New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-19
A NEW BRIDGE AT THE FALLS
THE RAILROAD SUSPENSION STRUCTURE
TO GIVE WAY TO A CANTILEVER.
AN ADDITIONAL TRACK NEEDED BY THE RAIL-
ROAD oMPANIES-DIFFERENCEso OF OPINION
AS TO WHICH OF THE TWO STYLES
OF BRIDGES is TIE BETTER

po,n CoMpANIEs-DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
AS TO WHICH OF THE TWO STYLES
OF BRIDGES is TIE BETTER.
,,. r,rroad susnension bride, at Niagara Falls.
which is one of the Oldest railroad bridges In the
country and probably the first large suspension
bridge ever built. VIII soon he taken do"h' anu
will be replaced by arched cantever priuse'
/. l.. Buck who rebuilt the bridge. is now al WORK
preparing plans for the new structure. lie said
when seen on Monday that he not at liberty
yet 10 describe the plans IN detail. as the briuge
company had not fully decided when the new work
should be begun. 1t depended somewhat ne saiu'
the cost.
This suspension bridge built in 1873 by John
II. Roebng. the father of the engineer OF 'he
BROOKLYN Bridge. 1t was considered surprising
engineering feat at that time. The prhclpe en-
p.oyed Is practically the same as in use now the
only real difference being that the truss underneath
the railroad track built Of wood and IRON
where il Is now of steel. When the bridge was
built It met all requirements for the trains in that
day. but by 1880 the railroad traffic had increased
so much and the weight of the trains was 80 mucn
greater than before that the railroad companies
got TO be afraid of the old structure. and COM
mission of expert engineers was employed TO en-
anime it.
c. Macdonald Of the Union Bridge Company was
d member of this commission. He told Tribune
reporter Monday some interesting details in
regard to the old bridge. The stone towers the
count. Mr.. Macdonald says. of the rackinG they
received from the trains which passed over
the bridge. The wrenched that IL mad
10 be replaced. on examining the anchorages the
engineers found that they were badly strained. MY
Macdonald described to the reporter the way in
which the anchorages were built. and the method
OF fastening the cables Them but it is not so easy
to make the method clear on paper without
diagram. There large cast-iron anchor sunk
many feet in the ground An "eye-beam was
fastened to this by heavy pin. Three other eye
beams were fastened in succession 10 the anchor
being connected with it by the first eye beam"
These were al different angles. so that the last. or
the one nearest the surface of the ground, could
receive the strands of the cable. Each wire com
posing the cables was passed through the e!V :"
the BEAM drawn back and fastened. The engineers
found that the heads of the beams were not strong
enough to support the weight of the bridge anu
recommended the necessity of replacing or strength
ening them All these beams with the anchor were
Embedded In masonry and were so arranged 'ha'
the only way the cable could pull OUT wou'd DE d!
uprooting the whole foundation
AGAINST SUSPENSION BRIDGE
Mr. Macdonald is in favor at all OF suspeh-
sion bridges for heavy railway traffic One OF the
arguments he used against the proposed suspen-
s,on bridge ecross the North River was that IL
was impossible TO make a suspension structure
stf enough. The cables were bound TO give soii'e
what and this would undoubtedly rack the Uusses
OF the bridge In giving reasons lot this He 'V
about the results obtained in the examination OF
the Niagara bridge by him and the other engineers
composing the commission He said they mrs rsn
ran set Of Levels over the erdse about s hallway
across It, When the train reached TINS pom, t meg
found that this part Of the 6Tas sd ha@ Of he bridge
had risen half foot. AS the train pIoceeced over
ths STdsf stood tn reason in Mr
opinion that such constant action ana so marco i
AS a result OF these investigations the COMMITTEE
advised the p a ons s haie new truss
structed. This, was done by L. L. Buck, ,or the
Mr. MacDonad was scb full S of dpk Was io
piished Mr. Buck replaced the old truss in 1850
least least with the trains 1856 he put in the new
These were Of steel and The T9Tk e %e5
Undertook The towers were built partially around
S WAS G reached and Was in readiness the
cable the great ropes OF immense weight were
passa iTSm ihsT wa
also Ct @ So Sas AN Almost sfas new ruc
ure. Mr.. Macdonald said that he understood II
the intention Of the e 10 beash this
was sufisien. proof that SUSPENSION bridge was
He also nndsrs tS 10 Se tns e
way 5dss to ree a b ws sa all Sse % ex
e nsh wlns to people and
made some seasick The writer can confirm this
casion to cross il in carriage he happened to have
a drunken driver There a heavy wind blowing
and the bridge rocked like ship at sea. the i'm
beetle coachman right in the middle OF the structure
attempted to start his horse trCttng. and the com
bined results nearly scared the half out or
his wits 1t was anything but pleasant sensation
10 feel ones self rocking about high up in the air
the roaring rapids
MR. BUCKS VIEW.
L. L. Buck, when asked about the new bridge.
acknowledged that he drawing plans for. one.
1t depended he said. somewhat on how much his
estimate was whether a bridge would take the
pace OF the old He didn't agree at all with
Mr.. Macdonald about the stability OF the suspension
bridge. He said ii strong enough 50 iar as
that was concerned, but II had on.y one track anu
80 much delay TO the traffic. That was the only
reason why they intended to repace IT, 49,. ..
II rather odd. however, that they uldh |
find this out In 1886. and. while they were Dull1lng
pacty or construct one then and not go TO
the expense OF practically rebuilding the .presen..
structure. Mr. Buck seems TO be Inuch In iaVor OF
q suspension bridge but 1t is well-known fact that
railroads do build suspension bridges any more
The cantilever has taken their pace
1t appears rather strange al hrst that TWO such
experienced engineers and bridge-buLders as Ar
Macdonald and Mr. Buck should express opinions
Is perhaps natural for Mr.. Macdonald to insist that
cantilever bridge is the only one Tor heavy traic
because his company makes specially OF them. Dut
why Mr. Buck. when he Is not drawing plans Tor a
pension bridge is entirely practicable for railroads
Is rather difficult to explain. Mr.. Buck was asked
II he intended TO put the new bridge IN the place
the old one occupies. He said that had not yet
at one side because At would make the work much
cashier. The new bridge would consist or only one
arch.