XCVIII. PERCY ALLAN. 
transport and erection, whilst the substitution of lead for a greater 
portion of the cast-iron used in previous counterweights reduces 
the overall length of the balance weight with a corresponding 
reduction in the height of the four towers. 
The Tocumwal and Swan Hill bridges, being over the same 
river, having the same fairway, the same width of deck, the same 
weight of lift span, and having been erected by the same contractor, 
a comparison of the relative cost of the two designs may be of 
interest. 
The Tocumwal bridge was completed in 1895 and the Swan 
Hill bridge in 1896, the distance from Melbourne to site of the 
former bridge is one hundred and fifty-seven miles (one hundred 
and fifty miles by rail and seven miles by road), and from 
Melbourne to Swan Hill two hundred and fourteen miles by 
rail. 
The lift span, towers, overhead bracing girders at top of towers, 
platforms, counterweights and machinery complete fixed 7 site, 
cost for Tocumwal Bridge £3,400 as against £2,600 for the Swan 
Hill bridge, with its 5’ 10” additional lift. 
The overall length of the Tocumwal Bridge, with the iron side 
spans is 336’ as against 385’ the overall length of the Swan Hill 
bridge with timber side spans. The completed cost of the tw 
structures including engineering expenses being £19,635 and 
£8,900 respectively. The large difference in cost is due to the 
more economical design of lift, the substitution of timber for iron 
side spans and the securing of foundations for the two river piers 
at Swan Hill at a lesser depth than at Tocumwal, again the plant 
used at Tocumwal bridge, was available for Swan Hill bridge 
and prices were lower when contract for the latter bridge 
was placed. 
The contract for the bridge and New South Wales approaches 
was let on 6th June, 1895, to Messrs. J. B. and W. Farquharso® 
of Melbourne, who placed the manufacture of the metal wo S 
with Messrs. Mephan, Ferguson & Co. of Melbourne, the whole 
