The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-05-07
rs TELESCOPE.
III W IL eJiagaraSuspensionR &c is Bel &
Replaced by a Steel span.

I IIt ~" I1CId lu-y
The historic suspension railway
bridge over tie Niagara gorge will be
entirely removed by July 1st n a new
steel structure, remarkable in many of
its features, will be in its place. The
new bridge is being built aroun the
old, n the change from one to the
other will be made without Interference
to traffic. This new bridge will con-
sist Of one nightly steel span, $50 feet
betWeen Springing pOintS-the largest
arch in all the wOrld-fianked on either
side by a trussed pan lis feet in length
connecting the same with the cliff on
each side OF the river. In addition to
this there will be approaches aggre-
eating 290 feet in length.
This mighty structure, to cost half a
million dollars. and to weigh 1900, 900
pounds, is to take the place of the pres
ent suspension bridge, which was long
considered one Of the best in the world.
It was built in 1855 by John A. ROeb-
ling, for the Niagara Falls Internation-
al Bridge Company, of New York, and
the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
Company, of Canada.
In 1880 the original wooden suspended
superstructure was found Inadequate,
and was substituted by a new steel
stiffening trust $40 feet long. Six years
later the stone towers on top Of the
cliffs, supporting the cables, were
found to be crumbling, and were re-
placed by new OneS of steel, without in
terruptiOn to traffic. Both of these
changes were made under the direction
Of L. L. Buck, chief engineer in charge
of the new structure for the Pennsyl-
vania Steel Company, which is doing
the work for the two corporations own
ing the bridge franchise.
Now comes another and greater
change. The Did bridge, with it's sin
gle track, is inadequate for the en-
larged traffic and the increase in
weight for locomotive engines, and will
be replaced by a new bridge with two
railway tracks on its upper deck, and
with railway tracks, sidetracks, side
walks and trolley tracks beneath. The
lower tracks will be used for an cleo
trio line from the United States to
Canada around the Whirlpool gorge.
A strange feature in changing from
che bridge to the other is that it will
be done without Interference with the
heavy traffic, though the new bridge is
being built on the exact site of the old
one, which it surrounds, and with
which it is i~nterDlaced. The new
structure gets not n n of support
from the old, as it extends from the
cliffs on either side on into the air
in an apparently mysterious manner,
ana 10 the eye Oh Ilt IyIO utllc SIdN-
ity. It's huge pieces Of steel, which in
some instances exceed thirty tons in
weight, are being extended with APP
parently only the atmosphere under
them.
When these two sides of the arch
meet in the centre of the p and are
Joined, the old bridge will be blocked
up on the new one the new bridge car
rying it in addition to it's W weight
and the regular traffic. The latter will
then be disconnected piece by piece,
and the new floor system placed in pO-
sitiOn as the work progresses.
The last work will be to remove the
four cables of the suspension bridge,
eachweighing 10 tons and having a
length of 1,600 feet. Then the towers
will come down, and a landmark long
familiar to tourists to Niagara Falls
will have disappeared.
The contract for the new bridge was
let last May. In September 500, 900 feet
Of lumber was used in constructing
preliminary work on either side of the
river, extending from the cliffs to the
springing points of the arch. Then, on
I January 26th, the first piece of riveted
| steel was placed in its permanent posi-
I ton.
The usual methods of erecting bridges
could not be employed on account of
the impOssibility Of constructing tenn
4 POI StdSllS dSiOSS LIZ SOl u "
is the old bridge sufficiently strong
to support any portion of the new
! bridge or Of the erection plant. The
arch is, therefore, being built out in
sections from each bank, cantilever
fashion. The bottom of each arm rests
on the springing points of skew
backs Of the arch. the tops being an
chored by e of heavy chains. COM
| posed Of eye bars, ESQ feet back on
| either bluff, where the chains are curry
ed round and dOwn eighteen feet into
the solid rock. There they are en-
bedded in concrete.
The pull on each Of these anchorages
exceeds 1000. 900 pounds, which is equal
to the traction power of 100 freight en-
gines.
In order to control the weight of the
oVer-hanging arms. four diamond
shaped adjustments are placed in the
anchor chains, which are operated by
right and left hand screws, revOlded
by a capstan that requires the united
strength of eighteen men to turn.
During erection the new bridge is
being kept slightly above it's final pO-
sitiOn. so that when the last section of
the arch is placed in position there will
be a gap of several inches: then, by
ear of the adjusting screws. the
halves OF the arch will be lowered.
closing the gap and converting the two
cantiliver arms into one single arch.
At this stage of the work eighty men
will be required 70 the ~capstans.
The construction of the two decks
and removal of the Did bridge will fol-
low. and when July 4th comes every
piece OF steel will be in place. the two
millions holes punched and drilled will
have been filed with bolts and rivets.
and the new bridge will be open for
traffic.
Winston Journal: Alderman W. II.
White, who lives on Liberty street. fell
from his stable loft yesterday and re-
ceived quite a serious injury. One or