The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-15
SUSPENSION
BRIDGE0PEN
OPUBLIC USE
Two States Join IN Defeating
Greatest Structure Of
Its Kind

Philadelphia, Juy l5-lPD-A dream
Of one hundred years came true
when Pennsylvanis and New Jer-
sey Joined hands In defeating and
formally opening to traffic the great
est suspension bridge In the world.
Since the early days Of the nine.
teenth century the Inhabitants OF
Southern New Jersey and Of Phila-
delphia urged . bridge across the
historic Delaware, but . disinclina-
ton to 60 to the great expense 81.
ways blocked the project. And It WAS
left to Q decade when construction
costs were never higher to put
through the plan and building the
great structure.
As It stands. the bridge cost $751;
1881. Thirteen workn,en lost their
lives durinS its construction.
It 10 the only public bridge over
the Delaware between Philadelphia
and the sea, one hundred miles dis.
tant. The span between the main
piers is 1850 feet, the loneeSt Of it,
kind in the world, and the length Of
the whole structure from Sixth and
Race streets, PhiIadelphia. 70 Sixth
ana Penn streets, Camden. 10 $50
feet, or one and three-quarter miles.
fifty feet longer, but Is Of the can't.
~ Vehicles q Hear
The new bridge has . width Of 1875
feet. It is wide enough to accommo-
date six lines Of vehicles and four
lines Of trolleys Of high speed tran.
sit cars. It also has two foot walks
for pedestrians each ten feet wide,
erected shove the roadway on either
side Of the structure. Engineers have
figured that the bridge will accom-
modatc 5000 vehicles an hour out
side the four tracks for trolley or
high speed transit.
When completed. the Brooklyn
bridge across the East river was one
OF the wonders Of the world. Its
span Is 1896 feet and its cables are
lbA inches in diameter. The Della
ware river bridge cables are 80 inches
in diameter.
The two great cables from which
the Delaware river bridge is sus.
pended present q story in themselves.
Each contains 1895 wires of two
tenths Of IN inch in thickness. The
ends are imbedded in great concrete
and steel Anchorages. The cables are
draped in graceful curves over two
immense steel towers one on each
side Of the river, and each is SS3
feet high. The main piers upon
which the colossal towers rest are
composed Of solid concrete faced with
Georgia granite. and go down to
solid rock far below the bed of the
river.
Collect Tolls
Authorization for the construction
of the bridge was given by the New
Jersey and Pennsylvania legislatures
about eight years ago, and actual
construction began January, 1922
The cost of building was divided by
New Jersey assuming half and the
state Of Pennsylvania and the city
of Philadelphia the other half.
Tolls will be collected from oil We.
hicles crossing the structure, but
there will be no charge for pedestri.
ans. A force of As patrolmen will
police the bridge.
The bridge was constructed IN
der the supervision of . board Of en-.
gineers Of which Ralph Modjeski
famed Is . builder Of great bridges
is chairman. The other engineers are
George s. Webster. Of Philadelphia
and Laurence A. Ball. Of New Jersey
Mr.. Modjeski is the son Of the late
Madam Helen Modjeski famous in
her day IS . tragedienne.