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 The EDITH and LORNE PIERCE 
 COLLECTION o/CANADIANA 
 
 ^eeris University at Kingston 
 
 ff 
 
 .«. . 
 
.•*!. 
 
 l7o72.lZ 
 
 . M. ifcwftwii iiiiWtim— «M 'I 
 
I 
 
 t 
 
 w 
 
 'I 
 
 '^ 
 
THE 
 
 INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY. 
 
 ^/-. 
 
 4 
 
 :"?*'■ 
 
 THE GENESIS 
 
 or ITS 
 
 BRIDGES. 
 
 WITH THE OFFICIAL DOCUWENTS LAID BEFORE PARIIAWENT. 
 
 187a. 
 
INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY. 
 
 IRON *^er8us WOOD. 
 
 DOCUMKNTS SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMKNT ON THK BRfrxJI-: 
 
 CONTROVKIiSY. 
 
 Tho Tntercolonial Railway was luidortaUtMi l.y tlu' Domiiiioii of CaruHla, iin-lcr 
 n ^uaianloe from the Impuiial (i<»voriiiiieiil. as ji Nati )iial VVorli. 
 
 Fi-fliiniiittiy surveys wore made in 1>'(;4 hy Mr. Sandfonl Floinin.i<, wlio had l)Con 
 the previouH yoiir appninlftd to this .liity l-v tli.> Canadiaii and Iinpcrial (lovcnunents. 
 In the reports and estimates siiiiinitU'd l.y Jiiiii on which the Imperial j^iiarantoe was 
 Itasod, provision was made lor the erection of all the bridge striietui os with stone and iron. 
 Mr. Fleniin^r was subsequently appointed Chief Kni,nneer to carry out the construc- 
 tion of the Railway, and he felt it incumbent upon him. to provide for all the works 
 beini,' executed as originally intended. Accordingly, in his specitications of tbo Gth 
 October, 18(i8, issued under the authority of the Privy Council of Canada, it was »et 
 
If 
 
 Tn'tli llmt IIh' liritl;;os >.||i>iilil luiv*' |ii(M'-. ninl iiliiiliinMils of llic Imsl doscription 
 (i| innHonrv . Il was likmv i-c cU-^iuiuil il,at the liiiilwny •'Ih'IiIM If fiiiiii'tl iici'dhh 
 all sli'c'iiii-i on \vr<iiii,'lil iinn ;;ii(lri-,, 
 
 Tho UmiljIIi of liiH' In III' r(iii»inic(oM was nlxtnl aitil inllf"'. In llii'^ tlisUinco 
 y-'Vunil lui'i;i' rivorin timl in;niy li'>s in)|)orl:iM( Htivuni-* lia<l !<• lie niHsoil. It :i|)|k>ui'(mI to 
 till.' ('Iiiof Mnttini'cr. !i>- (.lit- liitiTcohtnial Itailwiiy was lU'sijjm'd as a Mililary ami 
 Xalioiial lioad, and aidoil \>y tin- linpt'i'ial (i*ivui-iitni>iit on tlie uniloi-stamliii^Mliat it 
 hIioiiM b«t |)tM'niatii'iilly coiiHlrnrlt'il, lliai ii wu> intlis)K)iiHabl4! that tin* lM-iilL;osinictiiroH 
 hlioiilil i)u liiiilt ol'^iH-li niatt'i'ials as woiiM losscn tlu' I'i^^k of tli'striictiun at an iiiop- 
 |)>iitiiii(' tiiiif. Iron and ^ttonc liein^ tliu nii»sl tMidniin^ niatAtrials. tlu'ir nso would do 
 luvay with tin* lisU of accident tV(»ni fire or natural docay, inHe))aral)lo from liml)cr 
 sirui-turoH, atul would render nnneeessary tlie constant watching, the frei|Uont 
 interruptions in tialHc. and tin* incessnnl expenditure in repair** which the use of 
 linilior involves. 
 
 The position of the Intercolonial ll:iilway. touching; the navi;.(ahle waters of tho 
 se;i at many points in its (tourso, oHord peculiar fa<'ilities for the tielivfry of iron, 
 which, at little cost coidd he transported from thu |dace of luanufaclnre un the 
 other side of the Atlantic, to tho streams reijuiring to he hridijed. 
 
 When the Chiel Kn^ineor j)repared his first desi^jns and specifit^ations, he acted 
 under the<liroet authority of the I'rivy Council. Hut on the 11th Dtfcemher following;, 
 tinir (Jominisslonors were appointed to niauaLi;e the construction of the Intercolonial 
 Kailway. anil it hecaine the duty of the Chief Kiii^inoer. as their principal executive 
 olHcer. lo act under them. 
 
 (Vrntrary to the stron<^ly expresseil views of' the Chief Kn^ineer, tho Commis- 
 sionor.s resolved to chantie the charai'ter ol (he Kailway l»y con>tructini( the hi-idj^e 
 spans of wood and not of ii'on. 
 
 This dcciKJiHi was (|uile at vari.mce with the views of the Chief Rnj^ineer, 
 nut only hecause he felt it would dejriade tlie character of the whole line, 
 hut o(]ually because it brn(ii;lit him into coidlict with th»»se, wilh whom he di'sireil to 
 act harmoniously. 
 
 *-^.. 
 
I'tist (loscriptlnn 
 
 ' I Ill's (listanco 
 " !i|t|(oai Oil t(» 
 » Militarv and 
 •taiidiii^f lliat it 
 ■i<ly:c'sirii('jiiroH 
 on at an inop- 
 
 • IISO WOlllll lio 
 
 ' I'loin tinil>or 
 tlio (V<'.|nont 
 
 *ll I lit' I|M«» of 
 
 wal.'is (.rtho 
 f^vy ()(■ ii-oii, 
 'Inrt' un the 
 
 •i«, lu> actoti 
 nr following'', 
 ntui'citlonial 
 I <'.\»!(iiiive 
 
 lo Conunis- 
 tlu' liiidiro 
 
 lOnj^inoor, 
 ■'lioli' line. 
 <i«'sir(),| lo 
 
 III iho twtimation ol'tho pulilii', tlio Kn^'iin'or <ir»ii.v llailway, i-* iv«|M>nhil>U' l'i>r 
 llitt tialtilily and imnnanoncn *>{' i«s sini.iiin.i. If flio wmk I'ail in any way. no 
 I'ln^inwr »'-.ra|K'M (.cnKiiro, iiiiU-hs it \m t•.^tal»li»llo<l lliat his opinions luiv»« hoon 
 ovornilo<l. irt'iuo in impoi-lanl »iiiosUon.s alloi'linj; tlM> clliciency of his work, it in at 
 limes tho tliily of the Kiiji^iiu'cr to phice on reconl his piolosl. wiu'ii his views, 
 ollirially oxpreHsoti, are deparlitl fVoin, and his reroininondationH sot iwide. 
 
