The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-11-21

from end pier to end pier will be
$40 feet, making it the largest arch
span in The world. The principal
existing all-metal arches, on the
authority OF the Railroad Gazette,
are
Louis |, Oporto, Portugal E66 lac
Garabit, France. ........... 642 40
pia Maria Portugal ,..... 525 121
Eads st. Louis Bridge go. $40 AZ
Washington b idge, New
Paderno, Italy ..... 80. 400 1913
Roches er Driving Park -. 42S 81
The suspension bridge now in use
which has been familiar to all visit
ors to the great natural wonder for
forty years will be kept in place un-
til the new arch is ready, as it would
be impossible to construct false
works over the Niagara gorge to
sustain a structure of this class.
The span will have rise Of $50
feet from the level of the piers at
the skewbacks to the center of the
ribs at the crane OF the arch, which
point is $50 feet above low waters.
The depth OF the trusses is 26 feet,
and they will be 69.7 inches apart.
The bridge will carry one floor,
46 feet wide, divided longitudinally
into three parts. On the middle
portion, which is % feet 8 inches
wide, will he trolley tracks. Each
side of these tracks will be a road
way for carriages 8 feet wide, and
outside Of these, raised 6 inches from
the level of the roadway, will be
footpaths.
The construction of this remark
able span is from plans of l.. L.
Buck, engineer of the new East
River bridge, between New York
and Brooklyn, and the author Of the
plans by which the railroad suspen-
sion bridge at Niagara was replaced
by an arched bridge.
The approaching or flanking spans,
will be 100 feet long on the Ameri-
can side, aud 2l0 feet on the Cana
dian side. The total metal in the
new structure will be about 100000
pounds. Every confidence is ex-
pressed in Mr.. Bucks ability to
carry out his plans. The replacing
of the railroad bridge by another
without an hours interruption Of
business was one Of the engineering
feats of the decade.
Those who have not seen the great
structure at Niagara which it is in
tended to replace will hardly realize
the stupendous character OF the I'M
dertaking. Imagine the task of re-
placing the simplest sort of bridge
without interrupting traffic, ant
then add about 1000 percent to the
difficulty. This will give something
of an idea Of what confronts engin
GERS and builders.
In an undertaking Of this nature
the slightest error might be produc
tive of infinite disaster. Ever,
measurement must DO accurate to
, hairs breadth. Every portion OF thu
: great arch must perform its particu
lar share of the great combination
that will be one of the marvels o
> the world.
. All that is done must be accom-
: plished quickly, for in affairs of thi
nature time is indeed money. Ever,
man who can be utilized will joil
the army Of construction. Perhap
3 no work of recent years has required
4 or will yet need, more skilled labor
, In fact, in bridge building, it is be
coming unsafe to utilize labor OF an
9 other class, The bridge when com
plete vii in truth be a work o
2 genius in point of construction, a
4 we'll as point Of conception.
i. The work Of preparing the ma
, terial for the great structure ha
0 been in progress for some time, a
s little can be accomplished in an or
i terprise of this nature until the pre-
Ia l.