The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-07
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
OYER THE RIYER.

OtEk THE klfEhs
The Great Bridge Over the DeIaware-Tho
BOundlngs for the Structure About to Com-
mence-The Bridge Itself and How 10 WIZ
be Built
There is a prospect at last that bridge over
the Delaware, so long regarded as myth, will
be built bill consenting ITS erection
both branches of Congress and been approved
by the President, and the assent OF the States OF
Pennsylvania and New Jersey has been granted,
80 that every obstruction of legal nature has
been removed, and the soundings for the pro-
posed structure will be commenced in about
two weeks The following is q list of the cor
porators included in the charter granted by
lanes Pollock, John O. Tatum,
Morton McMichael, Hector Orr,
Thomas s. Speakman, Charles Cox,
Alexander G.. Cattel, Thomas Shaw,
Presley b. O'Neil, william Nicholson,
William Moore, Reynen Coates,
Edward Bettle, James III. Orne,
Henry L. Bonsall, Edwin ii. Fetter,
George S. Woodruff William ii. KeTn
Simon Cameron, Nathan Hilles,
p c. Brinck Robert T. Randall,
James Page, Marmaduke b. Taylor,
III, NJ Phillips Sinnickson Chew.
The charter empowers the abovenamed gentle
men and their associates ito erect bridge,
with diyerging roadways and double draws,
over and across the Delaware river, between the
city of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsyl-
vania, and the city of Camden, in the State OF
New Jersey, at any time within six years after
the passage of this act: Provided, That the said
bridge shall be constructed and built as not to
obstruct impair, or injuriously modify the navi-
cation of the river; and in order to secure
compliance with these conditions, the company
previous to commencing the construction of the
bridge, shall submit to the Secretary of War
plan of the bridge, with detailed map of the
river at the proposed site of the bridge, together
with all other information touching said bridge
and river as may be deemed requisite by the
Secretary of War, to determine whether the said
bridge, when built, will conform to the pre-
scribed conditions of the bill, not to obstruct,
impair, or injuriously modify the navigation of
the river"
It is further required that the consent of the
two States shall first be obtained and that the
plans and specifications shall receive the appro-
val of the Secretary of War.
The required amount of stock has been taken
by responsible parties, and everything is in
readiness for beginning. The proposed struc-
tpre will be erected under the supernteadence
of Mr.. Thomas s. Speakman, of Camden, n. j.,
npon peculiar plan invented and patented by
him.
The bridge will be suspension" structure,
An Snorted by immense cables resting upon strong
towers Its lowest elevation at the Philadel-
pbia side Wi, be sixty feet; at the highest part
of the curve it win reach one hundred ana thlrty
feet; and at the draws TIE height VIII be one
hundred and five feet Th- = Tr9portlops vi Wlll
AeSVlini l..ve 90 per cent. of our vesy~
out recourse to the draws, and this latter
contrivance will give passage to the remainder
of whatever size, which will allow vessels to go
through without arrest of motion, permitting at
the same time the uninterrupted travelling of
vehicles, cars, and foot passengers, even while
n ship is in the act of passing. Suppose a
large vessel, attended, as all such vessels are in
orr port, by steam tug to approach for pas
sage, say in the up-rlver direction, while there
are carriages, cars, horsemen, and footmen on
the bridge. A signal at the fork of the track is
displayed, directing all vehicles, etc, to the
northern draw, which remains in place. while
the southern draw is thrown back, and the
vessels enter without totally arresting their
speed. Instantly on the passage of the stern OF
the ship the open draw is closed, the signal
shifts and directs every one towards that end OF
the draw, while the northern draw is rolled
back and the vessels proceed on their way.
Both draws then remain closed till another call
for entrance is made. The operation of opening
and closing will occupy about one minute each
and not the check of moment occurs in the
steady stream of travel by land or water The
absolute water way over which the bridge viii
pass is nearly three-quarters of mile, which
will give an adequate idea of the extent of the
structure The directors will soon select, from
the various estimates before them, that mos
desirable, and then the work will be pressed
forward with vigor.