SYDNEY BRIDGE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1932, Page 5

SYDNEY BRIDGE

LANG AT OPENING

IN DANGER OF “DUCKING”?

(Per Australian Press Association.)

(Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, March 18.

The following radiogram was -received from the Commonwealth's Agent General, Air Wills, by Air Gosling. “At the House of Commons on Tuesday evening, a section of members interested in Australian affairs, held a secret meeting, and discussed tlie Sydney Bridge opening. Jt was stated at the meeting that a movement, led by Colonel Erie Campbell, intended seizing the Premier and throwing him in the liver. We most strongly urge you to take every precaution to protect the Premier, and save the State from this disgraceful act. The message has been referred to tiro Police Commissioner.

OPENING CEREMONY TO-MORROW

EARLY HISTORY OF BRIDGE

SYDNEY, March 11

The Sydney Harbour Bridge will bo opened for traffic to-morrow. Bridges, like Rome, are not built in a day, and the history of this one really dates back to 1791, when Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin, referred to a future arch bridge across the harbour, in a poem entitled “The Visit of Hope to Sydney Cove.” That this far-away poetic fancy was not so divorced from reality as the dreams of poets frequently are, is illustrated by the fact that it was only some twentyfour years later that the first definite engineering proposal for a bridge was made by Francis H. Greenway, the Government Architect. Little is now known of the details of Green way’s proposal, and the earliest recorded drawing of a bridge to connect Sydney' with North Sydney was made in 1857 by Peter Henderson, who had been associated with Brunei. Many projects were put forward in later years; in 1878, W. C. Bennett, the Commissioner for Roads, suggested a floating bridge, and in 1879 T. S. Parrot prepared a sketch of a seven-span truss bridge. The whole subject took a more definite shape in 1880, when J. E. Garbett, representing a company, offered to construct a high-level bridge to the North Shore at a cost of £850,000. on condition that the Governnmet ‘guaranteed, for a period of twenty years, an amount equal to 3| per cent, on the cost of construction. Ths offer was accepted in 1881, and Mr Garbett deposited £5,000 as security. Owirtg to n change of Government, however, the matter was nob proceeded with, and the deposit was returned in the following year, Sir John Fowler later prepared plans for a suspension bridge at an estimated cost of £400,000. Interest in the whole < subject tvas growing, and, following public agitation, the Government appointed a Royal Commission in 1890 to report on the matter. This Commission presented its report in 1891, and, while it did not recommend that anything should be done at the time, expressed the opinion that if a connection was to he made if. should, if possible, be by means of a high-level bridge. Between 1890 and j 1899, four bills to cover the construction of either bridges or tunnels were presented to Parliament, and in 1900 no less than twenty-four schemes were brought forward. The next step was the appointment of a Royal Commission, in 1908, to report on the whole question of communication between Sydney and North Svdiiev. This Commission proposed railway and road tunnels, or subway, but, as had happened before, the proposed scheme was not proceeded with, owing to a change of Government. During the regime of the next Ministry, i.n July. 1911, it was announced that proposals for a road bridge and a railway subway should be immediately submitted to the Public Work Committee. Dr. Brad field, who was at that time Principal Designing Engineer, opposed both the proposals on the grounds that the suggested bridge from Dawes Point to McMahon’s Point, as recommended by the Advisory Board, would be a menace to navigation, and that the subway gradients were unsuitable. The long controversy approached its termination on 18th July, 1913, when the Public Works Committee definitely decided on a bridge, to carry four lines of railway, 35ft and 17ft 6in.' roadways, and a footway 15ft wide. The bridge was to lie of one clear spun from shore to shore, and to provide 170 ft. clear headway for shipping at the centre.

Early in 1914. Dr. Bradlield was instructed to nroceed abroad and make himself familiar with tile long-span bridges and underground railway systems of the principal cities of the world befo’-e undertaking the construction of the proposed bridge and transit system for Svdney. He returned and reported in 191.>, lint the Great AY ar bad broken cut in Mu' meantime, and nothing further was done until September. .11)21. when tenders for the bridge were inb-e -l is.'d, l)r. Itradbeld was again ins! meted to proceed abroad to rept r| on whiii had b -mi done in other countries, and as a resell of his investigations decided I hat : n arch bridge could lie successfully erected. He estimated that: it would be at least £“350.000 ciieaper than a cantilever bridge. Matters then took definite shape, ami on 24th November, !Pi>2. an AH to cover the construction ot a high-level cantilever or arch bridge from Dawes Point to .Milson Point tvr.s sanctioned,