The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-04-23
NEW THEBES BRIDGE.
OF THE COTTON BELT OVER
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
1t Cost Three and a Half Million Dol
lars and Three Years Were
Spent in Constructing 1t.

At a cost of three and one-half million
dollars and three years time the new
Cotton Belt bridge over the Mississippi
river at Thebes, Ill.,. was opened to traf
hc April IS.
Ten years ago the construction of such
bridge would have cost probably NIL
lion dollars more. The Thebes bridge
being combination Of the best points of
the three accepted styles of bridge en-
gineering. is unlike any other in this
country, and improvement of method
has materially reduced the cost The
plan involves what is known as the
fixed, through and cantilever plans, and
the bridge is as substantial as it is pos
sible to make it.
1t is double track structure and its
location is particularly fortunate one,
owing to the high bluffs on each side of
the river which obviate the necessity of
the usual long approaches.
steel structure of five spans. The CEN
trail Or channel span is o7I feet long;
the two spans on either side of the chan
mel span are 52I feet ? inches long; the
two end spans are 5IS feet f inches
long the two fixed spans on either side
of the channel span are Is feet high be-
tween centers of chords: the suspended
spans are S. feet high between chords
at tthe center; the distance center to
center Of trusses is 81 feet. There are
approximately 14ooo tons of steel in the
structure.
The six main piers supporting the
steel superstructure are founded on bed
rock The total height cf the structure
from the bottom of the lowest founda-
tion to the top of the highest point of
the superstructure is 23I feet.
The bridge is approached at both ends
by concrete arches. There are five 65-ft.
arches in the east approach and six 65-ft.
arches and one Ioo-ft arch in the west
approach. The concrete in the ap-
proaches is of Portland cement. Its total
amount is estimated at 5000 cubic
yards The road bed on both approaches
is double track. ballasted and S5-lb rails
used
The total length of the bridge proper,
including concrete approaches. is 3,8o7
feet. The total length of the entire con-
struction including earth approaches, is
AZ miles.
The completion of this bridge does
away with the Cotton Belts car ferry
transfer at Thebes, and will enable pas
senger trains to make an hour quicker
time from St. Louis to Texas. 1t will
shorten freight schedules FIVE hours.
The Cotton Belt has spent $35o.ooo in
terminal improvements at limo. just
west of the bridge on the Missouri side,
and owns all terminal facilities and track
connections ON that side of the river.
This bridge puts the Cotton Belt at
the front among the important lines
from St. Louis to the Southwest. The
management will at once inaugurate a
new fast freight service between Texas,
Arkansas. Louisiana and St. Louis The
through freight from St. Louis to Texas
will be delivered in much shorter time
than has ever been attempted before. In
anticipation of heavy traffic, the company
is preparing to double track the line
from the river to point 60 miles west.
The fact that the Cotton Belt already
has the lowest grade line to the South
west and has been newly laid with Is
and s. pound steel rails will make this
road vital competitor for Southwestern
business. and is certain to make a strong
showing iii future earnings.