 In this inalliT. tindiii;,' thai his ar^'Uinonts had failed to convince t 'le Comnns- 
 sinners, the Chief Kii<;ineer of tho Inlereolonial Hailway, was con>.traine ' to appeal 
 to the Privy ('oiiiuil. A controversy cuiise(|uently coinincnred, which ex. eniloti over 
 a period of more than two years. The following dormnonts, printo<l hy order >»f 
 Parliament, set forth the official history of ihis sii'nu:;,'le. and record itn salixfaetory 
 termination ; — ^ 
 
 No. 1. A letter to the Premier. Sir .lolin A. .Macdonald. from Mr. Fleinintc. 
 dated 27th. lannary, 18li!). It is thelirsi formal appeal ol'thetMiiefKnginour to 
 the (lovenimeiit, against the decision ol'the Commissioners. Mr. Flomin;^ 
 snhmits his aru;umentH in lavor of iron, and against tlu^ intr<Klnetion of 
 wo(Klon structures. Tluw argiiineiits if not unanswerable, liavi' remained 
 without reply. They wore however not sufficient to ellecl an alteration in tho 
 ileeiHion of tlie Commissioners, except with reirard to liv«M>(' the hridi^es. The 
 Commission««rs porisisted in their lioicral dclcrmiiialioii to hnild tin- lirid^es 
 of wood, and the CToveriimenI >ust^aiiied I hem. 
 
 Xo. 2. dated May 28. lS7t». Is a >iiiicinfiit prrparcd 1>\ the Chief KiiLciiiccr 
 lor suhmissiuii lo Parlianu'iil. ItL;i\r>iii lainilar Imi in. :i ci>m|.lftc li«-I of 
 thi> hridi^es rei|uired (o l>c rdnstnicted on llio .^Oll mili'> of r;iilw:iv. together 
 with his e>tim:itcs of their ciist. 1( al-o set- fnii li the fact, thai .--uhst;.nlial 
 hridi^es of iron, could he erected Ihroiinhoiit iIh' wlmlc line with Iml .xliyhtly 
 increased cost <(ver that of woo<leii structures, and stronsjjly recommends 
 that iron should he employed, in the phu'i- of the mi>ro perisliahle materi:tl, 
 wood. 
 
 No. Ij. dated .Tilly .'!. IS^O. A majority repoi-t of the Commissioners, to the 
 Privy C^ouneil, signed by \\. 11. Chandler, C. .1. lirydges and A. W. 
 
V 
 
 i 
 
 MfLi'laM, oxprosHin^ tlieii' snvju'iso al, and (lisl»oli<'f' in. llu» statement^ and * 
 
 0-<timal('s of the ('liicf I'^iiiximsoi" ; and roiu'wiiiuc tlicir rccdmnoiidalion totlio a 
 (iovurnrnoiil, that tlio hridi^os on the Inteieoloiiial llailway. with tho 
 
 exception of the live idiove I'elernvl I'l, In- hiiill oIwudiI and not otinni. ■ 
 
 No. 4, dated .Inly f). IS70. Is a repnrt lo the l*rivy ('oniieil Ity A, Walsli, 
 (diaii'inan of the ("oniinissioners. in whieli hi' stales his conviction, tliat iron 
 hi'idires won Id not i^realiy exceed the cosi oj' wooden stnictnies ; that Iho 
 loiinei- wonid lie intieh less likely lo lie dosUoyed ly fin-; that tlu'y wonid 
 he more ilnrahle ; and that, in his opinion, it woi Id he true ecimoniy to 
 construct all the liridi^cs of ii-on instead of wood, a-^ tlirnierly <lclennine(| 
 by the ( 'oinniissioner-". 
 
 No. 5, dated .Inly 7. 1^7<>. Is an Order in Council, referrintf lo Iho majority and 
 minority Heports of ihe Coinmissioners of July ."Jn! and .')th. The (Jovei-n 
 ment concurs in the opinions I'Npressetl Ity the ll ive Commissioners and 
 adheres to the determination to Imild the hrid^'cs 01 wood. 
 
 *' 
 
 No. (), dated Au«rus| lI. 1x70. Is a U'tler from the CI; el Kiii-ineer to the Sec' 
 rctai-y of the Commissioners. enclosiiiLj another ri monstrance a^ainsl tho 
 usoof wooden liridi^es and askiiiij that the work at River dii Loup and fsle 
 Verto he suspeiuled for 10 days, until llie (Jovernment havt' aijaiii an oppor- 
 tunity of reconsidering- the <|M(^slion. 
 
 No. 7, dated July 2i!, IS70. Is a tlii'-d a|)peal from Mr. Fleming to tho Premier. 
 Sir John A. Macdonald. re-statini;- all the arguments in favor of the use of 
 iron foi- the bridges and earnestly in-ging that le -« perishable material than 
 timber sli()uld be I'inployed in the con-^truetion ol' the railway bridges. ])oint- 
 ing oat specially that wooden bridgi's would fretiuciitl}' In peculiarly liable 
 to destruction, on tiu^ line of ihe intercolonial Railway, tbrougli forest tires. 
 
