the Engineer, by
whom the work was projected, and under whose
supervision it has been constructed. He is 4
Prussian by birth, but has resided rnshy iyesrs
in America. "a In the conception and execution
Of this great undertaking, and in the production
Of what had been pronounced By eminent scien-
iifc colemporares an impossibility, be has great
ly distinguished himself, and has erected an
enduring monument OF fame, on which millions
will yet gaze with wonder and delight:
OF lis kind and as work Of art il is une-
qunled. 1t is the only railroad suspension
bridge in the world now completed. II is,
moreover, double suspension bridge. The
celebrated bridge at Frysburg, in Switzerland,
is beautiful, but it is a carriage bridge only
STrPHrSsoS's famous Britannia Railway
Bridge is siupendous work, but that, too, is
single one, and built on piers, between which
the greatest span is but four hundred and sixty
feet Of all the splendid structures of ancient
or modem times which have excited The wonder
and admiration Of the world, we know of none
which, for combination of natural position, sci
eniihe projection, great span. massive strength,
finished mechanical skill, vast utility, and hem
e6cence Of purpose, can compare with Rom
dsc's great International Highway. Though
no, castle in Spain, it is Gibraltar in the
air. sfel
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