RAPID BRIDGE BUILDING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 846, 5 July 1878, Page 3

RAPID BRIDGE BUILDING.

The completion of the bridge over the Raritan River at New Brunswick, to replace the one destroyed by fire, was a remarkable feat. At 7 o’clock on Saturday morning, March 9, the old bridge was in ashes. At ten minutes past 2’clock the following Wednesday afternoon an enormous train passed in safety over the new one. Practically this immense structure, 1050 feet in length, and from 35 to 49 feet in height, was completed in less than 100 hours of actual working time. While the old bridge was blazing telegraphic orders were summoning carpenters from all along the Middle, Philadelphia, and Nov/ York divisions of the road. When the men and the lumber for them to work upon reached the ground on Saturday evening, it was arranged that the men from the Pennsylvania division of the road should build one half of the new bridge from the southern end, and the New York division [the northern haP, meeting in the river. In point of numbers the Pennsylvanians were at a disadvantage, but they had a wealth of experience in just this kind of work that stood them in good stead, and they were all skilled carpenters. The Jerseymen, as those working on the north end called themselves, numbered from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty, against the others’ seventy-five to one hundred, but many of them were labourers, furnished by contractors, and, of course, neither skilled nor particularly anxious to expedite matters. A spirit of emulation arose between the gangs. The J erseymeu thought it easy to beat the Pennsylvanians, who soon showed their mistake. The Pennsylvanians took some time in making ready, but when they bog.- n twelve men did all their framing, six handled all the timbers, fifteen—aided by powerful “ crabs” to do their hoisting—placed the completed bents into position, and the remainder of their force was employed in driving bolts, spiking on braces, placing stringers and ties, &c.