Vast Undertaking.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 162, 14 June 1883, Page 2

Vast Undertaking.

IMMENSE VIADUCTS.

What will be the highest viaduct m the New World is the one now being made (and near completion) for the New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad over the Kinzua Creek, four miles from Afton, m McKean" County, at a height of 2100 ft above the sea level. This work of art, designed by Messrs Barnes and Pu»eley, will hare a total length of 205 lft between the abutments, and a height of 30 lft between the level of the rail and the bed of the river. The line is supported on 20 strait piers of wrought ironwork, 61ft apart. The construction requires nearly 4,000,0001 bs of iron and 7000 yds of masonry, and the cost is about 300,000doh" This bridge, exceeding by 60ft m height the Niagara Suspension Bridge and by 45ft the Portage Railroad Bridge, was recent'y stated by the Scientific American to be " the highest m The world." But this title rightly belongs to the railway viaduct of Garabit, m France, now being erected over a river. The locality is m the department of Cantal. This bridge, planned by M. M. Banby and Boyer, and constructed by M. Eiffel, has a t'otar length of 564 metres (say, 1880 ft), and near the middle of the great centre arch (which is the most remarkable feature) the height from the bed of the river to the rail is 124 metres, or 413 ft. A good idea of the height is given m La Nature, where it is shown that Notre Dame with the Vendome Column placed on the top ot its towers would clear th> arch. The viaduct was begun 1881, am] is to be completed next year. It is' estimated- to^oost about 3,UOO,OOo! franca,