The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-01-18
Engineering Feats of Ancient
Tlmes-The First Spans Were
Of Wooden Construction-HeI
Gate Structure Now Building
to Eclipse All Previous Records.

AMONG the oc~Rd6vennents OF ngen-
ious and r~esourceful mankind
~ the art Of bridge building as II
has developed in the twentieth
century occupies a notable place. The
ancient Romans understood bridge
building, and many Of the FIRST spans
constructed In Italy and other nations
were samples Of wonderful skill. How
sver, 1t has remained for the engineers
sf our own tune to bring bridge build
ing down to a marvelously fine art.
The oldest bridges recorded were
su1lt Of wood. One Of these celebrated
structures was that thrown by julius
Caesar across the Rhine, which is de-
icr1bed in his Commentaries. Another
famous wooden bridge was built IN
E758 at Schaffhausen, Switzerland, by
4 village carpenter. The French de-
rr0yed it 1899.
There r numerous kinds or bridges
movable bridges, suspension bridges
pontoon bridges developed from the
ancient bridge Of boats, and military
bridges built to help troops cross a
stream or river, the floating ones for
nis purpose being made Of anything
f~uzn1sk1ne the required buoysncy.
SUSPENSION BRIDGES
The idea Of suspension bridges is old
The frat chain bridge is believed to
have been that ACROSS the Tees, Eng
land, In 1741, but not until 1925 was
the first really important structure OF
ne Lind erected. 1t was over Menal
strait, between the island Of Anglesey
and Carnarvonshire. Wales. Remark
xble suspension bridges In the United
States are those over the Niagara river
and the Brooklyn bridge.
The Brooklyn bridge over the East
DIVER, New York, which was opened
10 traffic May "a, 1888, costing to date
' e 2 1000, 900. remains as a wonder
rui piece of engineering even now,
though more modern methods of con-
struction have been applied to later
bridges.
The first iron bridges were erected
in the form Of arches, the material
used being cast iron. Now the arch
has been generally supplanted by the
beam or girder. The Chinese seem to
have been the first to use the arch in
building bridges. while bridges or
stone or brick seem to have originated
with the Romans. The Romans are
supposed to have obtained from the
Etruscans the idea of erecting the
great arch and dome. The first bridge
OF ancient Rome is said 70 have span
ned the Tiber. Ancient Rome had
eight bridges. one or two Of which
have endured to this day.
THE SPAN AT AvloNoN
One of the Oldest bridges of modern
Europe was that begun in 1176 over
the Rhone at Avignon. This bridge
was composed Of seventeen arches.
Perronet, chief engineer of bridges and
highways under Kings Louis XIV. and
XVI, set a high standard in bridge
building, and France continued TO
tan high among the nations of mod
ern Europe in the art.
Iron bridge building has been ear
ried on 10 n very successful degree by
American builders. who have utilized
various forms OF Orders and have con
structed some tine bridges with arches
OF great spar built up Of wrought iron
and steel.
Not many stone bridges Of unusual
SIZE are To be found in America. The
highest masonry structure Of the kind
IN the world is that spanning the
gorge of the Iihumel river. in Al.er;n
~ a height Of 80 feet. Ii is remarka
me by reason of daring construction
IN" p~reeipit"us cliffs necessitating 4
remarkable scaffolding system. erecte,
section by section and sustained h,
ables -
The highest bridge over n nayieah, /,
strain in America is over the Ron
lucky river az Lexington. II Is IN