The Evansville journal., 1868-05-27

said span NOT less tnan I've hundred feet
Mr. President, IN order to explain
briefly how 1t IS that 2 span Of three
hundred feet Is not sufficient I Will
state In what mode the heavy freights
upon the Ohio River are trans ported. 1t
Is done now chiefly by what are called
barges and tug-boats. They have
some sixty tug boats going out from
Pittsburg for the purpose Of towing
coal-bOats only. These cOal-b boats
are fastened upon each side Of the
steam tug. Sometimes these tOWs on
the upper Ohio are one hundred and
fifty feet In width, as | am informed.
Mr.. johnson. All lashed together
Mr.. Morton. All lashed together,
and showing perhaps four or six coal
barges before them. By towing the
coal boats in this way the transpOrta-
ton is made very cheap as compared
with the old way of floating fat
boat down the river; and this has be-
come the received method Of trans
porting heavy freights On the Ohio
River. some Of these tOws when thus
lashed together are one hundred and
fifty feet In width, and when they ap-
prOach the SteubenviIle bridge, if the
wind Is high and the current strong,
they are compelled 20 wait.
They can never safely pass
that bridge IN the night time.
The delay is matter OF heavy
cost to them, al the rate of one hum
dred and f ty or two hundred dollars
a day, as the case may be. They must
lie by until the daylight In order TO
pass the bridge and if the wind IS
high il is very difficult to pass with
out collision. 1t is an immense
mass of freight. sometimes as much
as one hundred thousand bushels of
coal being in the tow. It's. Of course.
very hard to steer a collection of
boats Of that kind and great losses
have occurred
On the lower Ohio below the falls
these tOws are made wider than
above. With a strong current or
with a high wind they cannot safely
pass any bridge with ouly a span Of
three hundred feet, they are so un-
w.eldy It is therefore matter of
the first Importance that tile piers oil
the bridges shall be so far apart that
these steamboats, and tug-hOats with
the barles attached shall be able so
pass even In the night time without
delay, and shall be able q pass with
out danger even when there are winds
and strong currents. This is impOs-
sible with any bridge having a span
Of only three hundred feet.
Now. sir [ will read a single resO,
luton adopted by the Chamber Of
Commerce of the city of Cincinnati:
"ReS0iUed, That every bridge over the
9hlO River should be required to nave az
east one span Of not less than hve oun-
1Ied feet over the main channel: and that
piers which shall narrow the navigation
more than this Will be a serious and un-
ustifiable obstruction and danger. We
therefore ask the General Assembly Of
% provide that ali bridges over Jhls river
shalt be required to Rave AT least one span
II not less than five hundred feet over the
main channel"
Some question may be asked as to
whether brides Of five hundred feet
ire practicable. l have evidence
lere that perhaps will be satisfactory
20 every member of the Senate that /
hey are not only practicable, but that I
hey are of very little more cost than (
bridges of three hundred feet span. /
In the advance of engineering science I
t is found that bridges Of five hun /
lred feet span can be constructed to I
)ear any burden that may be put .
lpon them, and that the cost is verv |
title greater, and some engineers, say /
10 greater than those with a span of /
hree hundred feet | will ask the
to read a letter from
TOhn A. Roebling, who construct
d the suspension bridge at Niagara
nd the suspension bridge at Cincin-
ati, and who Is now constructing a
ridge OF sixteen hundred and twenty
eet over the Hudson River Just above
ne city Of New York, and who I be-
.eve, viii construct a bridge over the
last River at New York, which has
span amounting to / do not know
that; l believe, IN the neighborhOOd
f fifteen hundred feet.
Mr.. johnson. Does the hon
rable Senator say he Is con
tructing a bridge above the
ity of New York?
Mr. Morton. Yes, sir; at the High
lnds, some sixteen miles above, with
span Of sixteen hundred and twenty
eet.
Mr.. J Johnson. A suspension bridge?
Mr.. Morton Yes, sir. | will read
he letter of Mr.. Roebling on that
1bject, which is short, and to which
invite the attention Of the Senate
[Senator Morton here read letters
ON John A. Roebling, of New Jer-
~, and Captain Eads, of St. Louis,
lowing that bridges Of 800 feet span
nd upwards could be built, and at
cry little greater increased expense; 4
lat they were actually engaged in