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Those tco large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper loft hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte k des taux de reduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grsnd pour itre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est f iimA A partir de I'engle sup4rieur geuche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diegremmes suivants illustrent le mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 t*;i,--",.i..''Tai r V '%-tf THE VICTORIA BRIDOE. . ; ^iS", FROM THE TOBONTO LEADER. TORONTO: LBADKR k PATRIOT STBAM-PRBSS PBINT, KIBO STRAIT. 1859. •t>m * ! -1^ TTTSTJI^ T,-w>^,TjJ> M; M ^ #*••***■'■ ^-k.-Ap**^ ^..V^..-^-., .V. ,-.^-. '< fcA ' i ■*" ' "f*»4*?v<*tt**Vi)(»j t: ■"IfeM II f * '^ ^ ■T J \ THE VIOTOEIA BRIDaE. FKOM THK TOROTSTO LEADER. iV^Ht, yCi^^^uiJ^^ ^r. TORONTO: LEADER A PATRIOT «TMAM-PUE9S PRINT, KINO 8TBKBT. 1859. ■Tl ',> I -f » ■'TOP C|c Victoria l^ribge. t • The meeting of the Directors of the Grand TrunW Jlaihvay, held lately in Toronto, was marked by an announcement which cannot but have impressed everyone who read the proceedings. It was stated that it was next to a positive certainty, that the Vic- toria Bridge, by this time next year, would be com- pleted, — that the Railway from the seaboard to the Upper Lakes would be one unbroken line — one coiv tinuous route from Portland to Sarnia. In shorf,^ that the long talked of structure was so far advanced, that its completion was a matter but of months; and that the noblest bridge of which the world ever heard, was — ^speaking relative to its durability — in a few hours to span the noblest river of the world. It is no stretch of boldness to claim this priority for the Saint Lawrence. More than two-and-a-half times the length of the Danube, one fourth the ex- tent greater than the Mississippi — the Amazon but a few miles exceeding it — where is there a stream to be found with a greater variety of scenery, or a 4 f ' r r climate ofgrealer salubrity than the renceLci^aint wa? The lakes which form a continuation of it are in- land seas, bearing thousands of craft of every descrip- tion, and of every variety of build and tonnage. They bid fair to be the seat of fisheries — a commerce in themselves. For a thousand miles in this fertile valley now dwells a busy, energetic population, marked by a high civilization, who have pushed up to its very source. The tributaries are in them- selves second only in magnitude to the parent stream; and on the area thus drained large cities have risen up, each year increasing in opulence and mag nitude, while the waters which flow by them are as clear as crystal, and supply every want It seems ndeed but a poetical corollary, that where nature to the west has formed that marvellous wonder the Falls of Niagara, men to the east should raise up by art, as a co-mate, that stupendous pile, the Victoria Bridge. • 1 ITS HISTORY. It Will not be out ot place to say a few words upon the circumstances and period when this idea first became a recognised necessity in the public mind. Although doubtless there were many who speculated on the possibility of bridging the St. Lawence, at Montreal, it is generally conceded that the merit of having first recognized its commercial ne- cessity may be affiliated to the Honorable John Young. In examining into this part of the subject, it. is necessary^to go back Borrie twelre . years, wlien the effort vi as made to commence the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway. As one turns to those days, it seems that the Proyince has advanced a century. At that period the Railway from La- prarie to St. Johns — which was worked only dur- ing the summer months, and that at the rate o twelve miles per hour — and the six miles of Railway to Lachine, formed the whole of our Railway system.- Throughout the Province there was a general feel- ing of depression. The Canals which made the St* Lawrence navigable, had been opened but two or three years, and the remarkable influence which they have since exercised was not even foretold. Toronto, a remote unconnected country town to the West, hardly yet showed symptoms of that progress by which her population has been quadrupled. Com- merce was paralyzed. The Imperial Corn Laws had passed away, and with them the protection which had been extended to the Canadian miller and to Canadian grain. Upper Canada had ceased to turn to Montreal as a mart — not a little owing to the want of tact and of conciliatory manners on the part of the merchant— and to crown all, political strife had de- generated into the personal struggle, from which even now, we have not emerged. In