 No. 8, dated September 2.'!. IS7U. Is a communication to Ihe I'rivy Council 
 from one of the Ct)mmissioners, .Mr. C. .1. Jirvduos, in which ho combats the 
 views of the Chief Knginecr. as expi'cssod in No. 7. Mi'. Brydges argues 
 that tho fear of wooden bridges catching tire is ontirolv groundless, alludes 
 
 i 
 
 I ^A 
 
lie sfat(MTi<'n(^ and f 
 "'iiO(i.|;i(ioii tu (1,0 
 fiilwjiv. wirl, (lio 
 I not (if i|.,,||_ 
 
 •'I ''y .\. Wnlsh, 
 '■''•''••ii, (fiat iroj, 
 <'t'nvs; tliat (lie 
 lint tlicv u-oiiM 
 ■lie woiioniv lo 
 '•''.\' •l<'tt'i'miti('d 
 
 If majocily and 
 The (ioviM'ii 
 lissi.Micrs and 
 
 '■'■ '<• (ho Sec" 
 ' Jii,'ains( tho 
 '^iip an<l r.sle 
 tin ai) oppoc- 
 
 Jie Premier, 
 tlie use of 
 torial llian 
 diios. poiiii- 
 Jiily lial.le 
 <)i'ost fires. 
 
 y Ooiincil 
 "n'jafs (lie 
 i'^ ar-riieN 
 '<*, ailiidoH 
 
 lo his uxporicnc'o as Chief .Muiia.i,'or of K'ailways in Taniula for IH voars and 
 conveys (he im])ivssi<»n lh:it dnrini,'lii^ loni; experience he Inis nevid- known 
 a .^in^le in-itanfc of a wuiHlen hrid{i;e i)uin!4- l)urncd. or in winch (iron have 
 injuriously ad'ccd-l a lirid,i;-c in anyway. Ifc also s(ates. as j^is l)eh'ef, that 
 Ihe Chid Mnnineer's calciilations oi' (pnintities and cost are entirely 
 ei-roneoiis and iMn'clial)lc and asserts that iron hridges woidd cost not less 
 tlian 8:{flO.(MM» nw.v tiian llie Ciiief Knjiinecr's i>s(iniato and that it would not 
 lie surpri>iiiL:- to him. it, l>y Ihe ailojition ofii'on Inid^-es. $.">0(l.(»0(l wouM he 
 addcil to ilu: cii>t of the line, licsides involviiii;- liical delay and confusion. 
 
 Xu. I», dated Oiiohcr IS. iSTit. |s a conmiunietition from Mr. Fleming to Sir 
 John A. .Mticdoial I. re-;|)eclinii- the sialements made in No. 8. The Chief 
 Engineer ai-ain points out thatihe lisk of casualties l.y tire is great; that, on 
 all I'ailways wIumh- wooden hridgc- are coiisLructiMl, they area source of 
 anxiety rnd a heavy charge against woi-l<in^- exiien-es. That this is especi- 
 ally the case on the lini'. at that time managed hy the writer of No. H. .Mr. 
 Urydges. Mr. F eming cites two instaiu'cs of wooden hridges heing totally 
 destroyed by tire on (he (Irand Trunk Kailway. only a tew weeks hefore the 
 dale of docuinenl No. S ; i.i the dt'slruetion of at lea-t (»ne of which, it was 
 suhseipiently diM'overi'd. the writei- of ihat docmnenl. Mr. Mrsdn-c-. waN ac- 
 tually an eye witiios. With regard to the .•i-ertion that the < 'hief Hngineer's 
 oliinates are al ogether wrong, an<l that iron bridges would cost from 
 SiJOOjOOO to 85(M).(I(M» nn)re than the c>ti mates of the latter; he, the Chief 
 Engineer challenges examination into iheir accuracy ami heg- the (iovern- 
 ineiit to atfonl him an opporliinity of testing them. In l his doiiueenl Mi'. 
 f''leniing nnd<e- a linal cjirne^ appeal in favor of the creel ion of ii-oii 
 liridges. 
 
 No. 1(1. dated .lanuaiy IC. 1.^71. Is a Ueport from the ( 'ommissioiier.' to the 
 I'rivy Coun<-il signed l.y X. Walsh. K. M. Chandler. C. .1. Hiydge-. and A. W. 
 McJA-lan. enclo>ing ari'|)orl from Ihe Chief l')iigineer. on the (picstion of |Ih> 
 adoption of ii'on oi wood for bridges. The » ■ommi«^sioners reconuncnd in 
 this document that all bridges over CO teel span be conslructed of iron 
 
I 
 
 on certain conditions. 
 
 Xo. U. ilatt'ii .laiiiiary !!•. ISTl. Is an Oi.i":' in ('oiimil. aiillioi'iziiii; Iho 
 laiililiiii,' of all till' iji'i(l,i,a'.s alinvf (iti I'orl >|iaii <<\' Iimii. iii.-lrail i>t' wnnil. 
 wliciiovor : — 
 
 l>t. 'riu' C/oiili-aclors as-(!iil. an. I l!ir i|iaiii;T can \<y' nia li: wilhuuL in- 
 crease ol'cost (>y jiavnu'ht ol' indcMiinilv. 
 
 2n(l. Wlu'i'i' tlioi'o i^ iiii Miati'rial lU-lay cauM'd liy liic flian^^r. 
 
 ;jrd. WluMU'vor tin' addilional fo-i ul' llu' lu'idni's will nul exceed tho 
 osliniatc "t the ( 'liiot' l"',nL;ineei'. already sidiniillcd lu ( 'inincil. 
 
 No. 12, dated .lanuaiy V.K iSTl. J> a lultoi' iVoni tlie Cliairnian ol'tln-Com- 
 nii-^ioner>. to tlu' ( 'liiof l']n::inei'i'. iliioctini;- liini to cairy llie Oi'der in 
 Council (^No. 1 1 "I into cfVeel 
 
 Xo. 1:5. dalod .lanuary 21. ISTl. Is a leltei' IVoni the Chiel" Kn,:;-inei'r, to tho 
 C'hairnian ol'lhc ('oniniis><ioneis, with respijel lotlio conditions of tlio Oidor 
 in ("iiuncil ( Xo. 1 1 ). 
 
