The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-24
THE ALBANY ERlD GE.
It's Dimensions, Cost AND Com
pletion.
Our Albany Correspondence.


enough completed to allow the passage of trains
It, II is structure which for size and length is
equaed by few in this country. For several years past
the Various railroad companies interested in this
br dge have the necessity Of constructing it, but
they Lack the nerve 10 undertake the job Their am.
bon however, soon overcame their nervousness; and
in June. 1854, the plans specifications &C. of the
Albany bridge had been drawn and that month and
year the Il erecting the was commenced
The immediate supervision of tho work was placed in
the hands OF Mr. Brdgeford formerly Of the New York
Central Railroad; but for reason or other the
affairs connected with his department did not progress as
rapidly as was expected by the directors; and in con-
sequence thereof Mr. A. f. Smith, then and now Super
ntenden of the Hudson River Railroad, was appointed
his SUCCESSOR Mr. Smith Immediately selected his own
mon for the business and from that time forth the work
progressed rapidly
The SUPPLEMENTARY OF the wood or trestle work was
given TO Mr. Newman the celebrated bridge builder and
the mason work and construction of piers abuments
to Messrs Snyder and Meadden. The labor continued
vigorously until February u.s. 1885, when the first o-o
mott o. tho Augustus Schel of the Hudson River Rail-
road John Dyckman, engineer passed it from one
end to the other On the 21s of February another
CINE drawing two heavily laden also passed over it.
TIE DIsEvsIoNs OF TIE BRIDGE
Tho exremo length OF the structure from where It Laps
to the track .. II dson River Railroad on the east
side OF the river to where touches the track OF the
New York Central Railroad in Broadway Albany on the
west side of the river is four thousand eight hundred
feet, or nearly a mile Its height from high water
mark is thirty feet Tho height of the over tho
draw from high water mark is ninety feet
The draw consists Of two spans each one hundred and
Ten feet and when quarter open vessels of the LARGEST
SIZE can pass through at the same time. The
bridge are both built on the plan Of Howes pat mt with
the exceptions Of some slight improvements made by
Messrs. SIN! h ana Newman
THE AHUrHENTs
Tho entire bridge rests upon twenty abutments or
piers These are firmly located and capable o. with.
studing any shock that the heaviest spring freshets
can brns 10 bear against them They instructed Of
limestone, being securely anchored to the
other ny means OF iron bolts Tho north side of them
are iii the form OF V, be ng made In order moro
eoctaiy break The force of the heavy blows from eIds
IT floating ice drifting southwark the breaking up of
the Hudson every spring. Four o. the spans supported
oy these abutments are one hundred aud scventy.two
eet each 70 rteen OF them seventy feet each and
the other two, composing the draw, hundred and
ten toct each.
There are one or two items connected with the bridge
Which Will not prove un interest ne 20 the curious They
CONSIST Of over two million feet Of timber used In tho
work, Two thousand ties aud one hundred tons of
ron.
CONSUMED IN BUILDING, AND csr
&tc time consumed in erecting the stru tnre was
aEoat tw nty months, and the cost Of tho work W II
reach nearly, If not quite, twelve handrcd thousand
collars.
RAILROAD cRrsIxG IT.
9Ae trst train proper passed II Thursday the
2at % February.
After meeting o railroad officials at Albany on that
day train of cars was made up To carry hom the
bridge = general in talon having been extended to
prominent road men the city :oini any the
oNcurionist Through tho Kindness of superintendent
Iuucey Tie Hudson River Railroad your corrcspoud
ent one of the number.