those days travelling was considered an effort ; in some months of the year the mails took six days to pass from Toronto to Montreal, and really one trav- elled at the risk of one's life. It is true that steam in the summer months made the route on the St. 6 i! Lawrence easy and agreeable ; but from November to Maj, a long journej was avoided as some- thing formidable, and the trade which, before the days of Railways, had turned by the Ottawa and StLawrence to Montreal, passed through the State of New York, to the commercial capital of the Union. In this position of affairs the mercan- tile community of Montreal projected the St. Law- rence and Atlantic Railway. We are not writing a history of that work, but were w^e doing so, it would be one record of difficulties and trials ; of hopes which at the time appeared desperate, and which in- deed were only conquered by invincible determina- tion and unceasing energy. The line, '^however, was completed ; and although when commenced, it was felt that a connection between Montreal and the Ocean was the thing to be desired, as the work came to completion, it was seen, that in reality it only formed the first link in the chain of Railways ; for in winter they were as remote and as unconnected with the West as ever. The argument accordingly work- ed itself to the natural conclusion ; and it was recog- nized that even were the present Grand Trunk Railway in existence, the line would only indiffer- ently supply the commercial requirements for its construction, if the St. Lawrence divided it into tw^o parts. Then arose the question, can the Sainv Law- rence be bridged ? In private society the question was one ci the topics of the day, and was particu- larlyjurged by the Hon, John Y«uxg, with all the H • «M4msi-ri(igfi acroM t\€ St. Laucrer.ce.'*'' « i £ There are many who may not recognise the ne ^qessity of these remarks, but they are put upon paper, with the purpose of establishing the truth. More than one claimant for the honor of first proposing the work has appeared; and if thpre be injustice com- mitted in these remarks, the free press of the coun- try will admit of their being rectified. And it must be recollected that it is to cotemporary opinions, that ihe future historian of Canada must look, to guide his pen as he aiiudes to this groat work. ; .U^^rom ji The result of this feeling was the formation o a committee, of which Mr. Young was constituted Chairman, to enquire into the feasibility of the under- taking, and the consequentemploymentof an Ameri- can Engineer, Mi*. Gat, who reported at the end of Ibi*". Mr. Gay estimated the work at something over $600,000, and would have crossed Nun's Is land ^ of a mile from its head to a point about two and a half miles b^^low Laprarie. He also selected a second line, which would cross the Island about half a mile above its faot, to which h<} gave the pref- erence. His design was for spans of 200 feet of Burr's com'' ined truss and arch bridge with a draw. But the dominant belief in the Montreal mind of the ne- cessity of the bridge was the connection of the St, Lawrence and Atlantic Railway with Montreal, and consequently with the west, which Mr. Gay's loca- tion in no way favored. Even prior to this the Rail- way Company had taken, themselves, the matter in hand; and the Chief Engineer, Mr. MoRToy, had been 9 authorized to inak^ & survey of the River. Five years' hoTrever passed away, an epoch of social and com- mercial depression, and of politifeal agitation, marked by the one melanchbly feature of One continued, uni- versal struggle for the majority even to live. "What energy Montreal, as a community, possessed, was ab- sorbed in the effort to finish the Railwav, and out of Montreal the bridge Was not looked upon with favor. To many it was a mere crotchet ; by no few considered an impossibility, and those who wished it well, regarded it purely as a Mon- treal project. It was not until 1851 that it again came before the public. At this period, the Saint Law- rence and Atlantic Railway Company had ordered a survey from Montreal to Kingston, which was en- trusted to Mr. T. Keefj:r ; and in the nstructions given to Mr. Kei:fer by Mr. Young the survey of the bridge was included. But money again fell short, when the Harbour Commissioners came to the rescue, with a very small sum it is true, but with which, Mr. Keifek did as much as he could. The result was his report, which deservedly attracted great attention in the circles in which it was read ; for it was not published until 1853, when all th§ surveys of the present bridge were concluded. Mr. Keefeb dealt both boldly and ably with his subject. He laid down the^principle that the bridge should