494 



UNITED STATES. 



erected by Timothy Palraer of Newburyport in Mas- 

 sachusetts. It is a masterly piece of workmanship, 

 combining in its principles that of king posts and 

 braces, with that of a stone arch. Half of each 

 post with the brace between them, will form the 

 vousseur of an arch ; and lines through the middle 

 of each post would describe the radii, or joints. 

 There are three sections of the frame. That in the 

 middle divides the space into two equal parts; so 

 that those passing in opposite directions are pre- 

 vented from interfering with each other. The plat- 

 form for travelling rises only eight feet from a hori- 

 zontal line ; and the top, or cap pieces, are parallel to 

 this. Of the sections the middle one has the most 

 pressure ; owing to the weight of transportation being 

 thrown nearer to that section than towards the sides; 

 to which the footways prevent its approach.. .These 

 footways are five feet in width; elevated above the 

 ^ carriage-ways, and neatly protected by posts and 

 chains. Thomas Palmer is the original inventor of 

 this kind of wooden bindge architecture. He con- 

 siders the Schuylkill bridge superstructure the most 

 perfect of any he has built. 



The underwork of the side covering is done in 

 imitation of masonry, by sprinkling the work with 

 stone dust on the painting while fresh. The smalt- 

 ing or sprinkling was performed with so niuch ease 

 . and cheapness, that it is hoped it will introduce a 

 like mode of ornamenting and protecting the surface 

 of wooden elevations of other descriptions, where 

 protection and ornament are required. 



Commodious wharves, on each side of the river, 

 have been made by the company ; not only to protect 



