THE WANGANUI BRIDGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20107, 28 March 1928, Page 6

THE WANGANUI BRIDGE

ANOTHER REPORT EXTRACT FROM LONDON PAPER. A subscriber to the "Chronicle,” apropos the recent letters on the Town Bridge, has forwarded an extract from the Illustrated London News of April 6, 1873, containing a report of the opening of the structure. The report is as follows: —

"The seaport town of Wanganui, in the province of Wellington, North Island, is pleasantly situated on tho river banks of the navigable and tidal river Wanganui, at distance of about two miles from the sea. The land about Wanganui is of a light but rich description, bordering the river for miles in the interior.

“The bridge is built over the river where it is nearly as wide as tho Thames at Southwark Bridge. The total length of the bridge, with approaches, is nearly 800 feet and the roadway is 18 feet wide. The bridge is constructed of two long wrought-iron girders on the lattice principle, which carry the wrought iron girder.A, the timber joists and four-inch wooden floor constituting the platform of the bridge. The whole of this structure —including tho platform of the drawbridge, which opens and leaves two passages for ships, each passage or opening 49 feet wide, is supported on six pairs of cast iron cylinders, coupled together, and forming five spans varying from 115 to 145 feet in length.

"The engineer ami designer of the bridge in England was Air George Robert Stevenson. The ironwork was manufactured by Alcssrs Kennard at their works in Crunilin, Wales, and the cost when delivered in tho colony about £.15,000. The cost of erection by Air Al’Neill, the colonial contractor, was another £15,000, making a total 0f£30,000.

“Great rejoicings took place on the occasion of the opening by the Governor, Sir George Bowen, who was accompanied by Lady Bowen, on the day of November 28, 1871.”