At fifteen minutes ras three O'Clock in the afternoon
plcnd pa sscuger cars and b. gage car with loco
motive attached wer standing In front of the Delavan
Hoase awaiting the plea ure Of The distinguished party
THE CARA
O ara AIT IN tbo ftan ir.tv all
bctnR y, ntod outsid with Lively red coior and highly
Mashed They built expressly for new route
pn"fo twenty -four of them, the New York Central
La rold Company supply ng sixteen, the Boston Compa
~ four, and the Hudson RIVER Railroad Company
Trey are u be used only on the direct road from New
Yog. 10 Buffalo, and tae which tncy arc to be
attached viii be known as ''the Red Lane"
The sleeping cars are of the color The inside
wcrX these is magnificent; they are finished in
Ca and walnut, with crimson velvet cushioned
GOO ana froscooa In Il. psns. nvsd arg and
PORTRAITS whie from the top the light streams throush
laeut railroad chandeliers, located intervals the
ecatre o the car They are all supplied with patent
| TIE STARTING or ras TRAIN
Al half past three O'Clock, all being IN readiness the
signal gwen and the train drawn by the locomotive
Janes e. Lloyd Of the New York Ccntra Railroad Frank
ssier engineer, Starred up the Centra track for the
o'u-e On broadway, near The "est eld 'i The struc
hundreds o. people had c0ngregaed 10 witness
raage of The bridge aud as tbs cans ncaied IL shout
aflsr shout Went up in honor Of the .ent so great
tie rush u port ON OF the crowd TO get ON the
a.. and with IL -iat II feared Of them
aid be killed, but all were agreeaby disappointed
nRiD.E.
| IN a momen; deep rumblng sound admon shed all
tina train the structure, and Immediately out
! q; every one a the windows appeared head Inc
ST. a ION 10 say the least t. was a novel one Some
oi he more OF the excursOnis.s ontenled
sayes itb taking and looking az ea other not caring
shocking their nerves with downward look at tie
| beneath. On both sides o. the Hudson far
tae eye could REACH little squads Of humans could be
~utcng the traiu II mos ed slowly towards the
eastern shore Ia cw moments the opposite bank
led and congratulations Oh the safe passage OF the
bridge were Freely INDUCED IN
1tTURS
Tho train then proceeded down the Hudson River Rail.
track to the vicinity of The East Albany station Of
that road, wh,ic tbs New York Central ,ne
loose and locom live belonging TO the Hudson River
| Railroad Company, the James Banker Mr. Redwood,
engn err was attached. passeng car of the Boston
road also attached TO the this po NJ which
made Our srs In all aud oil OF them full OF passengers
The then started u roiurn recro sing the bridge in
safety aud hating or moment on the west sido 10
allow cnierpr Ing Photographic 70 transfer The
studio. As the reached the New York Central
track again the dense crowd present sent up shouts Of
hight, and the screaming OF locomotive whistles min
Cling the cheers OF the popuaos rendered the
| al interesting aud exciting AT O'Clock, or
shorty aer the ars again halted In front OF the Doa
van House the stingushed railroad officials well sats
lied with the mness OF the bridge and The pleasant trip
| Over H.
| ANOTHER FRIDGE To w purLr
The directors OF the present bridge have IL under
sideraon TO build another structure 10 be made OF iron
10 superscdc the present wooden at future
time.
II IL also under consideration To cover the present
bridge which VIII make II last from eighteen 10 twenty
| years lon CT tlan otuerWiso
| The trains will not commence 20 run over the now
bridge II about the LIST Of March, when Passengers will
be- enabled go from New York and Boston to Buffalo
| without change OF cars
| rgRso.s TRAIN.
Among the notables the excursion train | no.ic,d
Dean Richmond, President OF tho New York Central
Ra lroad; W. Chlttenden. Superintendent OF the same
road; Chester W. Chaplin President Of Albany and
Boston Railroad nry Gray superintendent % Albany
and Boston Railroad; Hon f. T. Clarke, J. H. Banker
aud Mason schidel, Directors Of New York Central
Railroad; and NJ Toucey, superntcndents Of Hudson
| River Railroad, and others
| CROSSES THB BnfDGB
| shortly after the excursion train had returned,
freight train OF twenty heavily laden cars from
Buffalo and crossed the bridge. The cars al
| painted red
The bridge liz certainly strong one, neither OF III,
trains which passed causing IL to creak
| Great credit Is due Messrs Smith Newman for the
perseverance In the work. the structure being standing
| monument VI their worth.