The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-25
The World,s Groat Rridces.

Mrs. +. G. de Fontane in Brooklyn Magazine.
Metal bridges are the invention of British art
lists. The first bridge of cast-iron ever erected
is that over the Severn, about two miles below
Coebrookdale. in Shropshire. The second cast
iron bridge was designed by Thomas Paine, the
famous political writer, and was intended for
America, but the spectators failing in their pay
ments, the materials were used for the construe-
ton of the beautiful bridge the river Wear
at Bishop Wearmouth. in the county of Dur
ham.
Southwark bridge is constructed of iron. It's
length is 700 feet, and its cost was fS00,0 600. 1t
was opened in 1919.
The Blackfriars bridge is 900 feet long and
cost f300, 900.
Waterloo bridge is considered the finest in the
world Canova, the sculptor, said it was alone
worth a journey from Rome to London to see it.
The cost was FL 000 000
Charing Cross is the next bridge on the Thames
1t is used by a railway company.
Westminster bridge is !, 220 feet long and cost
f400, 600.
Lambeth bridge is 74O feet, and cost f1OO OoO
Vauxhall bridge is $40 feet long.
The first wire suspension bridge was erected
at Froilburg. Switzerland, and hangs 300 feet in
the air over a deep chasrn.
Chelsea chain suspension bridge is 922 feet
long. 40 feet wide. and cost Els, 900.
Hammersmith suspension bridge is 84l feet
long. 80 feet wide, and cost Els, 000
Suspension bridges. although held by some
persons to be of modern invention, or derived
from the rope bridges of South America and the
East Indies, were in use in Europe in the time
of Scamozz early in the seventeenth century.
One Of the most remarkable suspension
bridges in existence is that constructed by
Mr.. Telford, over the Menai strait. between the
Isle of Anglesea and CBrnarvoashire. in Wales.
1t was finished in 1926 In the United States
there are number of these bridges; one over
the Merrimac, at Newburyport, measures pa
feet That over the Brandywine. at Whining
ton, is l45 feet; that at Brownsville, over
the Monongahela, measuring 100 feet.
The Wheeling suspension bridge has a
span Of l010 feet Roebline's
railroad bridge, at Niagara, has span of 82l
feet with DETECTION of SO feet; its roadway is
$50 feet above the line of the stream The bridge
at Cincinnati is 2, 220 feet long, with clear span
of 1867 feet The Point bridge at Pittsbure is
1,345 feet.
The highest bridge in existence, at the present
day. is the Garabit Vladuct on the railway con.
Meeting Marseilles with Neussargues IFrance)
the height from the water level being 400 feet
Its total length is 1852 feet
Among the most celebrated bridges built suhse.
quent to the fall of the Roman empire are those of
the Moors in Spain, who initiated and rivaled the
best construction of the Romans. The bridge of
Cordova, over the Guadalquivir, is an eminent
example of their success.
France can boast of many fine bridges built
during the last two centuries but to America
belongs the greatest triumph In the art of bridge
building, the Brooklyn bridge, spanning the
East river from New York to BROOKLYN being
$3.50 feet long, with a clear span of 1885 feet
over the East river. It is built of steel at
cost of several millions of dollars; recent de-
scriptions of it, however, rendering repetition
unnecessary.