pass over the navigation ; that it should rest upon piers, which should be as few in number as practi- cable, an " although admitting the advantages of iron' 10 I i i over wood, owing to the increase tf cost of the for- mer, his preterence was eyidently in favor of the timber bridge. Mr. Keeper likewise argued against constructing the bridge for general as well as for railway traffic. He did so on the score that the Longueil ferries woui'i successfully compete with it, and th it in winter, excepting for some few days, itw..:ibe unnecessary. We believe that what- ever difference of opinion may have existed, there has always been this unanimity of opinion, that the increased cost which would have been incurred, by making the bridge capable of accommodating ordi- dinary traffic, would have never been met by the tolls so earned. Mr. Keeper thus recognizing as the sole object in constructing the bridge, the connec- tion between the railways on either side of ^he stream, next thought of the position of the two termini. On the North shore there was no choice of location, for none other but Point St. Charles would be selected. The question really was, how the connection could be made with the other side ; whether the bridge should run directly to the Southern Railway, or Vrhethcr its natural direction should be followed, and a branch railway be constructed to meet it ? Mr. Keeper took the former view of the subject ; and the site on which he placed the bridge was on a diagonal direction across the river from Point St. Charles to MoffaVs Island. Mr. Keeper likewise i ncluded in his Report the description of the physical geography of this part of Canada, by Sir 'William 11 LoGAM, in which indeed the whole question of capacity to resist ice was admirably argued. Mr KfiErER sustained the views ot Sir William. By this time the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway had become a prominent feature in the policy of the Government, and with it, as a consequence, was eventually inclucled the Victoria Bridge ; and here we cannot omit the name of the Hon J. Ross, who was one of the first promoters of the na- tional line of Railway. For it would be an injustice to ignore his persistent efforts in this respect; and we may siy that, that the Victoria Bridge, is in the con- dition in which it is at present is owing more .o his ex- ertions and influence, if we except Mr. Hincks and Mr. Young, than to any man in the Province. Thi? is no place to enter into the diflftc alties which oc- curred relative to the settlement of the railway con- tract. There was a great deal of feeling about it at the time, and it will serve no good purpose to dis- inter it. Our remarks aie written with the sole view of considering the great bridge, not to vivify forgotten differences. But iome day, perhaps, the reader of blue books may be tempted to write a chapter upon these occurrences, and there is mate- rial enough to do so. Suffice to say that all efforts to impede the Grand Trunk Railway Company failed, and at the end of October 1852, the location sur veys commenced. It was not however until February of 1853 that the surveys for the bridge were commenced on the present site. The 12 tfchciue, however, had long been matured. Mr. YjOUNG has stated to the writer that when Mr. Alexander M. Ross visited this countrj in 1852, Mr. Young still adhering to his purpose of years, took Mr. Ross in a canoe with a third party, over the whole waters which formed the territory of the yarious sites proposed for the Bridge, not forgetting that special project, which w^s to place the Bridge from Saint Helenas Island to the east of the Market Place, with a span of unheard-of magnitude, and then, by arches, to pass northward to Ooteau Baron. The party spent some hours on the water; and after an examination of no ordinary character, Mr. Koss there pointed out the present site as the one which he woul 1 select, and argued at some length against the proposition of building a bridge of such character and cost of wood ; strongly advocating the introduc- tion of iron, and, indeed, to use Mr. YouNft's words " described the identical structure which was sub- "sequently adopted." From February until the break up of the winter, the surveys were prosecuted under Mr. T. Rubidge, soundings being taken through the ice, over the whole area selected for the site, the general direction of the survey being under Mr. Samuel Keefer. The labor of this part of the work was severe on all concerned ; for, owing to the shortness of the season, not a day could be lost, and in all weathers, the party were to be seen engaged on their duties. There was thus, an amount of in- formation gathared which admitted