The Republican journal., 1873-03-27
Bridges.

HG SHlucSC CIiIui W having Dbell
the first bridge builders, and as the word
bridge does not occur in the Bible, we are
led to believe that the ancient Jews and
Egyptians were unacquainted with this
method of crossing streams to any con-
siderable extent. Giant trees which had
stood on the borders of water courses had
been blown down by the wind. or had
their roots undermined and lay extended
from bank to bank, are supposed to have
first suggested the use of bridges.
Chain bridges were familiar to the peo-
pie of China more than eighteen centuries
before they were made in Europe Some
of the bridges in that country are of ex-
coeding magnifcence. There is one near
Pekin, built wholly of white marble, with
elaborate ornamentation, executed in the
highest style OF Eastern ar. Others vet
more beautiful and imposing span the
canals, having grand triumphal arch at
either end Some are flat without arches,
marble tagging of great length being
laid on piers so narrow that the structure
seems almost suspended in the air without
support Of any description. These bridges
40 not require to be made very strong, for
only foot passengers cross them, and this
accounts for their elegant and fancful
construction. The more massive struc-
lures have immense arches, the centre one
being usually about forty feet wide and
sufficiently high for iunks to pass without
striking their masts. The ascent to the
bridge on each side is by stone steps, and
in this respect they resemble the Rialto
and other bridges of Venice
The ancient Peruvans, under the reign
No Il, L.
construction of both roads and bridges.
The latter were made of sort of native
osier, which possessed extreme tenacity.
These osiers were braided into cables the
thickness of a mans body, then stretched
across the water, the ends run through
holes lett for that purpose in immense
walls OF solid masonry on each bank and
secured to the natural rock or pieces of
heavy timber. The road bed was gener-
ally twenty feet wide and sometimes ex-
ceeded two hundred feet in length, with
railing of osler on both sides. Planks
We're laid transversely across the cables
for the flooring, and notwithstanding the
structure rested several hundred feet
above an abyss, and was verv fragile in
appearance, it afforded safe means of
communication for men and heavy bur-
dens. The oscillation of these bridges
was trehttul and the cause of frequent
alarm besides, there was an unpleasant
inclination toward the centre that made
the passage more or less difficult
The first bridge of which we have au-
thentic record was erected by Queen
Nicotris over the Euphrates at Babylon,
2204 b. G. 1t was drawbridge GO feet
in length and 80 feet in width, resting on
stone piers, without arches, and connect
cd with each other by framework OF
plank, which was drawn at night to pre-
vent the inhabitants on opposite sides OF
the stream from passing and committing
depredations on each other. The piers
Were made while the bed of the river was
free from water; the course of the stream
having been diverted into Il large lake,
but subsequently, restored to its original
channel when the work was completed
The stones of the bridge were fastened to-
gether by iron clamps, soldered with lead
NerXes, B. G, 4Sl, constructed suspen-
sion bridge over the llellespont, the floor
ing of which rested upon enormous cables
made of flax and papvrus twisted TO-
gether, and then stretched taut by means
OF windlas7es. Bridges ot boats have
frequently been resorted to, both in an
cient and modern times. Darius, under
the pressure of military necessity, threw
a bridge OF boats over the Thraciar
BoSphorus, Is. c. 521.
The Romans were the first people in Eu.
rope to apply the arch TO bridge building
Julius Caesar constructed a wooden bridge
across the Rhine at Cologne, in the short
space OF ten days. 1t was the first struc-
tnre of this kind built in Northern Europe
and was erected b G.. Sc.
Army equipments, both in ancient times
and in our day, have included small boats
or casks, and sometimes both the latter
being used to support the RATS for the
passage ofboth infantry and artillery.
Venice, the city of canals and bridges
has no less than three hundred and thirty.
nine of the latter, mostly Of small span
The London bridge was erected A. D
994. 1t was first made of wood; was de.
stroyed and rebuilt several times, the
present structure being the sixth which
has stood on OF near the same site. L
was erected at a cost of upward of 50 000,-
600. When the original bridge was
builded the bed of the river was made
dry by dlverting the water through =
channel, commencing at Battersea and
terminating at Rotherhithe. Houses and
shops stood upon the first bridge until
1896, when they were demolished.
The advancement made in the science
of engineering has produced results in
comparison with which the efforts OF
ancient skill are entirely dwarfed One
Of the most celebrated bridges of our
time is the Brittania bridge, 100 feet
long, reaching over Menai Strait and
connecting Carnarvon with Anglesea. II
is tubular structure, resting on piers
An island OF solid rock stands midway o
the Strait, and upon this firm foundation
the ends OF the tubes rest. The Niagara
Falls railroad suspension bridge is 9OC
feet in length, and the Cincinnati bridge
OF the same construction, is LOO feet.
Each structure consists OF single span.
The East River, or Brooklyn bridge, now
in course of construction, will be 1862
feet in length and so feet broad. The
cables are to be Is inches in diameter
each having 10 strands, containing 27O
parallel steel wires one sixth of an inch in
diameter Each strand is soaked in boiled
linseed oil and wound closely with wire
one-tenth of an inch in diameter and then
'oNtlNt Will oCfclt COttlo Vi t)tluJ. Hb
ends OF the cables are to be fastened to
anchor walls on opposite side OF the river.
The estimated cost was originally placed
at 81 ,000,O 900, but it is now thought it will
greatly exceed that sum.
DEATH A LIFTING Up | love to think
that what seems to be the mystery of the
silence of death, which envelopes so many
that we loved on earth, is not really a
mystery. Our friends are separated from
US because they are higher than our facul-
ties can &C. Our child dies. 1t is the last
we see of him or her. He is lifted so far
above us that we cannot follow him.
He was our child. He was cradled
in our arms but instantly, in the twink
ling of an eye, God took him up in
his own sphere. And we see him not.
But it is because we are not yet developed
enough We can see no spiritual things
with carnal eyes. But they who have
walked with us here, who have gone be-
yond us, and whom we cannot see, are
still ours. They are more ours than they
ever were before. We cannot commune
with them as we once could, because they