RANGITIKEI BRIDGE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 43, 9 March 1878, Page 2

RANGITIKEI BRIDGE.

v The Bridge now being built across the Rangitiicei Elver on the line of road from Marton to the Kiwitea; country, is of greatepdi napnaiaa* that% is generally supposed, The, wajin^ structure consists of three spans of 85 feet wd 3af aofeet,' This por, tion rests on cylinders of large dimensions, from this to the secandi bridge, a gravel bank of abcm! thves chains m length intepveneak At\ embankment w i\\ be \»#\i swo&k this: then commence^ a, nfos,V*UibH. sta..ntiaj pile s.trMQ.tn.re c^s&tfng- o;£f If s,pa#s. oi : 23 feet eaj&h\ \The. whote wopkj ap.pea.ra at fttr^hgth. sufficient to. successfully rejsfefc anyflood that is likely to attack it. The timber used throughout the whole of" the work, is of a very superiorquality/ being chiefly, tatayrt^. Grre&£ [ difficulty haji been' ecEper^en^ect m. getting; %t ow.ng to; the long lengths* 'required for the principal beams.. [ Soine of, it ha;d to, be proouredl f ron* UhesajW/ mills at Feilding, and- carted* j alioq^ SO miles. Mr- Benby- is the, I coAtrajctor and Mr Chamberlain thei Government Inspector. Bftthgentle-. ! men are well known and! celebratedf | for* superior- skill ii> coAneptioA Vfith i vfojr^s of th^s djeeoriptionu, S The roa.d[ leading from, the IVf artonj I line to the bridge^ & aching but a, > level oneajid; fer from, being -safe to, j Ifraye4 oxer*. The grades axe some* ! what oyer- the average, eyen oni ■ New, Zealand- roads. In so*ne> pa.rta< theyron ajhojpit 1 m 8 and m. others* I m. lj.o} vxhile strange to. say there runs parallel , with this road, anc| cloge alongside, of it a. leyel table* . laAd, which co^ldi have been, most profitably .utilised, for the roa&. W"hile i trayeHinig* oapep -*he. steep, pinches one very naturally asks himself the qi^lion,. Why was'tbis roas carried along here m the first iiistalnce ? 'The., only justifiable rea-. son* presenting^ itse^fe tha;fj tthe tra-. veiled , has anj e^alipßd! view of 1 somemost enchanting scenery-. This* pleasure lieMvpJftlidi b^ve^ee!* de^ priyed of had the route run, along, theI lescel country instead of Ijhe. hills*. Before the Bridge can be of anyuse far trame a, considerable portioav of. rosy* formation, is remised on the* north, side,.apis a great deal mpre-ona the souths whefrethere. appears te.bev, as is^i^j a. naitke- dilfieujty^ The? road on the spftth side must cross a>. native reserve- which skji^ts the^bank^ of the sivert Arrangements will have now to be entered into with the. ilord.s. of the. so*l m lpcajity to* [ajh>w the; Goternm^^"l^, carry at ! V&&. of road through tjbjs, property.. '■ Ifris^to be hoped that thifc wy ni^ eessary a,rra^igem.enit w^ill beamicably^ andV^uich;ly accomplished' and that.: all thingi w,ill be ready by the time %\ie bridges: are n&ished* which willf be m about 3, mpnifehs from. now^ When this is done fche>extenpive arid| yajuablo disjy?icfc of Kiwitea.. wills i b^ye the ajfrajitage of direct eonv. | tnjinica.tipn; w&K bpJfo feilding and* j B^jigitikei^