the exercise of t^ the nicest judgment; and| it was found that the length of the bridge could be greatly shortened, and that its natural position of being at right angles to the stream was the true one. Accbrdfngly the present lo- cation was made. It was during the suceeeding sum- mer that the design was perfected,and those elaborate calculations^ made, trhich have since been so severely criticised, and which, oh the whole, have stood so re* markable a test The scientific reader will retnember the Report of Mr. Liddell, and the counter Reports of Mr. Stephenson, Mr. I. A. Brukel, Mr. EDWm CLARit, together with the Report of Mr. A. M. Ross, and what Mr. Liddell called replies to each. We believe that any Engineer who deals fairly with these matters will at once recognize the wisdom of the present design. Obviously the difficulty in cn^^cising, in half a dozen lines, a closely printed book of one hundred pages, which treats of so important a question, would almost set aside al- lusion to it But the controversy created no little stir at the time, and even these incomplete remarks require that mention should be made of It. ' , It was during the summer of 1850, that the line of the Bridge was first traced on the ground and across the River by the Engineer in charge of the Eastern location, Mr. Kinosfoud Accordingly, when Mr. Stephenson visited Canada during the year for the purpose of examining into the location and the many questions connected with the Bridge, he found everything prepared for him. The locatirns and u i design had in fact been made, subject to hU approval, and we believe we may say that no material point was in any way altered ; both the location and the design having been in every respect confirmed by him. In our humble judgment, Mr. Stsphekson^s Reports upon the Bridge are models of Engineering writing. They are simple and plain to be within the compass of the general reader, and written with such a logical, argumentative power, that there is never the least misconstruction as to his meaning. We have now approached the period when the work actually conmienced, 1854, and for the first time we have to mention the name of Mr. James Hodges — the Engineer who acted on the part of the Contractors, Messrs. Peto, Brassit & Betts — under whose management the works have been prosecuted with such great energy and ability. The whole period, which on completion of the work will have been devoted to it, will be six years. Com- mencmg in 1854 it will be finished in 1859 ; but un- doubtedly its progress has been impeded by the monetary crises, which have afiected the aifairs of the Company, for it might have been fully two years earlier completed. Thus the amount of work, performed in 1856 was equal to that effected in 1854 and 1855. In 1857, but a very trifling addition was made to the amount of the previous year, whereas, in 1858, as much work was done as in the two pre- ceding years. When we say that the coat of the Bridge is $1,250,000, wc give only a faint idea of the 16 responsibility of directing so great a work. The very force on the River during the last season was a small army. It consists of six steamboats, seventy- two barges, besides several small craft. These measured about 12,000 tons. The steamboats were in the aggregate 450 horse-power. They were manDed by 600 la the two stone quarries were - - - . 460 On the rarious works engaged as artizans men (< and laborers .-j.:- 1 iK' Total laborers and artizans • 2090 3040 ti To this strength must be added 142 horses, va- riously employed, and 4 locomotives ; the amount of wages being daily $5,000. The whole of this force was handled by the as sistants of Mr. Hodoes, of whom he was himsel the motive power, laying down the laws by which they were to be governed, and creating the discipline by which they were to be guided, with admirable skill and management ; and while dealing with the amount of labor it will not be amiss to set against it the amount of material. In round figures there will be 3,000,000 cubic feet of masonry, 10,000 tons of iron in the tubes; 2,000,000 rivets, each one fasten- ed by a peculiar process, and 168 acres of painting. The tubes being painted four times in oil and color, and each coat giving 32 acres. JThese figures convey some idea of the forethought and practical combina- tion which are necessary to carry out a design pro- i^ XQ fitably to a contractor. And there are two ways of doing this. There is the harsh, overbearing, incon- siderate selfishness, wliich extends no thoiight to others, and views "the hands" in the cold material view of wringing from their labor all the profit which could be gained, wi hout a thought of iEJieir cdmlort anf^I happiness. And