 Xo. II. dated May ."i. Isjl. Is a re[»orl from the Chief Ijin'ineer, descriiiint; 
 I he cuursi' laken liy him. to .i;'ive ell'ect to the Or<ler in Council of.lannary 
 I'.Uii, ISTl and slat ini;" thai all the conditions of the Oi'der in Coumdl were or 
 W.I. lid lie coni|ilieil with. l-'arther that .Mr. Fleinin:;' had on his own 
 re- lonsibility ascertained l>y /^'//c/y^/c tenilers, not only what llii' I'l'idge.-i 
 ovi r (id leel sjijin Would c'-l. I ul ai the same time, what those hridges, 
 nol anthorized by theOideV u C'onncil. would cosl if Imill ol' iron, viz; 
 all uidn-es imdei' HO leei .-i>an. 'I'liis rejiort ol the Chiet I'ln^'ineer eslahlishcs 
 the fact, thai c\ er_\- sjinu on the whole line, ram^ini;' from !()(• feet down 
 to 2 1 li'i'l, the iKiK'iintiii. can aclnally lie cnmpleied in iron, hy tirst-idass 
 liridue builder-.. inihidinL;- the cost oi' (>rection, tin' eiu'ht per cenl. les- than 
 ihe ('hief I'ain'incer ■> estimate. 1 1 also est;iblishes. with i'ei;-aid to the 
 bridges of (id leet -|ian ami les-, not \e( authorized by the tiovernmenl to be 
 built of iron, that thoir losi, if built of (indier. under e.xistiny; contracts, 
 
 woi 
 
 ill aeiindly be ^i^!•.ll■ll nioi'c than if binll of ii'on after paying tluty on 
 
 the iron imported. 
 
 ■4. 
 
i;i U. wiiJiuiii iii- 
 
 9 
 
 No. 15, datotl May 10, 1871. 1« a full report of tho (.'liiof KiiLjiiioor, on nil the 
 tondor-s leceivod for tlio oroctioii of iron brid'^os tiiroiighoiit tho whole line. 
 
 No. 1(5, datoil May 11, 1871. Is a report of tlio Chief Hn^iiieer on the tendorH 
 for tho civcfion of all spans over (JO feet and up to 100 iei^t,\vith a comparison 
 oftho prices in tho tenders, with hisowri orij^ina! ostiniute, allowing that these 
 spans can be creeled of iion for seven per cent. Ie«s than his estimates. 
 
 No 17, dated May 11, 1871. Is a liepoit of the (/ommissiouors to tho (JoverD- 
 Hkont, on tho tendois for iron Itridi^es, enclosiiii^- tho JJeports of the Chief 
 Kntjineei". Tho Commissioners now recommend tliat :ill the bridges on tho 
 Intercolonial Jlailway be erected with spans of iron and tliat the tender of 
 Clarke, Iteeves & Co., for IG sjtans of 200 feet each bo accej)ted ; also that 
 the tender ol the Fairbairn Kngiiieerinij Co., tor the erection of all the other 
 bridges, throughout tho line, be accepted. i 
 
 No. 18, dated May 12, 1871. Is an Order in Council concuri-ing in the 
 adoption of iron bridges throughout the enLiro line of tho Intercolonial 
 Railway, authorizing their erection, and the accc])tance of tho tenderB 
 rocommcnded. 
 
 In tho interval between tho dates of documents No. 1 and No. 11, a peiiod of 
 upwards of two years, during which the struggle was going on — thiee wooden 
 bridges were creete I, against the earnest prolo>t oftho Cliiof lOngincer. Foituinitely 
 however, those are tho only perishable bridges on the tive Inindrod miles ol' Railway. 
 All the other bridges on the lino are now ln'ing Imilt of ii'on, supported on 
 masHivo masonry, and the accompanying dociunciiis estaldish tlio lact that tlicse 
 Htructurc^ will actually cost loss than if perislial)le material — timlior — had I'oui u>ciJ. 
 :.H at or.o t' ;. e <.'ctormincd. 
 
 Tho Ciiiof Knifinoor's orijjinal o-*timito of the oont of thv striy'turos rcftrtcd to, 
 including ntasoniy, was, with ironsp ms 81,204,(107, and with timhrr ,^jt(Ui!< $1,203,459. 
 The acti: ! co.-l with «ro?i s/>i/i.s, as now contracted for, will be §1,27 1,(120, vr luo 
 percent less llu.n the tirst oatimato. , 
 

 -4m 
 
 ■4 
 
 ■afc^ 'Tg^ g ^* ^ -- ^ - »»■- 
 
U E T U 11 IV 
 
 I To an Address oi" the House of Commons, dati-d 18th May, 1874; For a 
 statement ol' the Cost ol" the Bridi't's on the Intercolonial Railway, 
 showinjr the comparative costs of spans of wood and iron; with all 
 correspondence and reports of the Commissioners, Eni>i)ieers and others, 
 submitted to the Government, nnd all Orders in Council on tha 
 subject. 
 
 Dy Command. 
 
 Department of Secretary of State, 
 22nd May, 1874. 
 
 R. W. SCOTT, 
 
 Secretary/ of Stale. 
 
 Lntercolomal Rvii.way, 
 
 Office of Chief Excuneer, 
 
 Ottawa, May 22iid, 1874. 
 
 Kdouanl J. Laii;;cviii, I'isq., 
 
 Under-Soci'ctafv of Slalo. 
 
 «i»|-I liavo I.een ro.,„c'.lc'a to Ihriusl, tlu- ii.li.rmation c-allod lor l,y an address 
 
 JuiihNa>, s ,„n„,:r tlu- ronii.aradvc. cwt „i' spa..> uf uo,„l aiul iron, L.^^otLoi- with all 
 corrc'spondciicc. repori.s, OnlcM-s in C.mu'il. kv. 
 
 „n,l l^r'll'ri'?/ '';*Vr'"'il''^". '^ '•;!"t:'i-H'.i in tluMiurunu-m. wim-l, I horewill, transmit. 
 
 and of wliich tliL' loilowini'- is a li^t. 
 
 Vours, i^c, 
 
 Saxdfoud Fleming. 
 
 ml 
 
-■?■• - : — , 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 No. 
 
 1. Kxtra<Mt4 from letter fi-nm tin- CLief En;,'ineei- to Si:- Jolm A. ^[ac loiijvld, 
 
 'liileil liT'li .Ijiiiii;iry. ls(i;t. 
 
 2. Jji'tler from tlic ('liifl' KtiLCiiicer In llu' Sccrotiirv of llic ( 'ti!umis>-ioiU'i's, dated 
 
 •j;;vd Miiy. li^Yt). 
 
