Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-05-02
pouoHKegPsIe AND IFS BRIDGE.

IOugnketpstt, Guy VI NoW hoih'
the seat Of Dutchess County, is on the
east bank of the Hudson River, III miles
north of New York city and 10 miles
south of Albany. II Is on the New York
Central and Hudson River Railroad. II
is on plateau 300 feet above the river,
and Is sheltered on the east by high hills,
The streets are Wide, crossing at right
angles. Main Street, extending frOul
the river, is two miles In length. The
population IL about 5000. IL contains
many fine residences and business
houses. aud many public buildings and
benevolent Institutions. Eastman Busi-
ness College II situated here. vassar
Institute, Vassar Home for Aged Men,
and yassar College, noted Institution
for women, founded In 1865 and liber-
ally endowed by Matthew Vassar, are
also located here. II was here that In
the l7ss legislature ratified the federal
constitution.
There are six national banks, one
savings bank, three large hotels, eight.
cen churches and twelve public school
buildings In the city. Three daily and
four weekly papers, besides several
other periodicals are published here. l
will give the readers of the Democrat a
description Of the railroad bridge span
ming the Hudson River at this place,
taken from the Ency clOpedia Brlttanica,
American supplement.
"Poughkeepsie railroad bridge was
commenced In 1873 by u company that
hid obtained charter from the New
York legislature which permitted 1t to
place four piers In the channel OF the
river. The work was Interrupted AMI
remained In very Incomplete state un-
til 1886, when II was resumed and push
ell forward that the bridge might be-
opeue,i for tr,illc In 1889. The bridge
L. 3,09t feet In length from anchorage To
anchorage, aud the approaches consist
of "A yiaduct of about 5000 feet In length
on the east side, aud about 1000 feet on
the west side, making the whole about
100 feet. IN. bridge proper rests on
ak piers. one on either shore four aud In
the rh ,nnel. The river piers are carried
10 Sn to depths below the surface Of l25
tn l35 feet. In order t0 secure n sOlii
found alton open caissons Of timber were
huilt 100 feet long by GO feet wide.
weighted by "pockets" filed with CON-
crete snl sunk nv dredging through the
open Sp,ees, .me,s" . W na", noso,. ~ m.od On
sou. in's ",uaI .n,isaiv snc,as..
full. thu cai..Ons having been sunk by
,I ,ha nnn,n,rn ny .nI :, IonI. hriive.' ami
LII Iii, 'nm'h La danger and exn.nse,
% ~ ,h. IL .ons S.r.. sunk tbev ", re
hill, nm h, ,d,,i,io,, to ths ton. so that
Oh. ionsr .J.e. re.t mon the lower
'"o ," y ,.,,, ,h. ,n,J anJ air M
'''u,n u" , ""s ,ho ,a,'s,ns ,,e
tue river. lhe pps ot ano ~.
40 soou' .men'y i''s D.'V ,S., G,,.J ,.i,h
,ne opeu sp'o.s "e,o .,a '. ana IT, soi,d
euv...r' ., 20, ,,. ,op ,'I.oaa mnan 4, and
ina,r,.,n,. a',o,n ~, ' hn,,, on ,his WV"
w. .r,,n ,,V. r,nrw v MI n,sr" which are .Il
=, ~ 80. ,h .a,or ars zach sO
' ,a, ,n so" ~. 49, nv soa, ,,,is Tia ienvth bc.
o' ,s a., ,'s ~. i,r".,,on n, ,hs cnrrent of the
S .Is.. :" amS ud ,hsr = are mil, nm m n height
,n an' ~. t. ,h. snr,'ao iI,on the
" oo ,ce' ,et aoo,o ' s,.ai ,"w.r. Ioo Zee,
Ill c,s ane ',',r, I,.Sa ,na hsi,h, from ,be wat or
,ms,n. sn, s ,nSar Ia os ,hs trusse. i,O feet.
',, :" Wv uu',, , sue sao,.a~,iar y, % ,rnss .nsns
' .,S e., - on foe, I,,gb