That the United States of America lead the world in bridge building is a fact 
undisputed even in Europe. It is no wonder that such is the case, for owing to iho 
immense extent of territory and tlio rapid progress in railroad building of late years, 
there have been moi’Q iron bridges built there than in any other country. Then 
again the amount of capital available for railroad purposes or any other engineering 
work being much less in the United States than that which could bo obtained in 
older and richer countries, and tho cost of all kinds of labour being very high, it has 
been fouud necessary iu all brauchos of construction to study economy. In no 
department of engineering is tliis fact moro evident than in bridge building, for not 
only is it made a specialty by many companies, but what is more, when American 
bridges are put in competion with those of other countries, the American bridges are 
cliosen, notwithstanding the higher price« of American labour aud materials. 
In this connection let mo quote a little from an article which appeared some 
eight months ago in the New York Times upon M Bridge Building in America.” “If 
there is anything in which the United States can justly claim procedence over all 
other countries it is for the simplicity, mechanical construction and boldness of de- 
sign of their bridges.” This remark was made to a Times’ reporter, and with a good 
deal of pride, by Mr. Thomas C. Clarke, of the Union Bridge Company, and one of 
tho veteran bridge-builders of tlie company. “ The Brooklyn bridge/* lie added, ^lia s 
tlic largest span and is considered the largest bridge in the world. But we will soon 
be obliged to yioid tho palm of having tlie biggest bridge to another country. There 
is now building over the Firtli of Forth, iu Scotland, a bridge of two spans, each of 
which is as long as tlio Brooklyn bridge. This is the greatest bridge over designed 
anywhere. Wo are up to nothing of the kind in Amorica, and we haven't money 
enough for U.” 
“ There are probably 300 miles of iron bridges in tlie country now, and perhaps 
in the neighborhood of 700 miles of wooden bridges. I am speaking now of railway 
bridges, Tlie construction of road bridges is quite a separate and distinct industry. 
It is the price of iron that regulates the cost of a bridge ; the cost of labor has very 
little to do witli it.” 
“To come back to bridges/* continued Mr. Clarke, all, or nearly all, tlio steel 
used in railway bridges is made here, very little being imported. That now bridge at 
Bondout, on tlio west Shore, if built ten years ago, would have been the subject of 
a book. Now it is simply a railroad bridge, and not one traveller in ten even looks at 
it as lie goes over it. It is very light, yet perfectly secure. That is a great point 
where American engineers excel — in having lightness combined with perfect security. 
It is a saving to the railways, too, for bridges are paid for by tho pound. Now an 
order is given for a br'ulge just as it is for a locomotive — it is mero matter of com- 
mercial mannfacture. When I was iu England some years ago I wanted to go and 
see the Tay bridge, bub the civil engineers said : * 0, tlmt’s nob much good ; it，s not 
worth going to see.* I didn't see tho bridge. But I know its construction was so 
palpably erroneous that a common house carpenter could have seen its unsafe condi- 
tion. Our American railway history shows nothing the equal of that great disaster, 
tliougli tlie Ashtabula horror came near euougli.” 