 ;{. ( 'oiiimi^siiiiiers' (majority) ffi-jKirl lo Council, dalrij .'')tli ,liil\-. 1S7(I. 
 
 4. Cliiiirman uf tlic ('ftm?iiissioiu'r>" l{i'|i(irt lo ( 'ouiiei., ilaled ."ith .lulv, 1870. 
 
 5. Oi-dei- ill Coniicil, daled Ttli .Iidy, 1S7(». 
 
 C. Li'licr tVom tiiu ("liief Kngiiieei- to tlie .Sucretary of the Conimis.sioners, dated 
 22iid Aii,«;ust, IS70. 
 
 7. Letter from tlie Chief Knijiiieer U> .^ir .lohii A. Macdoiiaid, dated 2Gtli July, 
 
 lS7it. 
 
 8. Meiiiorandiim hy C. J. Ih-yd^res, one ot the Commissioners, dated 2'{nl Scntcm- 
 
 lur, 1S7U. 
 :». 8. Klemin:,' to Sir .loliii A. Maidnnald, dated 18th Octoher. 187(1. 
 
 10. Commissioners' Kepurt loCouneii. dated HJtIi .fanuary, IS7I. 
 
 11. ( >rder in Conmil, dated I'.'th .lannary, ls7I. 
 
 12. Cha'rman of the Commissionei-s to the Chief Knijinver, dated .lanuaiy 21st, 
 
 I S7 1 . 
 
 l:{. The <'hief i']n,i,'ineer t(» tlie Chaiinian of Coinndssioners. dated January 2lHt, 
 IS71. . . . 
 
 W. 'I'he Chief Kn<fineer to Sceretaiy of Comniifsioncrs, date I r)th May, 1871. 
 j.'i. Thf Cliii'f Kiiyineer tu Secretary iif Commissioners, (hited May loth, 1871. 
 111". The Chief Eniiinecr to Seerotary of Commissioners, d;ited May 11th, 1871. 
 
 17. Commissioners' lieport to Council, dw ted Max lllh. 1H71. 
 
 18. Order in Conned, dated 12th Mav, I87I. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 KxtiiU-ts jnm d ldt<r itiitfd ^Tth •lanaanj, 18();t. I'roiu S(inilf'>i(f Flcuiing, Chuj 
 Etujinccr, to the Jiii/lit Jlon. Sir John A. M(iriliina/<f, Premier, luujing the erection 
 "I iron instedd of Wovlt-n Jiriil(/c.<< on the Intercnluuial /{ailicay. 
 
 There is another point on which tlie (Jommissioi-ei-s have, I think, prematurely 
 eome to a deeiHion, and which seeniH to me to lie wnrthy of attention. Orii^inally it 
 was proposv^-d to huild iron hridi^es. The plan of the Cummi.ssionei's is to substitute 
 wooden ones. They pmposc to build tin- bridi^t-s of pine. 
 
 This alteration invites attention to ihe comparative mei'its of wooden and iron 
 bridges, under ciicunisiances sucli as those now e.xistiiiif. and as tiio (|uestion seems 
 t^j me one of ver\- i^real iinjMtrtanee. I trust the Council will not think me obtrusive 
 in makiiif^ this matter the Mibieci of a few observations. 
 
 For half a teiitiny back a ;;reat deal has b"en heard of the jiine forests of New 
 "Brunswick, ami it is not to be wondered at that a])ro])osal sh<iuld be niiide toeonstruet 
 the bridges on the line of the Intercolonial Hallway of timber instead of more dura- 
 hl© materialfi, under the belief that there would be no difliculty whatever in rebuild- 
 ing ihem from the adjaeent iVuvsts as the tindior in their eonstruetion from time to 
 time fell into decay. There were at one time lar<re ti-aets of most valuable pine in 
 tiiC I'rovinee of New Jh-uiiswick. Until lately th«! English market was largely sup- 
 pliwl with timber from this quarter, but lumbering operations have been carried on 
 t<» eucli an extent that all orriearly all the marketable pine along the luinn-rous water 
 eharuiels. or within reach of them, ha.s now been removeil. So much is this the ease, 
 not oidy in New Ih-uuHwiok, but also in Nova Scotia ajul (Quebec, that, on an over- 
 land j(jurney from JIalifax to (Quebec by any travelled route, the eye can scarcely 
 detect a single ]»ine tree. With reganl to Nova Scotia, if the bridges in this Province 
 he made oi' pine, T am satisfied it will have to be imported, and in Now Brunswick 
 
 fpyp'^ie^jaLMi'j ■ wnwu inu—niijijii ji.i 
 
II^WMIM 
 
 .-.. l.-^:Mf 
 
 missionc'i-y. (Jaied 
 
 •'"b-, IH70. 
 
 "i'^'sioiiei-.s, dated 
 
 '»tod 2Gtl. July, 
 
 •'^1 2:ird Scptcni- 
 ■(). 
 
 1 .'anujiiy 21.st, 
 ' .nuiiiai-\- 21.st 
 1 yiny, 1 87 1. 
 ■" ^JtJ', 1871. 
 
 yrinhuj, Chief 
 ' ^/'t' erection 
 
 pn'iiiaturolv 
 ^'•iniiiaJly it 
 
 ^'" and iron 
 «ti()ii scorns 
 'G ol){rusive 
 
 L>sts of ]^ow 
 to const met 
 "lore (iiii-a- 
 i" fobiiild- 
 f>'n tinio to 
 'jle pine in 
 tr-^'ely sup. 
 can-ied on 
 loii.s water 
 ^ (lio ease, 
 
 an ovei-. 
 