there is the zenith to this low vie\'.' of the matter ; and it has to be said, to Mr. HoDtrEs* credit, that the latter is the principle by which he has been guided. He has not contented himself with only looking to the interest of the firm, which he represents, but he has carried on the work like a gentleman. There have been Tying times during the last five years, as any one. may readily conceive, and Mr. Hodges may not have spared others indeed it was not possible to do so, but he never spared himself. tVhere there was difficulty, and danger — there ho was to be found ; and no man has been asked to go, where he would not have had to folio w- Disappointments and accidents, and temporary failures form chapters in the history of all such undertakings, when they are written. But generally the world never hears of them. They come and cost anxiety, and pass away, and reappear again to be triumphed over periodically ; to be met with only to create renewed energy. Then the ingenuity which is to be seen in little minute arrangements to save expense and time. This could be met with in the work; shops in the neighborhood. Some of the contrivances were unusually clever. We might ad!*\. •ru'.^>..^ Before, however, entering upon the subject of the dams, a few words about the mode of laying off the work are necessary. We have alluded to the elabo- 2i rate survey mtde on the ice by Mr. Tiioi. Kubiduu, in 185o, by which the exact and precise depths of the river were determined, and on the map the location of the bridge was made, the usual reference points being preserved, by which the exact site could be obtained on the ground. The working season of 1853, immediately 'preceding the winter survey, was passed in preparation ; it was in the winter fol- lowing, 1853-4, that the first steps were taken to lay oif the abutments and piers on the line already traced during the summer. This work was done on the ice, the distances being carefully measured, and on the centre of the pier being found, * 'guides" were framed so that a long iron rod could be lifted and let fall in the one spot, technically called '^ jumped," until a hole was drilled into the rock into which a bolt was inserted and driven. By these means, the precise centre of the pier was established within a few inches; for in all cases on pumping out the water from the dams the bolt was found, practically speaking, estab- lishing sufficiently the position of the pier. It has been said that the dams were of two kinds, each- having its advantages and disadvantages. The float- ing dams were, in themselves, framed structures of no mean character, and consisted of two parts. One part, which for the moment, we will call three sides of a square figure — the sides being larger than the head — the other piece forming the square. But in order to turn off the current, the head of the square was formed of two minor sides turned to an angle I ? ■I 1,. 22 *?:* I' h ... !!(■■ I up stream. They were carefullj and strongly framed; and, being caulked, floated of themselves. To place these dams in the proper position, the piece of three sides was taken by a steamboat in tow, and when the dam was approximately in position, deter- mined instrumentally from the shore, a sluice gate was opened, and the water passing wi-lhin it, it sank at the requi red place. The tail piece was subsequently tow- ed into position. Necessarily a ?rpjit margin, as to area, had to be left, in case of want ol success, in sinking the crib, at the exact spot. At the foundation, the piers were 22 x 90, whereas the cribs were 120 by 210, which area was ol perfectly still water. Opera- tions could accordingly at once be commenced. A dam proper was constructed within this workable water, and on its completion the pumps were set to work. The other form of dam was the ordinary cribbing of the country; and owing to the rapidity of the stream, unusual care and tact had to be observed in its construction. It was commenced with some preliminary cribbing, if we may use the word, 20 wide and 100 long, constructed in approximate position as to the site of the pier, and placed trans- versely to the stream above the site of the bridge. Thus wo have the solution of the same problem of obtaining quiet water in a different way, and with it a point iVfippvl for the commencement of opera- tionp. Boats' crews could easily land here — and with them workmen — and this preliminary dam once in, it was easy to extend wings back over 23 the oirea of the pier. But these dams were in them- selyes undertakings, for thej consisted of two rows of cribbing fourteen feet wide each, with T to 8 feet of *' puddle " (that is to say a thick clay rendered impenetrabU to water