The New York herald., 1875-12-25
NAPoLEoNIo WORK.
HOW TO BUILD A GREAT BRIDGE in TWENTY /
DAYs-A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO THE CITY |
or PHILADELPHIA.

DAXs-A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO THE CITY
or PHILADELPHIA.
PHilApmrHA Dec "a 1878.
When the old Market street bridge the schuyl-
KIN was burned in November last il regarded
peculiarly serious mishap. Il the line OF the
main thoroughare or the city, not only connecting
West Philadelphia residents with the city proper,
but bringing passengers and merchandise TO and from
the depots OF the Pennsylvania Railroad and al its
many connections. But important even thSn
this was the fact that it was the most
natural and direct route 10 the Centennial
grounds, destined next year TO be tho Mecca
or So many hundreds Of thousands. The loss or
the bridge was not an Inconvenience merely; It
positive danger menacing the success ofhe Centennial
Exhibition itself Centennial mad Phadelphlans were
accordingly despair The time honored old bridge had
taken years nish and the great Exhibition was only
six months distant With corrupt Ring controlling the
city government whose interest would be 70 iengthen
the job OF constructing another that their pckngs
might be the frequent what could be hoped forS
The Mayor issued a proclamation while the
flames were still raging the City Councils
held special meetings, consultations Of engineers
took place, and there was endless talk but no
solution OF the problem OF how do the work in time
where 10 Get the large Of money and whom 70 ind
70 do IT. The hroadbrms had good reason TO shake
their heads and sigh
But Mr. Thomas A. scott President OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad dropped IN at the Mayors
strong bridge with double the capacity OF the old
one II shall cost 800, 600 10000 less than the in
on the burned ordge IN sell Il TO the city for
price exactly; lll return every cent less than
500 600 that costs and III guarantee 70 have u done
by the lst OF January"
When the city authorities had recovered breath this
bold proposition accepted Public opinion demanded
it, but was not without struggle that the CITY Gov
ernment Ring saw their visions OF fat 'tdvvies' melt
futo Tin Mr. hafu
by teegraphing all the lumber country OF Penn
syvana as be made his proposition, ordering
the bridge timber to be Immediately cut and loaded upon
await orders The instant the contract was
signed he dispatches ordering that these cars be
Philadelphia with the speed Of the winds. Before
Mr.. Seotts proposition had been officially received
everything ready. About $50 men stood With
saws hammers and spikes IN their nands on the banks
or the river the site Of the old bridge waiting for the
ordinance 10 pass ready 20 strike the first blow the
moment the signal was gwen. II was toward evening
on the 5th Of December when the contract was signed
and work was begun without an instants delay and
kept up all that night By daylight and by torches
and calcium lights Sundays and week days, II fair
weather and storm, without an hours intermission
the bridge building earned under the direction
Of Mr. William J Lockhard, division superintendent
Of the railroad superylsed by Colonel ScoL
At one o'clock . day shfss hours less than twenty
one days from the time the Mayor signed the ord
nance or seven days ahead of time, the bridge was
finished and formally opened TO travel His Honor
Mayor stokey, Mr. Thomas A. Scott Chief
Smedey drove the FIRST vehicle over and hrst inspected
the work The men who have been engaged upon IL
then treated Christmas dinner AT The railroad
depot in West Philadelphia, and will be permitted to
take a well-earned rest during the holidays
The bridge is a Howe truss, well constructed OF
white pine, with flooring OF oak, the tmbers
having been shipped from Harrisburg, Wrfghtsville,
Hunts Run and St Mary. The structure is $40 feet
long the end spans being each l62 feet and the
centre span ZIG feet length The truss Is % feet high
the clear and Is feet from out TO out The width OF
the bridge is 40 feet including the sidewalk which is
10 feet wide The rairoad bridge which is to be con-
srcted the abutmens north of the structure
viii be % ieet wide In the clear and Is feet from out 10
out The work of constructing this portion OF the
bridge will be begun after the Christmas holidays and
upon completion the temporary railroad bridge over
which the of the Pennsylvania road now pass will
be removed and the river once more opened
TO navigation at that point In order TO
increase the facility for travel the
new bridge an extension made on the south
end OF the old PIERS through substantial wrought iron
columns firmly secured in the old masonry at the
water hne and 70 the pier allied with masonry be
tween the end OF the pier and the column The new
bridge infinitely superior 20 the old one. It's con-
structon in such marvellousy short time Is good
Illustration Of the power OF great corporation like the
Pennsylvania Railroad. II Is Commanding General
Scotts Christmas present TO the city OF Philadelphia