Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-05-30

lug elEuI llHeS, ulty CeNLS.
THE NEW RAILROAD BRIDGE ACROSS THE
PoToMAc-The new bridge across the Potomac
river, on the site of the old Long Bridge, is
now receiving the finishing touches. 1t is al
ready open to public travel, and in use for the
accommodation of pedestrians and equestrians
as we'll as railroad trains The new structure
is one of the most substantial railroad bridges
in the country, and reflects credit upon the en-
gineer, Mr.. j. A. Partridge, and others who
took part in its construction. The Baltimore
and Potomac railroad company obtained posses
sion of the old bridge under an act Of Congress
about year aud a half ago, and Immediately
thereafter Mr.. Partridge prepared his plans,
which were approved, and the work was COM
menced The entire structure is nearly mile
in length, with an average width OF over 4O
feet It is composed of two kinds of work
the Howe truss and the causeway The latter
is on the site of the old causeway, which was
entirely removed; but the new is five feet higher
than the old work. The truss work is also high
er than the old woodwork. The causeway is
1868 feet 10 length, the walls being of solid
masonry % feet thick, rip-rapped on both sides
ii feet above low water. The space between
the walls and rip-rapping is filled IN with earth,
which, having been allowed to settle as the work
u,
the best quality of gravel, II inches deep, which
ruakes very smooth roadway for vehicles. On
the side of the causeway is plank tootwalk,
resting on oak brackets projecting over the wall.
The brackets are made fast to the coping. A
neat railing is on the side next the water. This
makes width of A! feet, the causeway proper
being 4O4. The work consists of 20 piers besides
the two large circular draw piers, abutments,
> retaining walls, 1868 feet in length OF cause
way. spans of s-toot Howe truss, . draws ag-
grcgating 266 feet long, and Is spans (2,675
feet aggregate length) of Il foot Howe truss
An ll-toot board fence is built the length OF
the causeway, to keep horses from being fright.
ened by the trains Some idea of the amount of
piling may be obtained when we state that 1t
IS estimated that if the piles used to support
each draw were placed in straight line they
would extend distance of five miles. During
the work on this bridge the company have had
at times as many as sou hands employed, be-
sides those at the quarries, and the work has
gone regularly on during all sorts of weather.
The masonry was done by Campbell Brothers,
of Pennsyl lvania, well known railroad contract
tors, and they completed it inside OF twelve
months. The Howe truss was erected by the
keystone bridge company Brooks, super
iutendcnt. The immense timbers, before being
nut in place. were all fitted together on the
Virginia shore. The remainder of the work,
including the pile driving, was done by the CON-
pany. Since the bridge was opened, the travel
over it has been immense, especially during
fine afternoons - Wash. Star.
DEAD NEwspApERs-Th rise and fall of
newspapers is very little appreciated, and IN this
country, where journals spring up like mush-
rooms and are cut down like toadstoos, do the
people least of all understand the pecunlary
perils of publishing paper. Facts are, how
ever, more stubborn than reasoning, ana we
quote from the American Newspaper Drecto-
ry'' to show how disastrous has been the efforts
Of American ambition to indulge in the vanity
of occupying the editorial chair and rule the
political destinies Of chosen people.
In number of the above named directory
we find in list of seventeen States and the
District of Columbia, that no less than five
hundred newspapers, which we're in existence
on New Years day of 1871, failed and pass.
out of business before October.
The reader will bear in miud that this list
does not include newspaper failures 10 the great
States of Ohio, New York and PENNSYLVANIA,
and fifteen or eighteen more States and Terri
tories in the Union.
This is a fearful mortality, not only of hope,
but of capital, for averaging the investment 10
each of these papers, only as weeklles, at 3,Ooo
which is low estimate, We arrive at an aosorp-
ton of over one million and a-halt OF dollars
When we consider, as before explained that
this is statement embracing losses IN seven
teen States only, and that we may fairly put SIX
or seven hundred more papers down 70 !ne
debtor side of profit and loss, for the remaining
States and Territories, and then the losses Will
make an aggregate exhibit OF at least two mil
lions and quarter lost to the individuals, which,
if mt into crops would have multiplied itself
ffty fold, at least ln ten years.
The eleven or twelve hundred papers whose
decease is here chronicled scarcely extend be-
yond the class of weekles. A much more ln
terestipg and suggestive statement II we had
full data at hand. could be made about dead
and dying dailies. New York city has seen no
less than fifty-six give up the ghost 10 snort
time and it owns to-day score OF others IN a
morbupd condition, for no city daily can oe
said to be alive and healthy unless II mas exist
of three or four sets OF publishers ano propfie-
tors.-& Louis Dispatch
The PHILADELPHIA Ledger has at last been
obliged to resort to supplementary sneets 70 az
commodate its embarrassing amount OF auVer
Using. The difficulty with the Ledger, hereto
fore, iu the way of seeking relief by supple
meuts, has been how to print aud fold the sup
Elementary sheets with the enormous regular
edition in season to supply SUBSCRIBERS anu
newsmen, but Mr.. Childs seems TO have M MI
upon some means of accomplishing IT., The
remarkable success of the Ledger. conducted q
without a particle Of sensation enterprise,
orrather clap trap, is wholesome lesson show,
ing that readers and advertisers alike prefer
newspaper that is run on Straightforward ousl-
ness principles Wash. Star.
1t is reported that Brigham Young has sold
his interest in the Utah Central railroad 70
William Jennings and Bishop Sharp, ior tle
purpose of taking greater interest IN the con-
struction of the Utah Southern road
The Baltimore Sun keeps standing tue
verse