Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-07-06
CANADA AND QUEBEC BRIDGE.
Structure Now Proposed Common
place and Disappointing"

place anc Disappearing"
Because of the skill asd daring
which are, or seem to be, involved,
the design and erection of bridges OF
unusual magnitude has ever been con-
sidered one OF the most difficult, we
had almost said spectacul. :, feats OF
construction; and the succe. sful cree
ton OF such structures has brought
worldwide fame TO the engineer. and
distinct national credit to the country
in which the work was done. Thus.
the Forth bridge stands to-day as ole
Of the noblest monuments of construc-
tive engineering in Ehe whole of the
British empire, and a memorial to the
man who was responsible for the de-
sign has recently been placed in Vest
minister abbey. So, too, our own
beautiful and dignified Brooklyn
bridge OF err the East river is a lasting
tribute u bridge engineering as indi-
yidualize in America, and the city OF
Trenton 1as recently unveiled a nonn-
ment TO The memory of Roebling, the
father of longspan suspension bridges
But chat seif-same notoriety. which
brings International fame to the man
and the people who carry great en-.
cheering works to a successful issue,
must, in the vers nature of things,
throw proportionate shadow OF d..
credit, when one of these great struc.
lures falls in utter ruin and, as in the
case Of the Quebec bridge, carries
nigh upon 100 souls to destruction |
This fact was frankly recognized at |
the time by the engineering and tech
nical press, both in this country and !
in Canada: and it was realized to be |
a matter of national Importance that, |
when the bridge came TO be rebuilt. |
the new structure should not only be |
perfectly stiff and strong, but that it |
should embody such architectural /
treatment as would render it estheti-
caliy pleasing TO the eye, and worthy |
Of that great school of bridge engi-
neering which has sprung up and
aourished in the western hemisphere
When the Canadian government
took hold OF the matter and lent all /
lis powerful prestige and financ a. I
assistance 10 the scheme, ii was ae-
cepted as an sugury that the new
bridge would be worthy OF the great 4
Dominion across the border line. We
have to confess, however, that the
bridge which it is now proposed 10
buld is decidedly Disappointing The
type selected and the method of trsat-
ment are not M TO the last standards
of bridge engineering. In other words
the design is distinctly commonplace
1t has not q single re-
8eeming feature.
IN redesigning the bridge, the Cana
dian. government could have made 4
more sure OF securing the best posi-
hle designs, If they had thrown the
bridge opeu to worldwide compeu-
ton We should then have learned
Whether the strongest. most econonn-
al ana most beautiful bridge could
have been secured under the cantile-
yer or uader the suspension system
Of des gn Personally. we believe
,bat on al three counts itNgogld oe
possible 10 produce suspension |
bridge that would be greatly superior
10 the structure which il is now pro
nosed to buTld The saspeasion3
bridge. especially when built q these 4.
great proportions. IS n Ear - eg
bridge to erect. not being subjected
% those heavy erection stresses which
are the peril Of large cantilever cree
lion. Moreover. the essential elements,
1aneiy. the anchorages. the towers
and the main cables, are * an times
entirely free from suspicion, and mas
oe erected with the absolute certainty