Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-11-22
rae INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE

The great international bridge across
Niagara river from Buffalo to Fort
Erie, in Canada, has been completed,
although it has not yet been formally
thrown open to travel. OF the work
the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser fur
nishes a complete account, from which
we quote the following interesting de-
scription
To state the fact roughly but plainly,
the entire length of the bridge is about
three. quarters of mile. But more in
detail the length is as follows In the
main river, 800 feet over Squaw is
land, 1900 feet (trestle work., and over
Black Rock harbor, 450 feet. The en-.
tire length of the superstructure in the
main river is 1890 feet; in Black Rock
harbor, 440 feet. There are nine spans
in the portion on the main river and
three in the Black Rock harbor four
of 1870 feet in the clear, and three Of
240 in the clear. Over the main river
also are two draw openings of 100 feet
each total length of draw girder, 362
feet. In Black Rock harbor are two
draw openings of 80 feet each, and one
fixed span 300 feet in length. In the
main river are eight piers and two abut-
ments and in the harbor two piers and
two abutments. The abutments are 10
feet long by 30 wide, at the bridge-seat
level. Over the bridge is laid a track
for railroads, and a common sidewalk
for foot passengers. The piers and
abutments are built of sand stone from
Georgetown and Acton, Canada, aud
Berea, near Cleveland, Ohio. The iron
Of the super structure was from the
PhGnixville Iron company's works.
Phpnixyille, Penn. The first caisson
was launched on the 18th of July, 1870,
and the work progressed steadily up to
the time of completion. 1t must be re-
membered that the current Of the river
at the point where the bridge is loca-
| ted, runs from five miles and a half to
ten miles an hour, according to the state
Of the wind. This was throughout one
of the greatest difficulties encountered,
and frequently retarded progress.
Then, too, the depth Of water varies
from twelve to forty-tive feet. The
ice in winter, some may think, would
damage the bridge in course of time,
but the ice-breakers afforded ample pro-
lection, and cut to pieces blue ice two
feet thick with comparative ease. An
other remarkable thing connected with
the history of the bridge is that during
the whole course Of the work not a sin
gle life has been lost. The workmen
have, many Of them, often been exposed
to dangers, but always have escaped.
The respective WEIGHTS the different
spans over the river are as follows : 1870
feet, 1870 tons; $40 feet20S tons; 362 feet
draw, 3o3 tons and the quantity
OF lroh used III the |hoIe bridge
amounts 10 upward oi Z'OOo TONS Al
'he request OIL Oup'' 4ylef' lhe Ehgilsh
government inspector ol railways, VINO
VISITED the Dfldge III November 1914
on oehalI OF 'he EhsllSl shareholders,
one Oh the spans OIL l9o Ieeo was loaded
WIN zlV OohS ol IRON r"lls' equally Gus
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''sS 'lie' o"V Oh Il continuouS 'raih
of loco,,ot;vas c,vs,.,, yoo9e span aad
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