The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-21
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE.

On the first day of August, 1867, the first
stone was laid, with imposing ceremonies, by
Mr.. W. B. Hamilton, President OF the Bridge
Company, on pier No. 10. The work of con-
structing the masonry was carried on with the
view of building the piers next to the Kentucky
| shore high enough to render their completion
practicable during the high stage OF water
during the spring months, SO the erection of the
superstructure could be commenced at the ear
lest practicable moment. Ibis point secured,
Nit was determined to take advantage OF the un-
usual low water by putting In the difficult fonn-
IN dations in the rapid water of the falls. The
attempt was successful, and three of the most
difficult foundations were secured between the
1st of October and the 1st of December, 1867.
DISASTERS AND DIFFICULTIES
An unusual rise in the river carried away all
N the building derricks and the temporary track
for transporting stone to the piers, and caused
other damage SO that on the first day of Octo-
| ber not derrick was left standing in the river
Extraordinary eXertions were put forth, and in
three weeks new track had been constructed
across the river, derricks and derrick-boats
. built and the work progressed simultaneously
! on ten piers On the oath of November, 1853,
the last stone was laid in pier No. 10.
THE MASONRY.
The masonry consists of two abutments and
twenty-seven piers, comprising in the aggre-
gate, 500 cubic yards OF limestone work,
which for beauty and excellence, both of mate
rial and workmanship, is unsurpassed.
N The piers vary in length from go to 105 feet,
and are laid in hydraulic cement manufactured
| in this vicinity. The piers all rest upon the
/ solid rock bed of the river. The foundations of
some were obtained with great difficulty on ac-
count of the swift current and the tendency OF
springs to break through the Golfer dams.
THE suPERsTRUCTURE.
The superstructure, except the portions
spanning the channels, is placed below the grade
of the road. The below grade, or deck portion,
is what is known as Fink's Suspension Truss
The spans over the channel are of plan especi-
ally arranged for this bridge. The entire super.
structure is of iron, except the flooring, and
length from SO to 400 feet. The channel spans
80 and 400 feet, are the longest ever built on
| the American continent.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE BRIDGE.
The bridge, when entirely finished, will have
footwalks four feet wide on each side, will
hand-railings. 1t has single line of track, anC
is so arranged that, if desirable the space o.
twenty feet six inches between the footwalkt
may be foored and used for the accommoda
tion OF carriages when not occupied for railroad
purposes. The superstructurc is proportional
for maXium movable load of 2240 pounds Del
4 lineal foot, which can only be brought upon 4
by a train of engines coupled together Sever
times this maximum load is calculated to be th(
weight necessary to break 1t down. In all ordi
nary railroad work the load that II will be called
4 upon to sustain is at most two-thirds of thi
4 maximum, 30 that even more than seven fold i
provided to prevent accident
4 The total number OF pounds OIL wrought an
cast iron used in the construction Is S,723, ,00C
and for the herail-posts flooring and hand-railine
639, 900 feet of timber (board measure) wer
used.
MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK.
The erection of this superstructure during IL
past season was work of vast magnitude, il
cluding, as it did, the placing in position Il
ponderous mass of iron required in the chann
a spans, one of which, the Indiana channel spa
was erected over water running eighteen mill
havrr md an fQaf dan
Some of the pieces weighed five tons, and we
put in place 100 feet above the bed of the rive