Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

VIEW OF BRIDGE PIERS DURING AN ICE-SHOVE. for words. During the summer of 1855 the north abutment and piers Nos. 1 and 2 were finished, the dams for piers Nos. 3, 4, and 6 completed, and pier No. 5 built up 2 feet above summer water-level. A huge travelling crane had also been constructed by one of the sub- contractors on the south embankment for handling the large quantities of stone brought to the spot. This traveller, though of the crudest construction, being made by a man of resource who understood exactly what it would have to do, was found to be very superior to another machine which had been carefully built by an English firm and shipped to Canada. Mr. Hodges, engineer-in-charge, lays stress, a propos of this crane, on the re- sourcefulness which characterized men who, (1,408) far away from conveniences of manufacture, were constantly called upon to solve mechan- ical problems. Operations were greatly delayed this year by a shortage of money resulting from the dislocation of business caused by the Crimean War, and at one time the tem- porary abandonment of opera- Financial tions was seriously considered. Troubles. However, it was finally decided to go on with the works at all costs. The snow-storms of the following winter proved in- tensely severe, and the men had an extremely hard time of it. During the spring and the summer of 1856 the masonry was laid at a great speed—in fact, for a whole month the average rate for the works amounted to 14