 ■^cai-cely 
 
 I'l'ovinee 
 
 •J'Uiiswick 
 
 anil Qiioboc, alllionLjh a snHicieiit qnanlityt.) oic-t tin- tii-st sot ofldidixos mar liavo 
 escaped tlie a.\t' oT \\\v liiinlirniiaii. in Mtnif <'t' llio lun.o reniol..' lecosses of' (he 
 torost laii<l, it will l)c no i-a-v nialtor lo iviiew tlicni in tuc I'litnio with native 
 tinhoi'. I stale llic-c I'aciN from rnv own oIp-otn ations. tor, alihoiiijli iImto arc 
 many )iorsoiiri who know particular -i-i-tiMn- oi tin' ciimli'v ininh more intmuiirly 
 than I do, tlicic aro not many who iia\c tiuvclled inoii- tiiioii^di the tlwee pro- 
 vinces in all diierlions. or liad a liettor ojiportnnity (tlaci|iiirini; linowkvi^c respectiiu; 
 thoir natural lealiires atid |irodn(tions. .My own oli-ervations i'c.-)k'i tin^ the almost 
 t«)tal destruction, at no di.^tiint day. of pine tinilier in tllo^e l'ro\ intt.<. is cuntiiined 
 hy statetnents from others. Oidy tho other day. a ^eiith>nian wIhj ha> boon 
 ♦Mitra^jjod diiriri;; a life tinu- in extensive lunii'orini^ <)perutions. and who is now u 
 nieinhor of tiio Senate, int'orined mo that in twciuy years tiiore woidd he searcoly n 
 ))ino troo standini; in Now lirunswiclc. I mention these fai-is in order to reniovo 
 the mistaken inipri'ssion that it woidil he an easy anil inexpensive mattci- to re- 
 build timber bridges iVoni tho inoxhau>lible forests of the eounlry, as they poriodi- 
 cally fell into iloi-ay. 
 
 It has been shown as an notual statistical fact tliat, in the eai-ly days of lail 
 ways in the United States, wooileri bridnes lasteil on an uvera;,'t' only ten years. - 
 Latterly, greater care has been taken in their consti notion, as well as in their 
 protection, and now tho averairo loni;th ot the lifo of a wooden railway bridi;o im.-» 
 proved to be about twelve year.s. Takini; tlu^ lifo of a womlen i-ailway bi'iilge, 
 therefore, at twelve years, it is apparent that j'.^lh. or .^il p"r eetit. of the whole eost 
 is eharii;eablo ai^ainst it every year for renewals. In a<l(lition we have tho interest 
 on capital consumed in its tirst construction, viz. four per cent, in this instance. 
 
 In comparinti; tho relative C(»>t of iron and wooden liridyes there is another 
 chariijc against the latter which the former is free from — 1 refer to the cost of em- 
 ployinjf watchmen as a ))rotoction against lire, a precaution absolutely necessai-y, at 
 all events durinif 1,10 summer months, and which becomes no unimpoi-tant charifc 
 on the liridiic of perisiiable materials. This charuo miti'ht rani^e, accord im; to eir- 
 cumstaiices, tVom one to lour ])er cent, on tho cost of the bridge ; but e.Nohidinir alto- 
 f^ether the wages of watcliman from the comparison, wo find that a wooilon bridi^e is 
 charirealtle as above with Vl\ \wv cent, per annum for tho use of capital «'mployod in 
 its construotion and re-construction. 
 
 (Jenondly speaking, an iron bridge can be jiut up for about double the cost of a 
 Avooden ono.='= Jtcckoning tho money expended on its tirst cost at the rate of inteiost 
 to be paid on tho recetit Intercolonial Jioan. and as comj)arod with a wooileii bridge, 
 costing dotd)Ie as mueh, we have, say eight per cent, per annum chargoabUt against 
 the bridge structure, if iron instead of wood he emjiloyed. 
 
 This, 1 submit, is a fair way of comparing tiie cost of bridges built of wood and 
 iron respectively, and from this it is clear that the bare ejiargo'j on capital aie as \2\ 
 is to 8. or, in otiier words, while tho actual cost of a woimIou l.riflgo for eonstriu-tion 
 and re-construction is 12A.thatan iron bridge is oidy 8. and if to the former lie added 
 tho current exjionses foi- walehmon, whieh are dispensed with in the lat1.«'r, the dif- 
 ference in favor of the iron l)ridge is proportionately increaseil. 
 
 1 do not say that iron bridges are ev<'rlasting, but the period when they will 
 require to be rebuilt seems so remote that they may practic.illy be considered jx mia- 
 nent. The ordinary r<>paii\s of wf)oden bridges are always lioavy — far moie so than 
 that of iron bridges. The latter re(]uiie scarcely anything more than an occ.:>ional 
 coat of puint ; and this, woctilon briilges ought ais > to have. 
 
 There is another way of ])uttiiig this point, which illustrates -.('ry clearly tho 
 comparative economy of wooden and iron bridge-, and that is. to estimate the annual 
 burden on the resoi:'ccs nt tln^ comitrv ot' building and maintaining the different 
 structures. 
 
 • Tlii> ()|)i!iiou pii'viiiliMl iiiiioti^;st cnKiueiTs ut (iiii' tiiiie, but it is only correct with respect to long 
 ■imnfl, siiy '-vit 130 tfct, — the ditli-i'. u( »• in coat between wood aiul irou ilimiiiisbcii rapidly its the spnuB 
 
 iii«rn«.— s.r. 
 
I ', I 
 
 
 If a ltri(lj;(» ho Imilt ol' iron, willi caiiitjil liko tlial in the IimihIm of (ho Commis- 
 5i<)ii<'is, al I'oiif )K'r coiit.. thi' iiiiimai chiii'^o on the licvcmu' is, for ovoiy Sl.'KM) of 
 tho co^t of coiisti iKlioii, I'oiir jkt loiil., oi- §ti) 00 
 
 If, on the oihiT h:in<l, a wooiNmi hriil;^c ho Imilt, it will i'»'(|niif lniL half 
 the capital, and, (.'oiiHoiiuontly, al tho oiitx'l, the cliar^'^o for iiit»'i('>l wouM 
 bo but r L'O 00 
 
 Hut us it would roipiiro to he rohuilt al tho ond of 12 years, and as in 
 ordinary cases, capital will not piohahly he i-aiscd under six jier cent,, the 
 second time it is imilt the chari,'*' would he 8i{<l to In* ailded to the former 
 920, maUini,' in all nO 00 
 
 After 24 yeai-s the charn'e would lie 80 00 
 
 or double that of the iron hridne; Iml the disadvant.iire increases every time the 
 Htriieturo retjuires to he re|ilac»'d, till, finally, no com)tai'ison can he instituted hi'tweeii 
 them. 
 