by labor, by beating it well together,) between them and that part which was turned up stream was a regularly built up ice- breaker, to withstand the ice of the winter if neces- sary. The comparison between these two classes of dams may thus be made. The floating dam may be used several times ; indeed one has been used four times, and it admits of the masonry being completed in 3ne season ; and what is more, early in the sea- son, and it has been found to answer best in deep water. Its disadvantage is that it could not be made sufficiently strong to resist the shove of the ice in the winter ; hence it had to be removed be- fore the severe weather came. Consequently when the per?od arrived to construct the tube, the side of the pier was naked, and there was no point from whence the scaffolding to support the tube truss could start. With the Coffer dam this foundation existed, and hence it was necessary to frame one centre scaffolding only ; whereas with the floating dams three such constructions were necessary — viz. the centre frame and the scaffold foundation, at the side of each pier. Nor was this consideration an unimportant one, for such foundation was obtained by sinking scows, and driving piles around them to keep them in position. Otherwise the operations If , >"v'(^'r?"'*'^; -/.W^'-rv^'' •nmVJI^ |IWW4|«H|I,';^' 24 i were identical. From either dam framing was.carr ried up, above the height of the pi^^;, and on the eapping pieces was run a Railway, to admit of the passage of a travelling machine which, mounted with a crab, admitted a contrary passage on itself. Hence stones of tw^enty tons were moved into posi- tion as easily as a lb. weight is thrown into a scale. On the platform oi the dam were constructed sheds to cover the steam engine, the blacksmiths' shop, the store room and carpenters' shop; and ihiis the scene was presented of these isolated areas of an acre and a quarter dotted along the river, busy with life and animation, and shewing the work in its various sta- ges. The dam perfected — the staging constructed, the travelling machine in position — ^stone delivered ready for the mason to lay — the anxious moment commenced ; that of pumping out the water and get- ting in the foundation. Not that the labor was great in removing the water, but the application of the test, to show the dams were water-tight an J if the water would not force its way up from below, naturally cre- ated anxiety. Nothing could be better than the pumps used. They were worked centrifugally and threw 800 gallons a minute, passing up stones 6 inches square — the diameter of the pipe — and it was more- over one of those portable affairs that a man could take on his shoulder and move irom one place to the other. It was calculated that these pumps lowered the area of the dam at the rate of 2 ft. an hour. Therefore in 8 or 10 hours the dam was empty. On ,.>■ 25 the southern bank of the river where the work was under the direction of Mr. Chaffby, the scaffolding was not used, hitt a compound derrick, worked by a high pressure engine, supplied its place. Much in ge* nuity was shewn in obtaining thicr motion, as the stone could be placed by it in any position, for the derrick had in itself a motion which admitted of pre- cisely determining the stone's position. < oi'ilts limit, how9V3r, did not extend over handling seven tons. ■^^n'^'iiW'i)»f^ '^*i>f s^fm^^'imi n tM *:>tm 'jsiit .i'i' ' f«iif'»r»ii'r»4' '-jt^ j-vt MASONRY* r; r4«tJjU«» yv4j«« i4»«r>.<»«)i'- Three millions of cubic feet of Masonry in the Victoria Bridge ! That is to say,if turned into lineal measure, it would reach 510 miles ^ or as a solid would form a pyramid 215 ft. high having » base of 2 15 ft. square. These figures will give some idea of the solidity of the structure, and the warrant that exists for its endurance for all time. The stone^it- self is mostly quarried from Point© Claire, andiorms the first in the s^^ries of the Lower Silurian and is known by the geological term of Chazy, resting ira*- mediately on the calciferoua sand-rock and the Pots- dam standstone. At Point Claire very extensive quar- ries have been iu operation since 1853, and the En- gineer student wiM be well repaid by visiting them for stones are taken out in as large masses, as in any quarry in the world. We see the proof of this fact in the dimensions of the piers. The courses being 3 feet 10 in. and 3 feet to 2 feet 6 inches to above water level, and thence verging into a coiirs* # 26 •<■' a' 18 in. under the plates being in length from 7 ft. to 12 feet. One course of ashlar of 3 feet. 10 in. was examined by the writer, the perimeter of the pier at this point measured 200 ft. It consist- ed of 32 stones, the