Suspension Bridges

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 358, 10 April 1889, Page 6

Suspension Bridges

Thomas M. Griffin, the Staten Island bridge-builder, is a warm advocate of suspension bridges. He is an old suspension bridge builder himself, and, having read the accounts of the falling of the platform or roadway of the suspension bridge at Niagara Falls recently, he said : —' The damage to that structure is an important reassurance to me that the laws of nature, which I have been obliged to respect, are still in force. Should you go a-iishiug with a small string and hook a big fish, your practice would be (or should be) to keep a taut line on your prey, because if you did not do so the chances are that he would 'turn tail to' and swim away with your hook, sinker and his end of the line up to the weakest point. I am quite as well satisfied thajb I know the cause and manner of damage to the bridge as if 1 had been standing on the banks of the Niagara near it when, ib occurred. .It was undoubtedly in this way. The wind gusts lilted the platform and set up a vibratory motion, which it kept increasing until the oscillation became so violent and~ ample that the platform, on account( of its larger horizontal surface, did not vibrate in union and isochronal with those of the cables of bub little surface, * Therefore, the suspending rods were slackened and then jerked and broken. This occurred at the quarter parts of the span where the vertical motions are greatest. After a few were broken the rest of' them would be torn oft as easily as you could tear a rag in two. I assert that it is quite possible to build even a very light suspension bridge, so that there is but little chance of a storm destroying ib as this one was destroyed. And the failure of this ; bridge should not discourage their con- -' struction or use where they are wanted.'

, Perkins : "And you're going to the fancy dress ball ? What costume are you going to wear ?" Smart Alice": " I think I'll borrow' . your summer suit and go as a tramp. What) are you going to wear?" Perkins: "I. guess I'll put on your diagonal Prince Albert and go as a looking glass." " ' ,\. * i The Chinese navy consists of 26 foreign- . built men-of-war—some of them largeand •, powerful ironclads —and about 100 gunboats . built in the arsenal of the empire. • - The Prince of Wales has decided to effect« certain economies, and the Sandringhanv < expenses are to be considerably cut down j next year. . ' Nearly 52,000 immigrants from S,weden and Norway landed at New 1 York last' year, j -. 7,000 more than from Ireland, t r It is said that after 15 or 20 more inter-,, ments are allowed in Westminster Abbey' the room will all be occupied. ► ,t, t 4

doing 1 . [At the previous monthly meeting of the Council it was resolved on the motion vOf CrQuinn, seconded by Cr Corbett, to Wye Mr Kennys plan and estimate for th*Kj proposed road sent on to Government, it Was now stated, however, this had not been vet done. At the meeting referred to Cr Corbelt said he did not believe £1000. or anj'thing like that amount would make Butlers road a good one, and said in his opinion it would be far better to expend the £1000 on improving the present road, as it would be no good in having two bad roads. At that same meeting Cr Qninn suggested if necessary reducingtlm width of the proposed road from 16ft to Bft ; and said ho had read of roads so nairow that when two coaches met the passengers had to alight and lift the coaches past each other. He would like to see the money spent, even if only half the road was made in width or distance.] It was ultimately resolved to let the matter of forwarding plans, etc., to Government, stand over in the meantime, as it was stated Mr Aitken, Engineer, was going to prepare a, plan and estimate of the proposed work. Cr Quinns proposition having been seconded was then put to the maeting and declared canied, Voteis Lists: The Chan man's action in appointing Mr Tetley to prepare Voters Lists for the outlying distiicts (in accord ance with Section 64, Counties Act, 1886), was confirmed - Road Repairs : Resolved on the motion of Cr Robson, that tenders be invited (r a ttunable within a fortnight), for supplying and spreading TOO yards of blue road metal, between Paeroa cutting and Mr F. Lipsey's. Nuisance : The Foreman of works said he had inspected Mrs Jackson's premises (respecting which Mr C. F. Mitchell had made a strong complaint), and found the closet, etc., in good order. The closet was an earth one, and Mrs Jackson informed him it was cleaned out every week. Waihi Bridge : The following letter to the Chaiiman from the Chief Surveyor General, Wellington, dated March IBth, was read : — " lam requested by the Hon. the Minister of Lands to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 29th ult, forwaiding plans and specifications of the proposed bridge over the Waihi river for approval by the Government. In reply lam to state that the Minister is advised that the plans and specifications do not specify what kind or quality of timber is to be used, and also the clearance of the bridge above ordinary flood level should bo at least six feet ; also that the dimensions of the strap bolts for the trestles are not given nnd that those for the wingsnrenotpjoperly proportioned, thus if thobolt is intended to be the stuip should be at loa«="t 2 x ; also that the spreaders in the trestles are n n t propcily ser-uicd and that the end bolts in the top beams of the wines arc ton near the end of ilie beams to be of innHi us< . This being so if you \\i!l kindly amend the plans aecoidin^ly and will return th« Mii attain, the ni.itter wiii he fui thor considered. The plans, <4c, are enclosed herewith " Anear- of Hates; The Ch.ii'm.m said the last crenfM.il i .it*- ntiuck \va-> coming in vet v s'mm 1 y indeed . The Ch rk stated L 294 of (he late wns still unco'lected. ]i r solveri tli «t notice beuivenby adver tisement lequestinn those in airtv.r to puy nn, and notihitiL' t'tein if this ivquest was nut complied w ith. le»al proceedings would iiivo to b<> in«titnt>'d, <-t<\ Finance Committees Repoit: The following repoit of tlse Finance Committee Mas rea<! and adopted : — Youi Cojiniiittoe beg to report : — 1. That the B.il.ince to the credit of the Council at the B.mk of New Zealand is L7l 14^ 6d, but unprestnted cheques leave nett balance L5l 10-. 6d. 2. The outstanding liabilities of the Council, exclusive of new accounts helow, areas follow* : — Hospitil and Charitable Aid, 1888-1889, L 353 10s ; Miscellaneous, L 2 17s 6d. 3- The Committee recoirmended the fol owins: accounts for payment, am mnt incr to L 509 Is 3d. This was all the business, and the meeting lose at 5.30 p,m