Hooksett New Bridge, 1862 January 18

Collection Name:

George W. Perry Scrapbooks

Title:

Hooksett New Bridge, 1862 January 18

Creator:

Perry, George W., 1891-1971

Creator Role:

Collector

Accession / Call Number:

1974.045

Object ID:

1974.045.30.028

Date:

1862/01/18

Type of Material:

graphic material

Physical Description:

1 photograph

Language:

English

Scope and Content:

Photographic print of a railroad bridge in Hooksett, NH, with a caption from the New-Hampshire Statesman dated January 18, 1862. The caption states, "HOOKSETT NEW BRIDGE. The branch railroad [l]ately built between Suncook and Hooksett crosses the Merrimack just above Hooksett Falls, and at this point convenient islands enabled the architects of the bridge--or series of short bridges, for there are in reality five--to find firm holding ground for piers; but in some way or other people got the impression that there had been too much economy in the use of timber, and that before long some part of the bridge would prove weak, and drop a train into the river. It was, therefore, determined to have an adequate test, and thus quiet all popular apprehension. So, on Monday last, four freight cars were loaded with stone, to the amount of one hundred and sixty-five tons, being one and one tenth tons to each foot of the cars in length. This train was first run upon the massive old bridge just below Hooksett station. An engineer looked through his level, and gave the deflection of one span at three fourths of an inch ; the other at one half inch. This was very satisfactory. Then the cars moved up the new bridge. Everybody said it would be a severe strain; one man thought the whole concern would go over the falls. The train moved on to the bridge and stopped. The engineer sighted carefully, and gave the deflection, at its greatest point, at half an inch. It was the same with the other spans, and the ghost which has haunted the bridge is happily laid. The greatest deflection at the passage of a locomotive and tender weighing forty-seven tons, was but one quarter of an inch. The new bridge is called by its designer a triple lattice bridge. It has three sections of timber in the sides, instead of two, and a latent thickness of one foot. Arranged thus, timber makes less lateral show, but is quite as effective. The bridge was built by Messrs. B. J. Cole & Co., of Lake Village, according to the directions and plan of J. C. Briggs, Esq., of this city. The observations of deflection under testing were made by Messrs. Jonathan Adams, James A. Weston and C. H. V. Cavis, civil engineers. - from the New-Hampshire Statesman January 18, 1862 These bridges washed out in the flood of March."

Subjects:

Bridges , Railroads

Locations:

Hooksett, NH

People:

Perry, George W., 1891-1971

Terms of Use:

For permission to reproduce or publish material from this collection, please contact the New Hampshire Historical Society. Researchers are responsible for following all copyright and intellectual property laws.

Credit Line:

Gift of May Nutter.

Restrictions:

Available for research.

Level Description:

Item

Box Number:

7