New-York tribune., 1900-09-19
AGRE4T BR IDGE QUEBEC
PRELIMINARY WORK BEGUN ON THE
STRUCTURE, WHICH IS TO BE
5000 FEET LONG

Quebec Que, Sept. IS C5peciaD.-Greater in many
respects than the wonderful Firth Of Forth Bridge
Will be the structure which will span the st. Law
renee River at this ancient capital and upon which
the preliminary work has already begun. For more
than half century such an undertaking has been
under discussion by the business men OF Quebec
and II was one Of the conditions Of confederation
that the maritime provinces should be connected
by rail with this city. Plans were prepared in
1851 and since then a determined effort has been
put forth with varying success until finally the
Federal Government has granted 100000 with a
promise that another 81 100000 viii be forthcoming
should II be required.
The cost OF the bridge will be $4,000 OOO and
the authorized capital Of the company, OF which
Mayor Parent is president, S1.OO0.Oo0- The Legts-
latUre OF Quebec has appropriated S25OOO0 and the
local City Council $4,000. The remainder OF the
funds necessary complete the work will be raised
by the issue OF debentures. AL the contracts for
the various parts OF the big bridge been made.
the Phoenix Bridge Building Company. OF Phoenix
vile. Penn. being awarded that for the iron and
steel work which Will weigh about forty thousand
tons NJ. P. Davis, Of Cardinal, Ont, secured the
contract for the masonry work, which is required
to be completed in October 1902
The .cantlever span Of the new bridge Will be
about 1900 feet long, 90 feet longer than the
Firth Of Forth The total length OF the struct-
ure will be $500 feet or a little more than two
thirds Of mile The centre span Will be $50 feet
above high water. and the height Of the two centre
piers OF masonry above high tide Will be so feet,
while the elevation OF the cauCilevers above the
top OF the masonry will be $50 feet. Besides the two
abutments one on either side OF the river, and the
two water piers at the ends OF the great centre
span there will be two anchor piers, each 900 feet
away from its neighboring abutment and 500 feet
from the nearest deep water pier. The amount OF
masonry entering into the construction OF the bridge
IS estimated at $1,000 cubic yards The piers are to
be Of enormous size. The anchor piers are TO be
finished this year. The two deep water piers will
require q season for each. One will be begun IN
May next year and completed before winter, and
the other Will be built in the open season Of 1902
The huge pneumatic caissons, which are to be
constructed this winter and launched as required
viii measure 16S feet by 50 feet, with height OF
80 feet, or a base area of $500 square feet. re-
ouirtng million feet Of timber, board measure
ment for their construction More than forty thou
sand barrels Of cement viii be required for the
work. and Mr. Daviss contract viii total 600
His engineer Is A. A Stewart, Of New-York city,
who has lately been engaged upon the New East
River Bridge.
The Quebec bridge Is TO have double railway
tracks, besides roadways for carriages, ELECTRIC
cars and pedestrians going in both directions. II
| will be strong enough TO bear the weight OF as
many heavy locomotives as can be crowded upon
| II. The railways IL viii be the Grand Trunk
the Quebec Central the Great Northern. the Inter,
| colonial the Canadian Pacific and the Quebec and
| Lake st. John