The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-27
From 'he Daily Dispatch of May 10 1866.
Th@ Petersburg RailrOad Bridge.

sgent Of the Petersburg road, bad the plcs-
sire OF walk across the immense sIpcx-
structure which now spans the James rive,
and will be ready for use by the 2J.h Of
this month. Though elevated an uncom-
Portable distance above terra f57nd, The fc,t
OF crossing from Richmond TO Manchester
upon this structure was accomplished In
manner which would have done credit t.
Monsieur Blondin himself. Once or twic,
during the journey, and Just at those points
where the swollen stream below seeme.a
most threatening. the facetious agent III
dertook To perpctrate a Joke, but our r.
porter-he-well, he did not feel well. and
preferred not to laugh. hut rather TO wall
pensively on and contemplate the nuts
bility oi-that Il. examine the immense s:-
perstructure.
This bridge, which has been built unde..
the immediate direction and superintenc-
ence OF Colonel Samuel Strong, " s,&,s
feet and seven inches In length, and /,
upon the Howe plan, with oil its IMPROVE
ments. There are about ~ span,, yaryias
from about 1881 10 l5ft feet, making ti-
total length above given. The piers cy
top are ~ feet in width, and the surface Of
the water Is 80 feet below the top OF tts
rail. The timber used In the bridge. With
the exception OF the wall.plate, and tics
which II of white oak--is Of ,easoney
White pine OF very superior quality. Tt.
distance from the top 10 the bottom OF III,
chords IL Is feet, and the width from ou.-
side TO outside Of the chords Is 10 feet.
The upper chords OF which there are io,.,,
on each side, are ! and inchc, in widts
and IL in depth. The corner chords, o.
which there are four on side. are also +.
and 6 inches in width and Il in depth: H.,
ends OF the chords at their Junction err
tied together with white oak spices 4.
inches in length. The bottom tie-beans
are Is feet, and 6 by 10 inches; they eros,
the super,trucfure st the centre Of eiri,
truss or pannel, and where they cross tht
bottom chords they are notchcd out aboIl
one inch and half, 20 ~ to receive them
Inc iloor-beams are ~ feet long and o y,
Ii inches vide. and viii be laid not mo-r
than Tour feet apart from centre to centr,.
The main and counter braces measure & b,
- inches, and about Is feet in length. A.
each bottom tie-beam lateral cross-brace,
are constructed, so rs 10 stitfen the blidg.
against wind; these extend from the lower
to the upper chords, and are 8 inchc,
square and about ~ feet in length. Fac,
panel Is provided with horizontal braces -.
, one set at the upper and another 1T thr
lower chords, and are formed OF timber 3
, inches square and about l6 feet long
} These rest on butt against cast-iron seat,
or chairs. The bottom tie-beamS and ever,
f0trtll-tloOr beam is secured to the chords
beneath 10y bolts three-fourths of an incl,
in diameter, provided With screws and
nuts. The tsack-stringers are also secured
10 the floor in like manner-eacl stringes
having al least three bolts. The iron used
, IN the supcrSructure is OF the best qualty
and OF American manufacture. Al the END
OF each span the main rods or bolts are Z
inches in diameter, and continue so To-
three panels; then they diminish regI-
larly 20 as to be one and Il half inch in
diameter ct the centre Of the span. Their,
are two man rods at the end Of each par
el on each side OF the bridge, which ar,
provided with top and bottom plates 6
: inches wide, ~ long, and three-quarters of
an inch in thickness, and nuts 3 inches
y square and . inches thick. Bottom ant
}. top rods cross each panel 30 as TO tie tn
chords together; they are a inch in diam
, eter and 10 feet inches long. -Four bolt,
cross through the top and four through tn,
. bottom chords Of each panel. These
, bolts are thrcc-quarters OF IN inch in dian .
tter.
Quite a novel feature OF this SupcrStruc
n ture is the permanent walkway, two feet I,
B width, along the inside Of the lower chord,
, TO allow the workmcn 10 examine ia
bridge.
The first train will he run Oycrthe bridge
on the 18th OF the present month. The ton
and bottom chords of the last span, on the
Manchester side, were completed severs'
D days ago, and the contractor is NOW only
e waiting for one piece OF iron. which ws,
=, defective, 10 be recaSt, which Is now bcins
done with all possible dispatch at the Tired.
! egar Iron-Works. The first engine run
over The road will be the "Thomas Elli-. )"
and the contractor, Colonel Strong, will o..
that occasion act rs engineer.
A. soon ~ the superstYucture i COM.
} ploted the depot buildings oil this side Of
the river will be rebuilt upon a more mo.
dern and improved plan. Bat oi this W.
q. may have something more 10 >ay hereafter
From lie Dispatch, May &c, 1901
Yesterday morning an engine drawing !.
train Of tlats loaded With iron passed owes
the new Petersburg railroad bridge. Th,
test thus applied 10 the structure w2s =
sufficiently severe one, and the result oI-
: tirely satisfactory.
> As much has been said, and description (,
not always accurate have been from TIM
to time given, we take this occasion 10 .a}
that the bridge * a simple llowe's truss. ~
liberal proportions, packed and hIted witH
: iron keys, bolts. and angle blocks. all ~
} unusual strength.
The timber Is white pine OF cNcellen
: quality.
I The bridge was originaily planned D.
Mr.. T.. ". G.l. II was erected under th,
= supervision Of Mr.. f.. r. ID. Myers. Mr.
Samuel strong was the contractor. MI
, Samuel Rice, to whom great credit l. duo
for hi. accurate Workmanship, N.- tie
, forcman-builder.
LARCENY or MOYEY.-Thc police u ia
Third district arrested yesterday small
cclored boy named Albert Thompson or
the charge OF stealing Sl25. The property oi
Mr. T.. =. Odell. residing on Catherine
street Thc funds wore NJ siractad from .