, 1865-12-05
The Great Bridge at Albany--Tmp0rt-
ant Link In EaHtcrn Railroad Connec-
SIonA-C1fa TO Cross In January.


After troublesome and ve1attous deIay5,
growing out Of the opposition to this i'm
pr0vement, on tho part Of residents at Troy,
the work was at length commenced In April,
1864.
The bridge proper that Is to say, omitting
the approaches, which in themselves arc
quite lormilabie) consists of two abntmcnts
and nineteen piers, the two abntmeuts and
twelve piers having been built this season,
making a total leng gth OF 2>0o0 feet. The main
river Is crossed BY four spans OF l78 feet, be-
tween centres Of piers, on the plan known ss
each. The remaining fourteen spans over the
shallow water On the east side, 40 also over
the basin On the west side, are short spans,
ranging from ~ to 78 feet each, built on the
fame general plan.
The piers and abutments are all founded on
piles. In some cases the bed Of the nvcr at
the site Of the pier, was e1carated to depth
of 10 or IL feet, aud within this space piles
were driven to hard bottom, sometimes IS
low - Sc feet. A heavy timber crib Was then
built around these piles Of the dlmena.ons of
the proposed masonry, md resting on
the bottom Of the excavation, reach
| mark; this crib was then 1lled with
: concrete, and foored with heavy timber.
upon which the first stone Of the masonry was
| laid In other cases, after e1caTntinS as Do-
fore, mud driving the piles, the LITTER "ese
sawed OH 10 level JUST uDVfV AoI - A.
| a floating caisson, With timber noo1 ,be =. tns
! dimension Of the proposed pler, VIZ ansa aneuo4
| over the piles, aud tbs masonIy W - -
in fhts catason. which soo1 settled 70 Us Dear
ing on the heads Of the piles, a wen h ne alaas
xere removed ey 9spxs unssIsSas etssmasse. ~ '' Auo
/ ~ .1.rs ara OF cut Limestone masonry,
-,t. t,nh th rrs. and nrt> 50 feet In height
| M "to TIE ~ xafsr. and have width at bot
! auose s - "a q eet- and at top under the coping
t.an,eh tom ~ nroert6 0 inches on all sides) of6%
! ~ hnflt Of heavy cut stone laid IN cement
] Tss' f,cc stone arc all crnmped together by
INN cramps, and IN addition, tho two faees
of The pier are tied together by Iron bars at
intervals On each course along the front cx-
tending through the pier from side to side;
md stu further to insure the strength Of tha
masonry, the head stones are all doWelea to-
gether with iron dowels, each stone to the
stones both above aud below.
The dimension OF the masonry IS designed
fora double track bridge. but one Of which
Is now under construction. All tho work
under construction !; including the approaches
TO the bridge in the city, has been designed
In view Of tho probability, and 70 facilitate
at no distant day the erection Of double
track iron bridge and draw throughout.
The draw, nov building, Is OF timber, glY-
ing two clear openings Of IL feet Inches each.
The turn table upon which 1t rests, Is . pom
/ 1ero11s affair Of irou, designed 1hr doaate
track jron bridge, built at The Boston machtno
works after designs BY Col Adams
When the iron lraw IL erected, which VIII
be done without interfering with the opera
! tfnn OF Tho pfesent drnw, md which Wta not
be removed until the hon bridge u completoA