Two miles below the Falls, the river is spanned by the structure so
widely known by the above name. The banks are here very precipitous, and
the river deep and rapid, and the erection of piers in the stream being
an impossibility, the structure is suspended from cables passing over
towers of solid masonry. The following statistics will be of interest to
those of our readers who revel in figures:--
Length of span from center to center of towers 822 feet.
Height of tower above rock on the American side 88 „
„ „ „ „ „ Canada side 78 „
„ „ „ floor of railway 60 „
„ track above water 258 „
Number of wire cables 4
Diameter of each cable 10½ in.
Number of No. 9 wires in each cable 3,659
Ultimate aggregate strength of cables 12,400 tons.
Weight of superstructure 800 „
„ „ and maximum loads 1,250 „
Maximum weight the cable and stays will support 7,309 „
The bridge is a “two-story” affair, the upper part being used for the
railway, and the lower for carriages and foot passengers.
[Illustration: RAILWAY SUSPENSION BRIDGE, NIAGARA RIVER.]