Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-11-15

The great International bridge across
Niagara river from Buffalo to Fort Erie,
in Canada. has been conf leted, although
1t has net yet ben formally thrown open
to travel. OF the work tine Buffalo Com
ntercial Advertiser furnishes a complete
account. from which we quote the follow
ing interesting description:
~ o state tue fact roughly but plainly,
the entire length of the bridge is about
threc-ouarters Of mile. But more In
detail tue length Is as follows In the
main river, 1.sQ0 feet; over Squlw
Island, 1900 fee. Orsstlswork) and over
Black Rock iarlor, $50 feet. This en-
asa lcUglu OF the superstructurc in th3
main river il ls0O feet in Black Ea,k
llarbor. $40 feet There are nine spas
in She portion on the main river and thiee
In Black Rock llsrhor four OF 100 icet
In the clear, aud three of 200 In the clear.
Over the main river also are two draw
OPENINGS, of 1853 feet each total length
of draw-glrder. 362 le.t. In BLACK Rock
Harbor arc two draw openings Of 30 feet
each. and one Fixed span go feet in
| length. In the main river are eight piers
and two abutmcnts and in the harhor
| ;wO piers and two abuments. The abut'
meuts are 40 feet long bT 50 feet wide, Mt
I inc ulluEt htat itFEls ONtl tN' hi.-Nh 10
/ laid q track for railroads, and 'mmon
sidewalk for foot passengers. Ie piers
and ahutments are built of sandstone from
| Georgetown and Acton, Canada, and
/ Bqes, near Cleveland, Ohio. The iron
o the superstruciuc was 4 m the Ph@-
nirvllt Iron Company's Works, PhGuiX'
vile, PENNSYLVANIA. TIE first cais,ou
was launched oil The 1871 Of Jriv, 1870,
D i
time Of completion.
It must be remembered that the r1--
rent OF the river, nt the point where the
bridge is located. runs from Eve ana q
half to ten miles on hour, according 10
the ate OF the wind. This was through
out one Of the greatest difficulties en-
countered, and frequently retarded prl
gross. Then, too, the depth OF wttti
varies from twelve TO lorty-lve feet. The
ice in winter. some may think, woalG
damage the bridge iu course Of time, ou
the ice-breakers afforded ample prOiec
tion, and cut 10 pieces blue ice two fee
thick with comparative ease. AnOthe
remarkable thing connected with tho his
, tory of the bridge Is, that during tn
whole course of the work not a singh
| life has been lost. The wOrkmeu have
= many of them, often been exposed 4
I danger, but always have escaped.
, The bridge has been leased to The VAR
Gus railroads, which will cross it, 70
twenty years. The roads are The Gran
j Trunks. the Great Western, the Canad
d Southern, the New York Central, III
A Eric, and the New York, West Shot
: and Chicago. Most OF these railroad
have already constructed their pproach'
+ to the bridge, and will commence sendin
# trains across at as early day
d possible. The original plan contemplate
., u carriage-way, but this was abandonC
- for the reason that, as the bridge VIZ
o three-quarters Of mile long, and
l. many trains were to cross II, the
n would very seldom be chance for ca
riagcs 10 cross without Interfering wi
the trains.
The entire cost of the bridge, in roui
Of numbers, Is not less than 81 5000
70 It's practical benefits We leave the read
to Judge, merely stating in conclnsl'
ie that it supplies want long felt by t
IL different railroads which have for
" many years been obliged to cross I
ir Niagara on the steamer International.