New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-31
FROM READING, PA.
% of Tho N, Y. Tribune.

Correspondence of Tho N. Y. Tribune
READING, Friday, May >, 1856.
As the circulation of your valuable paper has
reached to 20 high number in this Part oil fenn'yl-
vans, take it for granted that you feel inresed In
the welfare and prosperity of everything arounN u.s.
/ propose giving TO you all account OF some of the
public works now being constructed in the immediate
vicinity of this city,
Reading, as no doubt most of your readers are al
ready acquainted is built on the banks OF the schuyi
ki SO miles above the commercial metropolis OF this
State, on the line Of the Paladelpha and Reading
Railroad as well on tho canal belongtng TO
the Schuylkill Navigation Company. 1t is also the
eastern terminus Of the Union Canal aud the Lebanon
Valley Railroad the latter work now being built be-
tween this place and Harrisburg 1t is the work upon
the last named road to which wish especially to call
your attention. The masonry and brick work, VIII
venture to say, not to be surpassed in strength,
beauty and hnish by that Of any similar work 10 the
country Judging from the structures they are build
ing in this neighborhood, The Company have adopted
the policy of putting up none but 'drs:ciass work,
Railroad to the Schuylkil the line Of the Lebanon
Valley crosses number Of the streets and roads lead
ing por,h from thi. place ..,,,o
napy have nearly completed viadSf OF three arches
one large one with ten feet rse to cross the wagon
way thirty feet WIDE and two smaller, one over eacn
sidewalk, The structure crosses tho ioau oouYu0y,
the angle being $50 making the span OF the askew
section of the large arch IS feet II buit OF red
sand stone tmost of the public buildings here oelhg
built of that material cut and dressed with the ex.
ceotop of the small arches, that are OF orck except
The .ads which are also of the red stone.
Thi, bridge. with liz wing walls whom finished and
mounted with its oornice, will present quite al npOS'
ing appearance. o,,,,,, -.
Mr.. NJ, f.. LYONS, the Associate CheHEngtneer OF
the Lebanon Valley Company, Is the engineer under
whose immediate supervision the work Is being car
Iied ON. -,
The advantage Of this pan of bridge consists IN the
abutments VI piers being parallel b. the rOad cFosseu
while the arch s thrown over in an obhquo ouVc.'on
The more common method Of spanning on skew
with stone or brick archcd vaduct istO have series
OF arches along side OF each other each sprpgng from
Offset of the main abutmeIt, at night angles TO the
dir cton Of the arch.
To throw the thrust Of this arch on the abutment'
az much as possible in the direction parallel to the
plain Of the sskew section the string courses run at
right angles to the heads Of the arch thu OF these
conrsts commences with voussoir the face OF the
ech ~ or the crown, and ends the abutncnt OF
ne ue springing line the other face There Is thus
tone IN the work, AMI the voussors are Of the
,~kness on the back Of tie arch as they are on
,ng az night angles thote of ,hs corrrsinr
etuei iesath urougho of the voussors uNake o.
n,e P" pp'oaoi9 TO brick arches There arr several
bnoges Oh thls knd IN Great Britain bnt according 10
M'e Ds"eP"P'i account Of the one am now sneak
States. " '"0 '"'''N
more minute account Of this stvl. &c ~.
be found on page Isl "MAhan's Civil runoane iusN
and believe the drawings in detail are es40ctns,
n voiane which treats on RAILWAYS OF sc,;.. Sn III
sipesrng books called the "Pubhc Works OF On IN
Britain