THE SHOTOVER BRIDGE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 29, 1 June 1870, Page 5

THE SHOTOVER BRIDGE.

The bridge Consists of eleven spans or baysfive of 60ft. injitretch, five of 20ft., and one of 30ffi, making the total length 430 ft. The approach on tho west end of the bridge has an incline of i one in ten, and the east end jA on a level with tho embankment,, The width of the roadway iH the olear is lift. 4fn. 1 and tlint overall I3ft. Th« height irom ordinary water-level to top of roadway is 15ft. 6in. Each of the six river piers consists of three main or bearing piles—the two oxterior ones being 14in. square, and the centre one 15in. Twn auxiliary or butting piles, I2in.|x'loin. timber, are driven close to each of these, in the direction ' of the length of the bridge, and one raking pile, of 12in. X 12in. timbor, upon the- down-stream side of the bridge, and ten closely-driven piles, ten inches square, upon the up-»tream side of the bridge. Each of the pile* is shod with malleable iron shoes, and are driven into the ground from fifteen to twonty feet. The six piers on the river-banks are each composed of three bearing piles, of 12in. x 12in. timber, with the addition of two spur piles, of lOin. by lOin. timber; at each of tho abutment-piers. All the piles ar» well secured by braces and wallings, and (bolted together at each intersection. The |river-pieri» are farther secured by oblique bracing, of lOin.. x 12in. timber, secured at intersections with piles by malleable iron straps and bolts. Th» bearing-piles are'further braced by diagonal* of Bin. x6iu. timber. The op-stream main piles ;are braced to the ends of the close piling by 12in. x lOin. timber, and strongly bolted ancl strapped. piera am closely planked with 4in, planking, to retain the embankments at each end of the bridge. " The superstructure is composed of three bearing beams—the two exterior ones of 14in. x 12io> timber, and the centre one 14in. x Win. timber.. These beams, are strutted by two sots of struts at each bearing-pile, butting at lower extremities into cast-iron sockets, and at the upper extremities butting against two straining pieces of 12in» x Bih. timber. The beams, struts, and straining pieces at* secured together by malleable iron saddle-straps, and are strongly bolted. Tha struts are stiffened vertically by 12in. x 4iatimber, placed between them and tho Ixwriisg; beams, and these are secured by malleable iron stirrup-straps and bolts. The struts are stiffened horizontally by cross pieces of 9in. x 6in. timber, reaching across from side to side ot the bridge, and bolted at each The beams aro also stiffened horizontally by diagonal braces of Bin. x 6in. timber, secured to beams with malleble iron otraps and bolts. The whole area of the bridge is covered with planking of 12in. x 14in. timber. On each side of the bridge ther» is a ground-beam of 9in. x 4in. timber. Tho hand-rail on each of the bridge is composed of nprights of 6in. x Bin. timber, top rail of 6in. x 6in. timber, and diagonals «f sin. x 4in. timber, securely fixed. All this timber is dressed anp/ painted white, and the ironwork black. The original length of the lmdge|waaf4Oofee*> but as the river had encroached on the banks, it was found necessary to put in another bay of twenty feet. The timber used is all of the best quality, and was felled in a forest not previously touched by the woodman's axe—-namely, in the Caplcs branch of the Greenstone river. The piles of the bridge consist of totaraJ(with tho exception of a few small ones, which' are of blajk pine); tho stays, beams, &c, are also totara; while the planking and (parapet, or hand-tail, are of red birch.— Wakatlp Mail.