Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-28
The l'EfERSB VRG RAILROAD BRlDdE.--Jher'
- now h. ling constructs and rapiGly approach

Tur loE4ERsR VRG RAILROAD BRIDUE.-There
is now b. ling tEueted, and rapidly approach
ing comp etion, q Howe truss bridge Cor the
Petersburg Railroad Company, stretching
.cross the lanes river from the foot of Seventh
street TO a point directly opposite on the south
ern shore. At the time OF the fearful coniia-
grafton of April Sd, the old bridge was com
N 1letely deStroyed-all but the piers, which
arc III stone The width Of the river where
the bridge is being regretted IS Z,S9S teet, ana
the number of piers is Is, which, with the two
abntments, make 10 spans. The shortest span
is l3S feet 5 incheS-the next in length are z
spans of l40 feet some inches each' All tue
Other $ varying from $50 feet some inches 10
l54 fe ct 5 inches. The height OF the piers
from Il We water is about 80 feet, and tromthe
ton of the piers TO the top of the bridge, on
which IN rails will be laid, is 81 feet. The
width of h. bridge is Is feet. ND -l.4 . .
No pel ron who has not visited this
,vork can Izge any conception of its magn-
tnde of the, sOldity OF construction, or of the
vast labor a. I'd great mechanical skill it de-
mands The piers stand amid an eyer-iOam-
mo torrent a nd, one Of the things which strikes
the visitor wit the greatest aStonlshment, Is
the skill with 'hich the vast difficulty IN the
way of the erection oil the 'IeSlie NoaN
aS subport for the work on the bridge II
self is overcome. This treStle work has 10 he
erected ON an irregular surface OF rock De
naotb the torrent We have described, and, IN
sonic places that surface is so irregular that
there q re holes init varying from one to twenty
.t,aA daaD The erection Of this treStle work
s,l1,s 10 a. great undertaking. The bridge, neY-
kuT6sisss Is steadily and rapidly stretching its
49, and welI knitted ffamc towardthe Southern
,shore. and 5, son will grasp it as with grip Of
iron. Along he bottom tie-beamS Otthe bridge
a footway ofp hank two feet wide, and guarded
ON either hand by railing, rs already construct
"a 20 that Ws,irkmen can pass over m per-
feet safety the " hole length OF the WORK aS Tar
as it is completed. The bottom eoru OF II
S,,ans, and the TOP cord Of 10 spans, are lald :
5Pe holsters are laid on the wall plates Of the
,butment and one pier on the southern sue ;
and the trestle work Of spans tor lhA1 sue
10 completed ready to receive the saperS, rue
tire which leaves now but a spans OF tfeSiiine
- ~ mt up Many and various dlheHireS
~hsl 10 be encountered since the work was com
--,aooed sneh as the nOn-arrival Of timber, be-
csnse ~ rad weather, the great distance from
,v-hi1i tha timber had to Ne brought, the
-EindfanesDl presented by wind and tide 10
the erection of trestling, and various other
matters too numerous 70 mention, and hMeh
can not always be overcome even oy the mos
indtSmflable perseverance,. Inc dllncaisy ~
procpribg timber rapidly enough 10 meet tns
anxious energy Of the contractor, IS, however,
ove,.eone- for a vessel arrived on, saturday
night. about ten O'clock, and she Is nov 1sArly
E1I,ioadesI. other vessel started from baltl-
--more-on SATURDAY,, and third vessels nearly
loaded in BaItifnoFe. When. this bFidge ls
finished. which il win be in few weeks, 1t vii
he a credit to the contractor, Mr.. Strong, ana
will speak we1 forths company and its engi-
90 eAlAft "A .-~