Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-06
BRIDGE IS A GIANT
Structure Spans the st. Law
renee River at Quebec.
HOLDS SITE OF DISASTER
Eighty or More Lives Lost When
First Structure Fell.
LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
Will Eclipse Even Famous Bridge
Over the Firth of Forth-Cost
Runs Into Millions.
LARGEST IN THE WORLD
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
QUEBEC. September ?, 1911
The Canadian government is erecting
over the ST Lawrence river. six miles
above Quebec, what promises to be the
greatest bridge In the world. 1t is in
tended for the trains of the Grand Trunk
railroad, the cars OF the trolley lines that
run up and down both banks of the river
the general vehicle traffic and whatever
else it may concern. 1t is intended to
replace a bridge which fell in 1907 while
in process of erection by the Phoenix
Bridge Company OF Pennsylvania. 1t
of more than eighty men-the exact num-
Der being unknown-of whom thirty-six
were Indians Of the Caughnawaga tribe,
employed as workmen. The financial loss
which fell chiefly upon the government
amounted to about 81. 100000
The substructure had been completed
by the contractor, NJ. P. Davis of OF
tawa. and the steel work was being done
by the Phoenix Bridge Company under
the direction of Theodore Cooper. con-
sulttng engineer. and John Sterling
pany. upon plans prepared by P. l..
Zyclopka, the regular designing engi-
neer Of the company. One arm of the
great cantilever, which had been built out
nearly half way, fell of its own weight.
carrying down the workmen who were
employed upon it. few days before
the catastrophe Mr.. Cooper sent a tele-
gram to the superintendent in charge,
saying: do not place any more load on
Quebec bridge at present Better look
into 1t al once"
Message Was Delayed.
Owing to a strike among Telegram phi
operators the message was delayed and
did not arrive in time The superin-
tendent and his assistants were discuss
ing 1t when the bridge fell. The message
was sent upon the receipt Of information
of suspicious appearances In the con-
struction, but there was no positive evil
dence of weakness in either the material
or the design. The coroner's jury re-
ported:
1--WE have been unable to determine
the real cause of the collapse. but we
think it is our duty to declare, that, &C
cording to the evidence furnished during
the inquest. all necessary precautions
were taken for the construction of bridge
without danger"
A technical commission appointed by
the government made a thorough investi-
CATION and report. which fills large
printed volume but the conclusions were
equally indefinite and unsatisfactory. The
experts decided that the principle Of
construction was correct and had been
applied successfully to other bridges, but
this bridge was too big for the principle
and therefore the design was an error
of judgment There was nothing wrong
about the material. No human fore
sight could have prevented the castas-
trophe. etc, etc.
The construction company had been
paid for nearly all the work that had
been done up to the time Of the accident
and lost comparatively little. The gov
eminent settled with the families OF the
men who were killed and left the con-
tract OF removing the Wreckage 10 an
American company.
The project could not be given up.
The bridge is absolutely necessary. At
the present time passengers going from
Montreal to Quebec by the Grand Trunk
railroad cross the St. Lawrence by the
Victoria Jubilee bridge. near Montreal
and continue along the south OF the
river to Lewis, where they cross over to
Quebec by ferry. Passengers from the
maritime provinces come the same way.
During the winter this method is dan
gerous and inconvenient because OF the
ice.
The st. Lawrence is a mighty river and
ocean steamers go up as far as Mon
treal. which is about twelve hours sail
from Quebec The distance from Quebec
to the ocean is 1873 miles. The distance
from Quebec to Montreal Is 1873 miles.
The Quebec bridge will be 132 miles from
Montreal.