The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-20
ITV 1NTELLIGEwC G e.
THE WIRE BRIDGE.

uLsaiWV
Testss--Its Predecessor and its Appointed
Successor.
The Wire Bridge at Fairmount is soon to be
eupplanted by another of more beautiful, pro-
portions and greater strength and IL IL serves
the community as well, in proportion to its
cost, as that which now spans the river, there
will be no reason to compiain of the heavy .ez-
penss 1t is to entail. The Wire Bridge Yves
erected in 1s41 by the county authorities, end
was at that time Justly regarded as marvel of
ingenuity end beauty. Its immediate predeces
sor was unique, quite handsome in appearance,
and had gallantly withstood the elements and
severe service until one Saturday night when it
was assailed by fire and soon fell into the river
mass of cberred ruins. Thig wooden bridge
consisted of single arch of $40 feet span rest
ing on abutments of stone, and was said to have
been at least 80 feet longer than that of any
other bridge in the world. Its cost was $155, ,OOO
The wire for the present structure was manu-
factured on the west bank of the Schuylklll.
The practicability of suspending q bridge across
the river upon wire cables was ridiculed by
some, while others regarded 1t with an admix-
ture of wonder and doubt. 1t was the first
attempt on the western continent to erect wire
suspension bridge. The cables were made not
by twisting the wire strands, but by LAYING
number together and binding them at intervals
of yard. During its construction large crowds
of curious people were constantly upon the
banks of the river. When at last it was COM
peted-and the lockers or could not but admire
its proportions-there were plenty of doubters
who predicted that it would be perilous to cross
character. First forty carts, each loaded with
stone, were drawn upon the bridge, the breath
less audience momentarily expecting that. they
would suddenly drop into the river.
It remained secure Then couple of sc6Hs,
laden with COAL were brought beneath it at
high tide and chained, and when the water sub
sided remained suspended in the air. Upon the
day following droves of cattle were sent over,
and yet the structure stood this strain, and
assured the public that taere was no peril in
crossing it. Upon its dediestion to public uses,
a regiment of soldiers was marched scross it,
and then followed vast concourse, ind the sue
cess of the first wire suspension bridge of Ame-
rica was established. This bridge cost but
5000, and has outlived the period of service
for which it was guaranteed by ten years.
The bridge that is TO succeed IL is to cost
$S00000 and with its approaches stretching
squares from their respective banks will be
about 27OO feet long. The span over the river
will be equal to that of the present one, but
having two roadways. The work will probably
be commenced this fall.
ANOTHER PROSPECT OF PRrsoN LIFE-
Ezekiel Carson, with the impressive alias of
peanuts, and Albert Riley, were this morn
ing arrested by Detective Haggerty, at a house
on the corner of Ninth and Morgan streets, for
completely in the robbery of an old Quaker,
named jeremiah Pratt of Newtown, Delaware
county, Pa. On the morning of Tuesday last,
Mr.. Pratt was walking along Market street, be-
tween Fourth and Fifth Streets, when three
young men ran against him. and sadly confused
the venerable gentleman by their awkward,
bungling manner, which he innocently supposed
was the result of rustic simplicity or recent
Bacchanalian indulgences.
Eventually he got clear of them, and while
yet congratulating himself upon his escape,
suddenly, to his great dismay, discovered that
his coat was cut and his pocket-book pone-a
pocket-boo which contained between $500 aud
5000 in cash and Lehigh Valley Railroad bond.
Detectives Gordon and Haggerty were at once
put upon the trail and succeeded in getting
clue to the pickpockets, and this resulted In
n a nuys
are professional thieves and are notorious for
the crimes they have perpetrated. Both have
served in prison, to which place it is hoped, for
the good of the public they will speedily return.
FIRES DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1871
Captain McCusker OF the Fire Insurance
Patrol, submits this statement of the fires during
March of the present year:--Of the Al fires, %
,Were the result of accident, inoendiary, sup
had ineendlary 4 carelssspess, ! spontaneous
combustion, ana i unknown. Aas o9ilalngs
occupied were II dwellings, boarding-nI:'ses'
8 trimming stores, upholstering establishment,
1 confectionery establishment, l furniture ware.
room, / tavern, l brewery, l junk shop !
brokers Office, cook shop, eating saloon, l
felting manufactory 2 Lighthouses, beer saloon,
/ cigar store, green house. cabinet stores.
scale factory, wheelwright shop, storehouse,
coal oil lauIp store i smoke house, woollen
mill, l cotton-picker house,
The greatest loss was at the fire on the morn
ing of the Both ult., at Nos. 21S, 220, and 222
South Second street. The majority of the other
fires were trifing.
THE GREAT NoRTHwEsT.-At the City Insti-
tute, Eighteenth and Chestnut streets, Hon. s.
Garfielde, he Congressional delegate from WASH
ington Territory, will lecture this evening upon
the "Clmate and Resources of the Great North
west" The Northern Pacific Railroad project
has attracted the attention of the public of late
to our Northwestern territory. and any intor-
nation with regard to what promises to be at
no distant day one of the most prosperous and
thickly populated sections of the Union is
eagerly sought for. Mr.. Garfelde, in his lecture
this evening, will give his personal experiences,
and highly interesting discourse may be ex-
pected.
A CONNECTION Brurein desires
us to state that the officer charged with assault
and battery on a citizen in a beer saloon, the
particulars of which case were reported yester-
day, does not belong to the Seventh (Brureins) ,
district but to the Eighth district The state
ment that the policeman was laboring under a
temporary fit of insanity when the attack was
made proves to be correct He was removed
from the police force this morning. The
malady of the unfortunate officer is the result
of sun-stroke received while in the discharge of
his duties, at Twelfth and Ogden streets on one
of the hottest days last summer.
BoARDING-HoUsE THIEF.-0fficer Monaghan,
of the Fifth district this morning arrested one
James Moore who is charged with the theft of
two suits of clothing, the property of Robert
Smith, from the boarding-hous OF Mrs. Marc
ney, No. 1893 South street. Moore took lodg-
ings at the place two weeks ago. He failed to
pay his board, and by peculiar system of logl-
cal reasoning, thought to discharge his liability
by running away with the clothing. Moore will
be heard before Alderman Kerr this afternoon.
PREsENTATIoN.-sergea Charles NJ. Stoud,
of the Twelfth Police district was yesterday, al
his residence, the recipient of a handsomely