New-York tribune., 1874-07-08
TIE GREAT BRIDGE AT ST. LOUIS.

THE fIHE1I DhIDTE Il L DI' LDCiD'
HISTORY OF ITS INCEPTION AND CONSTRUCTION
STATISTICS or THE woIK-A LASTING MoNU-
MENT TO THE ENERGY OF CAPT. EADS-MEAS-
UREMENTs OF THE BRIDGE.
tFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'I
ST. LOUIS, July 4.-The Illinois and st. Louis
Bridge Company was organized under an act OF the
General Assembly of Illinois, approved Feb 2l, 1867,
with Chas X. Dickson az President and Capt. Jas. B.
Eads Chief Engineer For several months an acrIho-
nous war ycd between this and rival company
the St. Louis and Illinois Bridge Company whch was
at the time supposed be the interests OF chicago
The dispute was carried in such determined ana
bitter manner that 1t seemed as though 1t would DO
necessary TO resort to litigation before any progressive
steps could be taken but Capt Eids's company man
aged 10 secure the confidence of the pubic Dy beginning
operatlons and on March 10. 1868, the rival 0rganl-
cations effected consolidation under the present tlte'
Active operations at once commenced Dy the nc"
oryanIztion Capt Eads selected his chief assistant
Col Henry Fad, c. Z who has abored increasingly AMI
mtiiingy for the consummation Of the PROJECT. Mr'
Cbas Pfefer, C. e. aided Col Fad In making the
Mathematical Investigations and calculations, which,
after being examined by Capt Elds, were submitted 10
Chancellor W. Chauyenet, LL De- OF washington Cn'-
yersity who gave them a careful analysis ana armcu
their correctness. The engineering difficulties to be
surmounted were so numerous and great that mind
of Capt Eads would have succumbed before them WIN
him. however there was no such word as fail"
The two river piers built Of solid masonry, ana
were sunk to the bed rock by means OF pneumatic
caissons which designed expressly to meet the
requirements Of the On the l7h OF OctOOer looJ
the casson for the pier placed In position
about 500 feet from the Illinois it weighed 100000
pounds was made OF heavy wrought iron. and was 50
feet long, 60 wide and IS high II had seven airchan-
bcrs with 10 girders the work Of sinking required
the constant employment Of 175 men until the lst OF
March, 1870 when the energy and genius OF Capt Eids
triumphed and bed rock reached at distance oi
90 feet inches below the surface Of the water Much
of the labor was done at night the works being lighted
with two calcium burners and a number OF reflector
Ianps The workmen were unable to work longer than
two hours at a time, owing TO the ar-pressuro in the
caissOn, and notwithstanding the many precautions
taken several lost their lives The west pier was soon
afterward finished in the same manner. The portions
of he piers above water built Of the strongest gran
ite while those below the waterline are of Grafton
limestone blocks Their total hight is 1G5 feet for the
west pier and l9i for the eastern. In addition to the
main or river piersI there are abumens, one at
each side There $4,000 tons OF stone
used in the western and 5000 tons In the
eastern abutment. The latter was OF extraordinary
DEPTH and was built with caisson in the same manner
as the river piers The bridge has three spans, each
formed with four ribbed arches made Of steel The
center span is feet and the side 900 feet each
the clear Each Of the four arches forming the spans
consists OF upper and lower curved rib, extending
from pier to pier, and a horizontal system of bracng
extends these ribs for the purpose Of securing
the arches in their relative distances from each other
The two arches Of each span 10 feet 81 inches
apart from TO center, and the upper member OF
one arch secured TO the lower OF the other by
system OF diagonal bracng. The roadways are formed
by transverse iron beams II inches in depth, suitably
separated. From the opposite ends Of the iron beams
forming the roadwdys, double system of diagonal hori
zontal iron bracng binds the whole together The
original estimate contemplated an extreme width OF
50 feet for the bridge, but this was afterward
increased 81 feet inches, at extra cost OF slGe0OO
The upper roadway Il 81 feet wide between the foot
walks which are feet wide. The railway passages
below the carrageway each II feet inches in the
and IS feet high and are carried over the wharves
ON each side Of the river five arches, 20
feet wide inclOsed throughout the distance by acut
stone arcade OF % arches supporting the upper road
way and carried into the tunnel on brick arches
on the Illinois side railways reach the level OF the
East LOUIS railways by descending grade OF IL feet
In for distance of 5000 feet The carriage road at
the eastern end descends with grade OF feet III 100,
and the Missouri side the grade Is nearly level The
style OF the bridge similar somewhat To that used in
The structure the Rhine between COblentz and
Ehrenbreitsen but the span there only $50 feet The
marves OF this bridge are the extraordinary brea th OF
span aud great depth OF foundation and that 1t accom-
mOdates two double tracks OF steam railways, street
railways and all kinds OF vehicles as well as loot pas
sengers. ~
COMPANY under the dir elton OF their ohle engineer,
Waiter Katie the tubes are OF chrome steel, while the
main braces which connect the upper and lower mem
bers OF the arches iron capable OF bearing strain
OF 6OOOO pounds per square inch. The masonry was
built by Jas. Andrews Of Allegheny, Penn The present
officers OF the Bridge Company are g. H. Allen, Presl-
dent: James h. Eads, Chief Engineer; Henry flad,
Assistant Engineer; VIM Tdussieg, Chairman OF E4ecq-
tye Committee James H. Briton, treasurer u. l..
Fabian, Secrets r. and Auditor.
The total cost OF the bridge and tunnel is nearly
81, 10000
the following figures will afford some idea OF the mag
ntude of the undertaking, and may be relied upon as
correct, they were recently obtained by COL Flad
from ctual measurements:
Feet
Length Of b ge proper 2lU7
Center Of 1877
l.t,o