The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-28
Thc depot buIldIngs have had the usual repaIrs,

ana are IN gs'Ot. @fNfceable COndll1Ou.
All OF the locomotives, excepting Nc. A. which
Is about worn out. have been changed from wood
70 coai-burners. The change has been most salts
lae.9ry ~ al T rssee, u required red n1wess bic Ics
has been bullt In a substantial manner. and ar-
ranged 70 handle and measure the coal rapidly,
economically, and accurately.
The locomotives are In good condition. and have
required only the usual running repairs. Some OF
them are quite small making II difficult to handle
our heavy PASSENGER and freight trains with dis-
patch. This, together with the fact of their being
insufficient In number 10 properly handle the bus-
ness. induced The placing Of an order for q new
locomotive with the Rogers Locomotive Works, OF
Paterson. N. u.
The specifications for the new locomotive pro-
with I7x2I inches cylinders, and Weighing 75.oJ0
pounds, TO be adapted TO both passenger and
FRIGHT service, and 10 be delivered In November,
1853.
Eight new nat-csrs, one new box-car, and thir-
teen new consiruction-cars, built at the shops,
have been added 10 the car equipment.
One postal-car and two baggage-cars have had
costly repairs-in fact, have been nearly rebuilt.
six second-cllss coaches have been overhauled.
repalnted: and equipped with the new standard
trucks The car equipment Is In good order, but Is
hardly equal to the demands upon 1t.
The following are the only accidents Of note that
on October 8, 1882. a coal train was wrecked
on the temporary track leading from the shops 10
she Free bridge. On account Of the heavy incline
train. which ran rapidly down the grade and was
badly broken up. The cars, thirteen In number,
were old and OF little value.
On september 90, 1888, Albert Moon cOlored
brakeman. In attempting TO get on freight tram
while In motion near Centralis, slipped and fell
upon % the track; and had one foot badly crushed
The officers and employees of the road have per-
formed their duties cheerfu.ly and efficiently.
JAMKs-RIvER BRIDGE AND APPROACHES.
Early In the present year, after carefully con-
sidering various plans for crossing James river
with permanent structur., the following plan
afQnfed IN ia hpliqVpl that tbfg plan
nearly meets the requirements OF economy, Of
construction, stability and permanence OF struc-
tnrc and economy OF mainter znce, than any or
the plans considered:
The old bridge consisted OF nineteen spans.
The new plan provides for nllinR with earth the
three spans nearest Manchester, and for filling
arching, depending upon certain local conditions.
the span nearest Richmond. leaving fifteen spans
TO be constructed Of iron bridging. II further pro-
vides for stone sbutments and retaining walls at
each end Of the bridging and for lowering or cut.
ting down and repairing the piers OF the old
bridge, which are TO used for the new structure.
In pursuance Of this plan specifications were pre-
pared for the construction Of the iron bridging.
aud plans and proposals invited on February "a.
1883. from nearly all OF the prominent bridge
contractors i'm the country for the construction OF
the work. In response fourteen proposals were re-
ceiycd-that Of Messrs. Clarke. Reeves Co., OF
Phenixyille, Pa being The lowest.
The services of Mr. q. Chanufe Chief Enkineer
Of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Raili Dad
Company. having been secured as consulting en-
gineer, the plans If Messrs. Clarke. Reeves < Co.,
for examination and report. The following ex-
tracts from Mr. Chanutc's report to the under
signed, under date Of New orl. April II, 1888,
clearly defines the character OF the specifications
and plan Of the bridge:
your specifications provide for a rolling load
consisting of the heaviest class Of locomotives
and trains now used upon any Of our American
railroads, and limit the strains which may be I'M
posed upon the several parts 10 = to 10 OF their
breaking strength, or preferably stated to i TO =
OF their elastic limit In accordance with the sud
denness aud frequency OF the imparts which they
are liable to receive.
"These specifications are fully up to the best
modern practice, and, In fact, provide for greater
strength In some OF the parts (notably In the
wind bracinRJ than Is usual on the main trunk
lines OF the country, and perhaps more than Is
really necessary.
II have examined the plans and diagrams ~
strains for the four styles Of bridges, designed by
Carke, Reeves & Co.. and handed me by you, and
recommended verbally the adoption Of plan No.
9, which provides for distributed wooden floor
placed on top OF the upper chords.
This plan, however. showed inclined or lean
Ing posts at the ends Of Phpnlx columns, the
spaces between two adjoining spans being bridged
over by iron lo0r beams, resting upon stirrups.