lightest of these weighed 7 tons, the heaviest 17, the average weight of the whole was 10>^ tons. Such work may, indeed be termed Cyclopean, Each course, to the top of the cutwater is fastened by a dog- wedged bolt of 1^ inch iron^- that is to say a bolt — with the base slit to receive a wedge into which an iron] prism is inserted. Thus prepared, it is passed down until it reaches the bot-r torn of the hole drilled to receive it, when the bolt itself is driven upon the wedge— thus widening out the end of the bolt, so that it never can be again drawn out, passmg through two whole courses into the third below it. Thus every three courses are distinctly dowelled together, and the whole mass of work being likewise laid in the best water-lime, and carefully grouted, is formed into one solid mass; for horizontally the joints are likewise kept cramped togi 5 in. of | inch iron. , • ■ , . . ■ .:..,.... ■ U^l TUBES ',, ' ij, fii>.' Each tube covers two openings, that is to say, it is fixed in position in the centre, and is free to expand or contract on the adjoining two pier^. They are 16 ft. « 19 ft. at the ends but they gradually increase to the centre at which point they are 16 feet « 21 ft. 8 in. The length will accordingly be 27 \if On centre pier Two openings each of 242 min. Resting on E pier - - *< W pier - n 16 feet 484 516 feet. The expansion Rollers are seven in number, in each set of 6 in. diameter, in a cast iron frame rolling on planed bed plates the rollers themselves be- ing turned and the beds plated, they run as smoothly as on glass. The weight of each- tube, with all its appurtenances of 516 feet, is about 644 tons ; that is to say for each opening 322 tons. The construction of this character of work is now so well known that much allusion is not necessary^. Moreover it is sim . pie in the extreme, being formed of boiler plate riv- etted together with angle irons and lateral and trans verse braces. The skill lies in reducing this boiler iron to such dimensions that there is no unnecessary material, to add to the weight and to the ex- peuse,and yet obtaining a sufficiency of strength. We are not going into the theory of beams,but it is evident to any one breaking a stick that a strain on a beam proving too much for its strength, crushes the top- compresses it — and tears asunder the bottom; where- as the sides are merely rent away. Accordingly where the sides of the tube require strength, is at the abutment. Thus it will be seen that for the top and bottom of the tubs the greater strength is at the centre, whereas the sides hare most material where the span starts, i = 1 :li-^ II; 28 Thus, taking our data in all cases from tte centre, the following shows the component parts of the tube • TOP PLATES. ^^ if'yf*' SECTIONAL AREA. ■ f '■ • : t i n*, .'•!*• ■«-■. '••'-' n.t*ii ili' Total ll, From ft^ Strips ,: Centre Sr5 Plate*. T Irons .5« and angle irons. 1 lift. 125 92 M6 217 1-16 6-8 2 <« 125 86 710 211 7-16 5-8 '8 I ■ • 114 3-8 86 7-16 200 13-16 6-8 4 JH .,iox 1-16 84 U-16 191 1-34 9-16 5 iJ* 87 1-2 84 U-IC 172 3-16 1-2 6 ■ iV ■ Vo 77 5-16 152 6-16 7-16 1 u 56 11-lrt 77 5-16 134 3-8 3-8 8 It 5S 1-t 55 1-4 108 1-2 5-16 9 (i 50 55 1-4 105 1-4 1-4 10 u 50 48 1-4 ^♦^ 1-4 ** 11 ii 1 ^ ' u " ■■;»■, L Bi'ar' .0 i^) Lll^ *' ii .4 ■ ■ > a 12il feet »». s ' ' ■ ;iiu j'f / , : .,. "*'■* . ■.**• JiOTTOM PI.ATR-J. , From ' ' ' "'•■'- ►.'■'■■• V rM ^^ Centre ■ 1 1 19 6 137.r,) ' 201.25 M-8 5M(i 2 14 137.50 ' ■ ■ ^ '195.25 i( 3 14 125 182.75 ^. 5-16 4 14 112.50 . , . . . 160-75 5-16 1-4 5 14 87.50 • ' '145— 1-4 3-16 6 14 85 . V •'■•*•■* "-'-' 118— 5-16 '.■ - . ■ 7 14 60 ... - ■■ .} ^ ^fY '92 1-4 ;,, 8 17 6 60 .,..._. .-. , . 92 1-4 Br'g 08 — 1-4 .• P ■ ;;t . 129 29 ■t ' SIDE PLATES. JV Beginning at the centre, and strengthened by late^ ral irons inside and out, placed at distances of 3 6. The first space, 85 from centre is formed of 1-4 plates or 4.16. ,, ,£,.,...;''»• .,;. , The second space of 45 6 - 5-1 C plates, or 5-16 The third „ 36 - 3-8 , „^ 6-16 The remaining space - - - i „ 8-16 The immediate part of the tube resisting on the pier being likewise strengthened by increased lateral bracing. . ,K^f = •»'■; i-r-'i^sn?** -v-^-ivi: ■>-'■-:'<■- .* ■ -.■'^i^-.i.