THE TAY BRIDGE,

Inangahua Times, 21 January 1880, Page 2

THE TAY BRIDGE,

__ ♦ • This bridge, one of tbe greatest- . triumphs of modern en«ineering, and the scene of the dreadful railway accident of which a brief account was given among our cable news, was opened on thf 21st ol May, 1878, six years having been taken in its construction. After a long series of efforts to obtain an Act of Parliament to authorise its construction, the Imperial sanction was given in 1870. and Messrs Charles De Bergue and Co., of London. Cardiff, and Manchester, were accepted , as the contractors. The time specified for the completion of the bridge was three years, at a cost of £217,000, but, as before stated, the time which, .elapsed from its commencement until it was open for traffic was double the period stipulated, and the post wis increased to £350,000. Great difficulties had to be, and were, succes sfuUy surmounted before the plan finally adopted was agreed upon, the honor being due to Mr Thomas Boueh, the resident engineer of the N.B. Rnilway Company. The new Tay Railway is carried over the river on the bridge to Magdalen Point a* the west end of Dundee. The bridge crosses the river almost due north and south, and carries, a single line of rai'w*y. It is 3450 yards in lengih, and consists of eight Vf-five spans allowing a clear wafer way the passage of vessels to and from NVwburgh and Per'h. The piers are of varied construction, but in most cases the foundations are formed of iron cylinders, filled in with bric]c and concrete. In form tbe bridge is slightly arched, tbe greatest height from tbe rails to high water level being 88 feet at tbe centre of the large spans. The foundation stone was laid on the 2nd of July, 1871, and after the formal inauguration the work was proceeded with. As an instance of the energy displayed in the contract, which on the death of Mr De Bergne was assigned to Messrs Hopkins and Gilkes, of Midd esborougb, it may ba mentioned that in the winter months of 1876 tbe work was carried on by two electric lights, each having an illuminating power of 1000 candles. Tbe first train crossed over on . Saturday, December 27th 1577. In the beginning of 1878 tbe work was tested by the Governmpnt Inspector, the bridge bearing the weight of six locomotive pngines and tenders weighing 438 tons. Since the opening of the bridge it has had many illustrious visitors, amongst them being Prince. Leopold the Emperor of Brazil, and General Grant. The recent heartrending accident had demonstrated the fact that, notwithstanding tbe crucial

est to which the bridge was submitted, 'here most have been a weak poittt, which thorough and scientific investigation will doubtless bring to light.