This latter arrangement both you and myself
thought Questionable, as less efficient than a top
chord extending out To the ends, and more difficult
IN brace thoroughly. You therefore suggested to
the designers that they should extend the top
chords for this deck bridge clear 10 the ends. and
substitute vertical end post for the leaning col
umn first proposed. To this they assented at
once, saying that they believed IL could be done
without dxtra charge.
NiH hSs hNSf ~ ~ N,,'c'-
and sent me still another design, diagram OF
strains and sheet of details, which have marked
this plan good and satisfactory in o-ery respect.
/ IL Is up 10 your Specifications. conforms tO the
best modern practice. and provides. In my judg-
ment, for an efficient and durable bridge.
1T differs frOm1P.an No. 2. originally selected,
I'm havInga considerable dec er, more rigid and
heavier top-chord, composed Of plates and angles,
ana extending out 10 th- ends. so that the several
spans adIOin closely at the top: In substituting
vertical end post of similar construction 10 the
top chord, for the leaning column first proposed ;
I'm making The end panels Of the lower chord rigid,
10 obyiate the lack Of initial tension consequent
upon the vertical end post; In an increase in the
size and weight Of tie intermediate posts In a
change in the lateral struts and I'm their connec-
tiOns, making thsm more efficient and more ac-
cessisle for painting, and In an increase In tile
size of the pins.
"In answer To your inquiry rs to tire possible in
terIor rusting of Phmnix columns, would say that
about a year ago, when the New York Lake Erle
and We,lern railroad undertook the construction
~ .he kinZna yiaduct 600 feet hlghl, caused an
investigation 10 he made inlO the interior rusting
Of such columns. rs Ii was proposed to use them
/ for that structure.
For some years engineers had been question
ing their ultimate permsnency. They knew OF no
case Of failure from internal oxidation. but they
feared that the paint in the interior might In soue
way wear out. ana the column be weakened by IN
1 teiiOr rusting.
should be nut 10 the test of asceriained facts and
I Iaccordingly sent out two expert bridge-nspcct-
ors 10 examine the interior condition of all the old
\
done by cutting hole generally one and quarter
inch I'm diameter Ia the suspected column on
Q closed section. and examining lhe interior 10y
means Of u cOncaYe mirror Win an eye lOlc IN lts
centre.
| Some eighteen structures were visited. which
were from six TO twenty years old, IN elght dlner-
I emf States, and some uinety-hye closed sections
| were examined. This examination proved that
the lnteral condition OF such sections was yery
| much better than was appreheuded: that where
! oxidation had taken place at ALL IL was nsignifi-
| In amount. and that In MANY columns. SOlHC
of them eighteen and twenty years old, the paint
| was still glossy and damp with oil. 1hls Il proba-
bly, accounted for by the fact that as the Interior
paint IS well protectedfrom the weather. 10 does not
J crack, wear. or peel of like that On the outside
! "The general conclusion drawn was that II
closed columns aud sections are well put together,
/ painted With two good coats inside, aud kept
| painted outside 50 aS To exclude lnln-water from
entcri the joints, "a well as provided with driin-
! holes 10 let out any chance moisture. they are
likely 10 last quite as long la an efficient condition
| as other parts of the structure.
They were 9ccorGinEy 1dIped IL ior .e
! in their use for the intermediate columns OF the
Jame-Riyer bridge as proposed
| After several conferences win Mr. Chanute, In
xhich the various plans were discussed and the
strain calculations verified, IL was decided To
atlopt plan marked No. d. recommended by him.
! Accordingly Messrs. Clarke, Reeves q Co.'S pro-
| posa was accepted, and contract made with
/ Them on the 25th OF April, 1853, for the con-
/ structlOn and erection Of the fifteen spans or
| bridging during the year 1883. On July Sd the
erection OF The WORK began. and on October l.,
3 lSSS, fourteen spans were In position and IN
ished The erection Of the fifteenth span IS now
i'm progress. and should be finished IN W days
Al this writing November 27th, | consider the
I hridge practically finished. The work was care
/ fully Inspected during It's progress al the shops
and an necessary tests made, showing accuracy OF
| workmanship and quality OF metal fully up 10 the
= reonlrcments of the Specifications. The final
tests after erection were entirely satisfactory:
! The design Of the bridge Is known as the Whipple
or Double Ouadranguar Truss, the truss being un-
der the track, making decK bridge;
The depth OF the bridge Is suniformly21 feet from
hnitntn of track riiI fop of masonry. INC dfplh