 From the fbro^oinjx it is evident, that altliounh the immediate outlay on wfKMloii 
 bridf^os on tiie Inlcrcolonial J{ailwa\', W(jid I he lcs> than on iron bridges, when 
 interest, i-enewals, watchmen, repairs, ami all other expenses are taken into consid- 
 eration, the former would actually cost far more than the latt*'i'. 
 
 The utility and ccoi\omy of iron hri lt,'es is now pretty well established even in 
 tho Thiited States, whei'c. in the eai'ly history of railways, primitive constructions of 
 wood were all that could be undertaken. Jn that cituntiy, the question was, and in 
 Home districts still is. not as to the superiority or economy of iron ovc.'r wood, hut, of 
 a railway v.ith tempor;irv sti-uctuies, oi- no railway at all. I'lev'ous to the outbreak 
 of the late war, sf>me of the important lines had commenceil replacing their wooden 
 
 hr 
 
 id^jes with iron structures. 
 
 The New York t'ciitral had rebuilt some twentv-tw(j 
 
 of their bridi:;es between Albany and HiitValo, constructiiii^ them entirely of vvrouii;ht 
 iron, ill the Southern Slates numbers i>f iron bridi^es wei'*^ also beiu<; erected. — 
 Tho Pennsylvania Central as well as the JJaltimore and Ohio, adopted the policy of 
 replaciiii^ all wooden brid^^es with iroinuies, as fast as tiio formei- ^ave out, and both 
 these companies have reiicwt'il in this way. cpiite a niindu-r of their most important 
 bridjfcs with iion. And on tin- Hartford and >'ew-llaveii Railway, a single iron 
 bri<li>e has recently been '.ompleted at an expense of S2().'>,<MI0. 1 may iiore note 
 that this briil<;e took the jilace of a Ji<iwo I'atent Truss, the .'^econd wooden bridge 
 erected on tho same site within 22 years. 
 
 In Canada we have had all the wooden bi'idges on the Northern Ifailway replaced 
 by permanent structures of iron. On the Mroclaille and Ottawa Jlailway two spans 
 of iron were eiecteil last year at a tost of about one half imue than the original 
 wooden structuies, and five other sjians of iron are being prej)ared forcjvetioii during 
 tho jtrcsent year. 
 
 On the (tieat We-tcrn of Canada, a largo number f»f the wooden bridges havo 
 boon rebuilt with iron. This Company inleiul ultimately, I lelieve. to have the whole 
 of iron ; and Ihey havo only suspended the re-construction of tho whole, in that 
 material at once, for ward of funds. 
 
 Fortunately the bridgt-s on the (ii-and Trunk Railwav are general!;' constrneted 
 of iron. Su])po.-e in order to ap])reciate the importance of liaving those on the 
 Intercolonial Railway of the same material, that the A'ictoria Bridge an<l all other 
 bridges between Jiiviure du ijoupand Sarnia were at the pivsent moment of perisliahlo 
 matei'ial, and in an uuiufe coiidition, as they woukl uiuiiiestionably lie, if timber had 
 been empli>ye<l in tluir ronstrn'-tion. 
 
 For a railway of-U(di iiationai importance as the Interi'olonial. i( would 1 tliink 
 bo a very grave error lo build the bridgt-s of wood. True, the traflic is uitl expeeled 
 to be great, however. iiii|iorlaiit in other re-pects the line may In-, but this is really 
 one of the strongest reaMiiis why ccoiiDUiy should he >tudieti in avoiding teinpoiaiy 
 and perishalile works. Jf the earnii.gs of tho railway are going to be light, it will 
 never do to trust to the proiits from traffic for the com]»letion of the line in a perma- 
 nont manner, or for the lu.'iinti'naneo of perishable, and, in consetpnuice, exponsivo 
 works to keep up. 
 
I'' of the Com mis- 
 
 !• ovory SI. ()(»() of 
 .......... Sto 00 
 
 '•lit li;ilr 
 
 t would 
 
 ••; L'O 00 
 
 III as ill 
 
 ■'K., tlio 
 
 ''"riiKT 
 
 'tO 00 
 
 80 0(» 
 
 '^'^•t'lytinic the 
 
 'Itlltfil k.t\vi.o„ 
 
 Jl'tyoii wofMJoii 
 
 l'l-i'l^r,,,s, whoii 
 
 '«'" into (•(.iisicJ- 
 
 I'lixlK'-I ("Veil in 
 '"isli'iicfioiis of 
 "" was, and in 
 
 '■ wood, l.llt, of 
 
 '* "lo oiithi-ealc 
 
 r ^lit'lr wooden 
 
 ii^' t\v»'ii(y-(\vo 
 
 'y of wrmiirlit 
 
 n;,' civcted.— 
 
 »lio jiolicy of 
 
 out, and hoUi 
 
 >^i i'lipoi-tant 
 
 u sini^lo iron 
 
 'v ''t'ln Moto 
 
 H'odt'n lirid^ro 
 
 \'iiy i-c|)Iacetl 
 
 y two spans 
 
 tlie ori^'iiial 
 
 iL'tion dui'in^ 
 
 rid^'os have 
 
 <' tho whole 
 
 t'l<^'. in that 
 
 •onstnioted 
 )se on the 
 
 Jill other 
 
 •t'l'ishahlo 
 iiiii.er had 
 
 M I thidk 
 
 ♦■■V|i«'fled 
 ^ i" fcaliy 
 iiiipoiarV 
 
 . it will 
 
 •t pc'inia- 
 
 xjieiisivo 
 
 Tiio savi'ii; ollccled in the tii'st outl.iy, from llio omploynn^iit of woolen l):idi;o.'<, 
 would lie \(>i'y small, nm in lie imMitiotied a^ an 0'|iiivuU'Mt foi-llm in-dui't'd standard of 
 the raiiw.iy, or \'n\' llie iii'Tca-e I annual <'.lriri;e lor ri-pair-; and Cflu'wals. for the risk 
 ol a('<'id''nl < liy liiv, or lor the incic'ied dani^'cr lo life and piopei ly. 
 
