, 1880-08-31
THE RAILROADS.
Test Of the BurIington's New Steel
Bridge at Plattsmouth.
The Structure Pronounced 1, Sue
cess in Every Respect.
Retaliatory Measures Adopted by tho Obi
oago, Burlington l. Quincy.
a MAfiNIF1CES'r BRIDGE,
Gpfetd& Dhp1tth to The Ch4eopo Tttbuna.

\ MAGNIFICENT BRIDGE.
spfstdl Dhpasth to The Chseago Tribune.
COUNCIL. BhuFFs, 1a., AUG. W.-rho flnp
steel tr1d go ncr0ss thu Missouri lifscr about
mile below the City OF rnttsmoiltll, Ne!,.,
which forn,s tl,o connecting link bctwee,,
tho Iowa and Nebraska Divisions Of tho Chi
cago, Burlington l. Quincy Kai'roatl, was
formally opened fur business today. HENCE
forth tho Burlington Road Will be nbu u
run It's trains through to ail points Oil Its
lines III Nebrlskn without i,Art1lx 10 transfer
It's business Mt l'lattsmoutll by furry 0r Use
tho Union Pactc brllgo ut Culncil Bluffs.
1t II ono of tho tinrst bridges IN tho cntniry,
MD resembles somewhat tho celebrated steel
brldgo Of tho Alton over tho Missouri 1sfvcr
Mt Glasgow, only that tho former has fewer
spans than the latter, but much longcr al,-
Drt'acllrs The whole lcngt! OF tho work IL
about three and llalf mlles, Of which
more thail two NILES Is In the cHst
approaclf, ono mf(o IL Oit tic
west approach, ana tho permanent
steel br1dgu Ii Just 1900 foot LONG. The per-
ma'rnt brl,lgo consists of twothrougil spnns
Of 100 feet each over tho ,nain river, thrao
slrck-spans of 200 fect cncll over tho ,tlta-
cent sanl-bar, anA 500 feet Of iron vEAtluct,
Of which ,ll0 feet, iii forty-clght spans OF
thirty feet each, aro OIL tic cast sifle. Tho
tlircu tleek SPANS nrr each 200 fcct lnng be-
tween centres Of end pins, thirty feut high.
atnl sixteen feet wldH betwcar cosltr,s Of
chords. Tho two %00-fcet sl'ans tro llfty feet
high ana twenty-five feot between centres Of
chords. Tlley arc connected, Iratt, or
wllipplG tft,sscs, With incline Gar posts, tho
wcn being arranged with double lntcrsec-
tlons. Tho stonu piers rust on tue solid rock
thirty feet below tho river bed. Previous
structure It was subjected 10 ceruei,l
test II thu presence Ut a 1nrEv number
Of eiyil enyIneers alnl brl'lKs builders from
r,ii oi tho bfiGge. Iio itf measure Shaved u
totlectnn .af about three itlclirs. This Is
considered highly satisfactory test md q
!esS deilectl0n tllnn WAs expected. Steel
atfs cs a M fxsFay o oes sGw y" s2 nSr9 re Of s er
n1Ml Gun stand ItUre Of d stl1tE1l. II IL stated
THAT tli!s bridge could stand n detlecsion Of
illne lnEIes I, rs Without straininE It or enslaH-
Sy !cycr s"i sG s asc to penr sl!cl gtra r1
~ THO one It WINS subjected to to-lny. Tho
!leaylest freight trains Will not wplgl, over
'ao toaS, ait ti;o lnrEest passenger trn!n
oyer tqs nxe s s hHsSrncTe % spf
the Chief Engineer, George :. Morrison, mil
tho work llas bcctl executed antler his direc-
ZION. After tic conclusion Of tho test tho
M brIdKe !E ,' M,.s formally; ops,es : With banquet
the splentlId dining:car SIN Francisco. 1t
was. u splendid n!tnir That reflects great
credit upon tic ofllcla!s who got It up. Sre-
fHda fnl sredt IN t}'ly respect Is due to J. +,
iitchsoef e Gspoa nfSs13s ss" asssneer Sc u
Agent. AZ! md J: Il. WALL, Superintendent Of
t' 'fr gtsf bnateS ,ies to The ctaod nESMe' 45S4x
f1Ntf{A Nnh Attr Thu formal fpcf
OF tle ngw ratlrord bridge Joining thu Chicu-
g1, Burlington. Il Quincy and Burlington IL
Msso},pt ;aS Ill.,, M9s ss, at pinttsont,, eighteen
farlners turned ont with teains and families,
and oyer 1000 pcoplo were present. At d
o'Sl2cE special tr.ll c91t9Inlltg prominent
bridge 10 tic Ncbrnska Side. it was followed
BY huntington d MISSOURI apeciat. with Bur-
llngt9n y Missouri oillciAls from Omnlla.
mud tho ;Nobnsska officers of tho. HurlinE-
ton l.oad. As tho tralns flushed crossing
eight henvy engines OF tho Chicago, Hurling-
ton & Quincy K9ad approached tho. EASTERN
TIN east span III sections Ut. four, .w,iteti for
engines joined themselves on tho ;;oafot
tnss sss1 sE dasnE tsat TT J; weight Of 40
result wna n magnificent proof Ut tic solittIty
OF tho structure. Tho engineers thei, nlc:ls-
nrel the !leitectton, md photograph was
taken Of tho bridge ut tho moment tho tast
was ,nnde. Tho engines then l,,nved TO tho
second span, wlIcru tho trial proye!!
eGunl!y satisfactory, ami tho tall
steel" bridge acrus9 the Missouri
River at rIntts,nUutll was declared
open. Tho Test WIN more satisfactory than
wins anticipated. The uetcct0l fron lvvel
whcli tic Immense weight Of 40 tols wls
PLACED upon the spun wns only three Inches,
Nli1 when the engines Woro removed tho
bridge resumed It's original position. Tho
bridge. built 0f iron titi stcel, Is 3.0d0 feet
long. 1t consists If LILO feet of nn iron
yiauMct, joined to thren tlcck-spans 40 fret
III length, md west OF That, towards tho Nc
braskn sinro md over the river proper, two
spans Ut 400 teet eacl all steel truss. Thoclt
through tho bank OIL tho Nebraska side Is
plara ot the bridge risu eighty feet nborel low-
water mark md sink thirty feet bel0w tho
loyol Of tho rlvar. Tlle Drttye was construct
cd by tho Keystone DriIgu Company, 0f Phil
adulpi,fa; George y. Morrison, Chief Engi-
meer; II. ". Pafk'lurst, First Assistant: a1Mt
q. u. Scflncttler IN clarFe Of the supurstr,tct-
ure. The cost Of tho bridge was Si0Q, ,UtN,
mud q yenr's time wRs consumed III Its COLI
gtructiua.