Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-10-30
NIAGARA's NEW BRIDGE.
IT VIII BE One Of the Wonders Of the
World.

1t VIII BE One Of the Wonders OF tho
World.
The new metal arch bridge at Niagara
falls will he noteworthy in two respects.
The new bridge is to be built over the
old suspension structure, without inter
ruption to the traffic on the LITER Inc
span from end pier to end pier will be
$40 feet, making it the largest arch
span in the world.
The suspension bridge now in use,
which has been familiar to all visitors
to the great natural wonder for 40 years,
will be kept in place until 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 100 feet
from the level Of the piers at the skew
backs to the center Of the ribs at the
crane of the arch, which point is llO
feet above low water. The depth OF the
trusses is 26 feet, and they will be 6S.
inches apart. The bridge will carry one
floor. 46 feet wide, divided longitudl'
nally into three parts. On the middle
portion, which is % feet 0 inches wide,
will be two trolley tracks. Each side OF
these tracks will be a roadway for car
riages s feet wide. and outside OF these,
raised 6 inches from the level OF the
roadway, will be footpaths.
The construction Of this remarkable
span is from plans Of L. i. Buck, engi
neer Of the new East river bridge be-
tween New York and Brooklyn, and the
author of the plans by which the rail
road suspension bridge at Niagara wal
replaced by an arched bridge.
The approaching or hanking spans
will be 100 feet long on the American
side and 2lO feet on the Canadian side
The total metal in the new structure
will be about 1000, 900, 600 pounds
Every confidence is expressed in Mr.
Bucks ability to carry out his plans
The replacing Of the railroad bridge b.
another without an hours interruption
of business was one Of the engineering
feats of the decade.
Those who have not not seen the grea
structure at Niagara which it is intend
ed to replace will hardly realize the stu
pendous character Of the undertaking
Imagine the task Of replacing the sim
plest sort of bridge without interrupuni
traffic, and then add about l,OOO pc
cent to the difficulty. This Will CIV
something of an idea Of what confront
engineers and builders.
In AN undertaking Of this nature tn
slightest error might be productive O
infinite disaster. Every measurement
must be accurate to hairs breadth
Every portion Of the great arch mus
perform its particular share Of the erea
combination that will be one OF IN
marvels of the world.
All that is done must be accomplisne
quickly, for in affairs Of this natur
time is indeed money. Every man VIII
can be utilized will join the army
construction. Perhaps no work OF reoen
wears has required or will yet nee
more skilled labor. In fact, in bridg
building it is becoming unsafe to utiliz
labor Of any other class. The bridge
when complete. will in truth be wor
of genius in point Of construction
we'll as point of conception. =.
The work of preparing the materii
for the great structure has been in pros
ress for some time, as little can be al
oomplished in an enterprise of this nj
ture until the preliminaries are con
plete. When the effort Of placing II
different parts Of the bridge in positlo
is begun, Niagara will be one oil q
busiest Of busy places Railroad G'
zette.