^ ■ »■■. The tubes themselves are constructed in position, and the difficult and expensive process of floating them from the shore and lifting them by hydraulic pres- sure is thus dispensed with. Where the coffer dams are in use, the framing is carried up from them ; and in the centre, a scow is anchored and piles driven in around it, on which the scaffolding rests. It is here that the difference between the two systems of dams is apparent In the one three scows secured with piles is necessary ; in the other but one. On these supports a truss is formed, which is in itself a bridge on which the tube is put together. PRESENT CONDITION OF WORK. ^ - The abutments and piers are all complete, with the exception of Nos. 14 and 15, which are built 6ft above water level, and No. 11 pier which was purposely eft untouched in order to leave one channel open for rafts — ^the water-way being narrowed between the piers already constructed by the coffer dams. The i n ; RTfTT t-'-m^wm^v^- SO in W\ two former will be tirvished in 20 days after the working ge&son commences, the latter by tlie begin- ning of September. Of the tubes, 12 of the 25 arc fixed and finished in position. The iron for five more, including' *he cen- tre span is in Montreal, and they will be proceeded with during the winter. Eight tubes will then re main to be completed next summer. We liavo Jit some length entered into the examina- tion of the history of the Bridge and have endea- vored to convey so ne facts bearing upon its con- struction, an d its character ; butaswe biin' these remarks to a close we only feel how incomi'lete they are and how imperfectly they do justice to the sub- ject. Thii diftioulty in descriplioTis oftl.l^ <-h«racter, is to convey an vh^n of mngnitude. You lither lead thereade-r to expect tro nnich. or you fail t<» (estab- lish, as deserving of regard, t};os;e j-ropcrtiors which appeal to public admiration. It is said, that at least half of those who look upon Niaghra (or the first time, turn from the Falls, and are unimpressed with their grandeur. There may be a reason for this. Na- ture has so many changes and varieties, and wanders so often fiom what we call her normal condition, that we conceive we have a right to expect the most marked contrasts. But art has its limits, according to the culture of those who contemplate it ; and those who know its almost boundless range, are just the ■'I'll! 31 men who can appreciate and recognise the labor and the science which have consumated & wonderful cre- ation. What more fitting epitaph could there be for Wren than the Oireumspice Siddresfied to the stranger standing beneath the dome of Saint Pauls ? In the iiame spirit, let the Canadian turn to the Bridge ait the type of his country^s enterprise. Of its succes- as an Engineering work; of its mark as & Proviu- eial monument, all opinions agree m recognition ©f its worthiness. The problem now to be solved, is its influence on the commerce, and on the prosperity of the land. It is not the province of these remarks to to enter upon these considerations: indeed they can be proved and tested only by the great touchstone of every thing good and evil — Time. But as we turn to this creation of art, we feci that we deserve suc- cess, and in the battle of life: so to think, even in failure, is a consolation. But the ethics of commerce set aside this view as a barren folly. With them there is one type of merit — success; and if the bridge, in all its magnitude, fail to meet the anticipation of those who have propounded it, it will be but a splendid folly. Still, as we look to the vast West— each year becoming more populous — each year increasing its exports and imports, each year augmenting its travel to and from the eastern sea-board, will it not be fair to infer that the very Bridge itself, will lead travel out of the old channel, that the Bridge itself may be seen ? Especially as the route is an unbroken one, and baggage can be checked 1 1 i 'i ! 'i-i : > !! ^ % 11 ft; '.11 ; I - 1 from the Mississippi to Boston. The isame with freight, which, with one hreak at Samia, can pass from the far AVest to the ocean. It is therefore evident that the Bridge, in developing a system, makes that very system hotter known; and as it is avowedly the high road to the West, presenting the advantage of heing under a single^ management, it is natural to helioye that it will take, as a consequence, its share of the trade. At least siich is the confident theory. Who is there among us, who does not fer- vently hope it may be realized? Who is there, who has at all studied the subject, but feels a personal hazard on the issue ? Who is there, who will not say with the writer— God spk'ed it. * '*^*^ i*^v*»w|^^J ■^ = f '.r "'■ »}jU -"Hnri — I'-f-i i**tu imX)*? *i?tii»ift 'W'" ..'.;.H •■ ■ !'►* T> -nt "fuil I'yjl -y^*' .ta- 'U> tu *ii&n't "Uit ■■;» ; .', ,/fnJjtt oj Or. :H'ii io 'AiMvi mIj at hnn .m^-- y •T^i;!jr"''i"t'> >^'iffl'^ ')(b Ufii .iu^biil^^ivr^ n 4 .OTnlJ*) r':-:;.!? t^^'V/ .v{{i(?1 it'^TTfi*? ♦' "A -voiv hub ithi'^.n k*- X _^ Tf^^^^ ■II ^. lie with lan pas^ herefoi^e system, as it is ting the jnt, it is quence, >nfident not fer- th ere, )ersonal v\\\ not ft VTK hv