New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-17
THE QUEBEC BRIDGE.
To Haze the Greatest Span in TIE
WOrld-WOrk We'll Adranced.

Montreal, May 10 (SpeciaD.-A record breaking
cantilever bridge is being built in Canada. The
Quebec Bridge is its name. and il will be record
breaker tn that it Will have single span OF l,6N
feet no other bridge in the world being comparable
10 it In this respect. so far can be learned.
The river span the Brooklyn Bridge is 1855 feet.
that of the Williamsburg Bridge being l,600 feet.
Excepting suspension bridges, the longest span OF
which is 1900 feet the longest span bridge yet COM
pleted is the Forth double track railway bridge,
with two spans OF 17lO feet each Others are the
Lansdowne Bridge, India with a span OF $40 feet;
the Monongahela River Bridge, Pittsburg, with
span of Sl2 feet. and the bridge across the Msss-
sIppl at Memphis, Tenn, with 4 span of 1909 feet
The Quebec Bridge will have a clear way Of $50
feet while the East River bridges only 1875 feet
above water level Its towers will be $50 feet above
The river. while those OF the Brooklyn Bridge are
27S feet and those Of the Williamsburg Bridge 335
feet. The height of the banks of the St Lawrence
permits of the length of the Quebec Bridge being
less than that of the New-Yo structures. Its
width also is less. being only feet against 50 feet
for the Brooklyn Bridge and us feet for the Will
iamsburg Bridge. The superstructure for the two
5Oo-foot anchor spans and the single
1880 foot c1ltilever span the channel Will
weigh 10000 tons. The weights of the anchor and
cantilever and OF the suspended span are
about l25OlO00, 100000 and 100000 pounds,
spectivcly. while the floor system will add about
The bridge is being built for the Quebec Bridge
Company, of which the late Premier of the Quebec
Provincial Government is president. The company
received bonuses from both federal and provincial
governments The total cost of the undertaking Is
estimated at 50 100000 and it is to be completed by
the end of 1905 Already sC0o.000 has been expend-
ed at the site the sub-structure is completed the
designs for the superstruCture are far advanced
5000 Of steel work have been fabricated at the
bridge shops, and work has been begun for the in
stallation of a $4,000 plant.
The construction Will be according to American
methods, part of the structure being erected at
the shops, dependence being placed on accuracy Of
design and workmanship. An American firm has
the contract for the steel work and its construC-
ton. The heaviest member TO be erected at great
heights will be the 6S-foot lower chord pieces
weighing 100 tons each. The power for the work
the bridge will be electricity the use of steam
being entirely eliminated on the work
When completed the bridge will have two rail-
road tracks. highways and two electric car
tracks the single deck one hundred and twenty
feet above the pier tops between the truSScs, be-
sides which, provision is being made for sidewalks
should such be desirable in future.
The completion of the work will mark a new era
in the progress of the city OF Quebec and the sur
rounding territory. The historic city viii be on the
through line of the Grand Trunk and. besides the
advantages which this will bring, the citizens even
indulge the hope that the railway will estah-
fish a line Of steamships and make Quebec their
ocean port The realization OF this hope is. to say
the least vet far distant but should it ever come
about an Impetus will be given to the city of for-
fcations which will 90 . long way toward restor-
Ing It the glories long since departed