New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-28
THE GREAT ST. LOUIS BRIDGE.
IT RANKED AMONG THE NOTED STRUCTURES OF
THE WORI.D-ITS BUILDER WAS
JAMES B.

The Eads bridge across the Mississippi at st.
Louis ranked among the noted bridges of the world
and had been pronounced the finest specimen OF
metal arch construction. The central arch Of the
bridge had clear span OF $50 feet. James Il. Eads
the famous engineer who constructed the jetties at
the mouth Of the Mississippi. occupied from
1861 TO 1874 In the work of building the stecl-arch
bridge at St. Louis and the work was a means OF
making him famous.
The piers and abutments Of the bridge
tablshed solid rock by means Of wrought-ron
caissons provided with air chambers and locks. at
depths on the east side OF 1876 feet below high
water mark or 10 feet from the surface Of the
water. This feat at the time was unprecedented in
engineering The bridge has three spans. each
formed with ribbed arches made of cast steel.
The centre space Is $40 feet and the side spans 5O
feet in the clear The rise of the centre arch is Az
feet and that Of the side arches i6 feet. The two
roadways one for railways and one for carriage.
are carried by four arched trusses connected with
each other by diagonal braces. the top and bottom
chords of which are composed OF steel tubes l6
inches In diameter. These tubes were made In sec
lions of about 70 feet and consist Of steel slaves
banded and held together by Jackets hoops Of the
same material. The top and bottom chords or tubes
are u feet apart. connected with each other by a
triangular system OF bracng arranged as TO con-
stitute with the tubes. arched truss Of great
lghtness and strength. The width OF the bridge is
"a feet and It's cost together with the tunnel by
which access Is gained It's western end. was about
100000.
The Mississippi at ST. Louis. is confined to
single channel. 1000 feet wide at low-water mark
by an embankment or levee on the Illinois side.
which is carried I'D TO the level OF extreme high
water at which time the width is augmented 10
300 feet.
The comparison of the ST. Louis Bridge with the
FIRTH OF Forth. Brooklyn and Poughkecpsie bridges
is indicated by the following figures:
Length OF bridge, without approaches-Frth OF
, IN feot POughkeepSie.
300 feet: ST. Louis. 100 feet.
Longest span-Frih OF Forth, 1.7l0 feet: Brook
lyn 1886 feet Poughkeepsis. $50 feet: ST. Louis.
500 feet.
Average weight OF superstructure, per lineal foot
Firth OF Forth, 1920 pounds; brooklyn. 400
pounds; Poughkeepsie. $500 pounds; 81. Louis $500
pounds.
Total cost of construction. without approaches.
right Of way. or interest account-Frith OF Forth
s13 900 900: Brooklyn. $4,000; Pouehkeepse. 26'-
600; ST. Louis, $4,000.
James b. Eads. the builder OF the bridge. settled
in St. Louis in 1898 when he was thirteen years
old There in various empoyments he acquired
knowledge Of engineering and cognate subjects
When only twenty-five he constructed d'Vihs-
bell boat TO recover the cargoes OF suhkeh steam
ers and soon afterward designed ,arger boats. Win
novel and powerful machinery, for lifting the entre
hun and cargo. In 1861 he was called 10 Washing
Ton and consulted by the President in relation 10
the practicablity of using ronclad vessels on the
Mssissippi He designed and constructed eight ron
clad steamers fully equipped. within 100 days.
Thees were employed in the capture OF Fort Henry
IN 1862 Subsequently he constructed numerous IRON
niads and mortar-boats. In 1861 he began inc con
sructon Of the ST. Louis bridge on the complec
lion NJ this enterprise ne turned his attention 10 the
daanen,np of The Mississippi by means OF jeities.
His plans were adopted only after strong Spp9sGn
-Four wears after ne began work the United states
inspector reported that the maximum dtpih pro
sequentiy he outlined the great plan OF hydTanc
,he deen water from the Cuff OF Mexico 20 the
mouth Of the Ohio Later projects WHICH occupied
shin railway and ship canal. the improvement or
the Sacra mento River the harbor Of Toronto ne
RaaIrbop of galveston and the estuary and port Of
me Wersey He died In 1851 at Nassau. ~ I.