Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-03-16
The Bridge o. the Hl1ssourl ~
Cooacil RSlui1s.

From the Nonpare,i. Marche
Our reporter on Monday ii tied the ate
OF tho neg bridge scross She river q thi
point. The ic,. Notwithstanding the warn
weather. stiil 1 pt its place. aud the tempo
rary bridge was able 10 sustain the trains ef
cars repeatedly carried over l.. Up to =
late hour IN the evening the bridge wos
ssfs. and cars we're running With safety
Ssxof the huge iron tubes are % the ground.
hat - they are top sections they eamuot b,
us-d until the arrival VI aomc Of the bottom
bell>ahapsd sections. No one can form an
adequate idea " these iron monsters. until
one ssss them. Lying down, they are
large enough Tor nan to ride thseagh On
horseback. and from their appearance i,
would seem aimost Impossible to cast suca
large pieces - accurately - they have been
made. aud si,h such shell Of metal. The
switch or ode track Of the North western
raas toA point near the beach. The lin,
..ch separate, the latter from The tapl,
lana = osnk Sumo eight or ten feet high
dosn which those sccuons, each weighing
or al average 10 600 pounds, must be TAX on
BY iron cable aud puliies GA this bank
has been srsc'ed . double stationary engine
THIS engine wll be used 10 drive the air
pumps, aud also TO work tho windlass ft
handling the tubular sections. The air
puups are two IN number, and the piston
OF each - attached to each piston Of the on
eiae, and every stroke the latter makes IN
driving the windlass, givss . stroke TO the
ar pumps. A large cast iron lube connects
both pumps and comnunicates with the sir
locss BY msaus 81 another cir tight Of four
or dvs inch iros p'ps. and soos 6fsy iss,
long. 70 be extended % the wssk advances
toward the vest side Of the river.
THIS air lock 10 huge cylinder made q
etfoss boiler ireo, abost ssvea feet IL hsjeh.
aad six feet in diameter, and strongly riv.
sted. Is va mot qsits adjsassd, but the
machinists wsrs buoy q work % Il. Two
hollow arms. ex,sading downward froa On.
Posiis s'dss. with self. adjusting valves. Tor
shs purpose Of diseharg,ng the saad, dirt,
and gravel. are attached . the mais eylin i.
der Of the air lock. Other spplianess will
be attached to this eylisdee . ssoo unieass
motion 10. and regulate the action Of The q,
locke. A solid frame wesk If siobss,
strongly oolssd. large secueh 70 admis che
cyit"dsr . b seak Inside q The frame. |.
laid sa hrm fossdasisa, and upon shi.
frame work 10 erected . huge derrick
strsogly brsssd With wiss saAaeo. The eco
'ien. s'll - soak ~ pasesse ths bottom
sns dess % he spee bssssaA which Il 70 in.
tended to rssa The oovsbls cap 10 then
place. On il sod - sA.s cap ~ air lock
and The mseAiassy 81 10 aeiies 70 exhaus,
the air. and = receive the ssnd, silt, and
gravel. By msaus % ~ Gle leek. The sec
''o' - forced to lie plaos BY the external
pressure Of the cir.
The lAbsrsrs. On Aosday, wsse engaged
In digging through the frozss ssnd fSr The
darpo.e of making beginning % soon ~
the osi'>shapsd ssctiese sssivs. Several d
THESE were shipped . week ago, aud are
momsntsriiv expected. The work ON the
bridge ell. Of course, be slow. The mate.
RATS for The piers are monsters. and will
not A'lew sapit handling. The height Of
the structure viii require large amount Of
trestle work to reach tue table land. and
bcscnd this the filing in will DO . gigantic
e:fs'r. The bridge 81 this end will be locs.
tsa at = point nearly vert Of the Council
Biafs troa Works, and about half mile
bslos the present site Of the Temporary
railroad bridge.