 Tin' scrion^ ac('ide«rits which ai'e coii'^fanlly ncriirriiiLC throiii,di Uu' failiiic of 
 wooden liriili;C' on Am"rican radway-. to -ay iiolhiii:^ of llie unseen ri-<ks more fie- 
 qiienl ly \'\\\\, oiii,dit to he a wariiin;^' anain-' llieir ii o in i1h< prc-enl in->iaiii c 
 
 I have not yo! romarki'd, in ilisciissin;^ thc! nu'fits of wood ami iron liriI,y;eM, that 
 tho renewal of woollen liriili:;e-< at several points on the inlercolonial Ifailway would 
 he aceompatdel with a t;ood deal of dilliriiliy. 
 
 It would he necessary to erecl tem|»orary ^tau:inir alon.;'sidi' of the hrid^^'c sites 
 to carry the trains, while the old hridi^e was ln'inir removed and the new one con 
 stnicted in its place. At some jn)ints lhi> temporary structure alone would iio very 
 costly. heside> which, a feelinir of in^ecui'ily would he enifcndcred in the puhlic mind 
 hy them, and the m-cessity for their erection. 'I'he-e temporary structures would, of 
 coarsO) add to tho cost of rehuildiii;^ the wooden hridtjes, aiul thus rcnew.ds would lie 
 more co-,tly than the constniction ot'the hridijes in the Hrst ]ilace. 
 
 I know of no section of country in the |)ominion where iron hridujos can ho 
 erected with eipial advantaife, or at les.s co.st than on the roiilo whici thetiovernment 
 h.ave fortunately selected foi- the iMtereoloni.al l{ai!way. Sea <j;oIn<,' ve-^sels can reach 
 within a short di>tanco of all, or nearly all, the bridge sites, while the hridi,fes can 
 he huilt ill Midland and Itiv ii<fli1 oul in pai'ts of convenient si/e, which can he lloated 
 from the shi|»'.-' side to the points wlieix- they aiv reiiniivd. or to most of them. 
 
 Thus the ehai'Ljes for internal carriai^e and I'epeated handling, which are heavy 
 iindci' ordinary circumstances, are saved, or would he trillini;-, and therefore this 
 increases the lorce of the contrast hetween the two kinds of structures in the present 
 instanci', 
 
 llaviiiij. I think, cle!irlysh()wn that the ii-on hridi;es, in addition to all their other 
 recommendations, are. in the loni^ ru \, hy far the most e<'oiiomical, I can only st'c one 
 ar^C'inient, in favour of the adoption of wooden hridi^es, and that arifument can only 
 be used hy tho>o who vieW the union of the I'lovinces as an experiment veiy likely 
 to prove unsuccessful. 
 
 Jf there is any prohal-ility of the railway heinj^ allowed in a few years to fall 
 into di>u>e, then make not oiily the l>rid<.!;e>, hut everythini; else as jtrimitive and 
 temporary as pos>ihle; oi-, jierha-ps hetter still, htiild no railway at ail. If. on the 
 other hand, the (ioverninent have any faith in the union, and helieve as I do that it 
 is destined lo last, then it will he stuilyiiiij time economy to mahe the railway as 
 durahle, snhstantial, reliable, and ])ermaiient as |)ossil(le. 
 
 1 do not enter upon the ijuestion how far we are morally pledired to the Ih'itish 
 (jrovennnent to construct a vailway ot'a pernnnienl <'haracter. It is cerfain that all 
 the calculations upon which the I m]>erial (iovernmeiit have acied have hecn ha.-ed 
 upon the idea of permanence. Whether they would have felt disposed to <j,uarant*'e 
 oiii' honds, if it had l)oen )iut to them that the money received would have heen 
 expended in a tnanner to rc'iuii'i' the raismij of another lar;^e amount at the end of 
 twelve years, and that the jiolilical ol'iects of the work could only he secured hy our 
 heiiii; ahle to hoi'i'ow lai';;'ely at thai j'ciiod loi- reconstruction or I'ciiewals, 'fhe.-e 
 and similar considerations 1 feel to he outside of the line of my duty, hut tluy cannot 
 fail to have some wei;n'hLwiih tho I'i'ivy Council. 
 
 I have said enou;;"h, I think, to convince you of the advi--i!)ilii \- o|'e on-truciinif 
 the hrid^'e- of ii'on, as oriifinally intended; and I may he p(;i'milli.'il to add in .i lew 
 w.'i'ds. in\- o;)iiuons with regard to tho consti'uction a!id characier of the woiks 
 r'enerally. 
 
 Whilst avoiiliiitr e.xtrava.i;'anco ;ind wa^te of eveiy de.-ci Iptlon, in all services and 
 in every depariment o| the railway; — whilst limitiuLV the expeii liiuie on slaiions to 
 the simple.-l kind of accommodation, to meet the wants of the country in rollin;^ 
 stock, h) the least sujiply at tirst likely to ho requiredj and limitini; the tir.«t outlay in a 
 wimilar manner in all othv'r sorvieo.s above and bevond that which coiisiitutosj tho 
 
l»**-,"M»a.. * . 
 
 roadway ; — I wouM ndviso, us Into ooiioniv, lliat all \vorlc> nmiiT llio rail track 
 HhoiiM Ih' Holiilly tiinl cairt'iilly liiilt, and ct' llio most iuraltlo and imporishnlilo 
 matoiiaU. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 Li'ftti' I'luiD till.' Cliiij h'lh/iiini' to fitr. S<i'ri tii/'i/ of (III- C'lunwissi'iDrrii, <>) '2'.]ril May, 1870. 
 (Tliirt diKUtuout is cmliraot'd in ddcumoiil I^o. 7.) 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 licporl of a 7iwJ'>rlti/ oj the. Intcn'olonlal Ji<tiltca>/ Com)inm>/iurs to iJu: Prinj Council. 
 
 i 
 
 IS,i! 
 
 Ottawa, nth July, l«70. 
 
 'riic Comniissioiioi's a]i|)i)intod for ilic coiistnictlon of the Iiitt'rt'ftlonial Railway 
 liof^ to inakt' tlio f llowiiiii; report to Coiiiicil: — 
 
 Oil tlie ISlh i)eceiiil)er, 1S()H, a few days after their a|>itoiiiliiieiil, thsCommis- 
 sinnoi's adopteil a series of resolutions, relative to the course to he pursued in the 
 construction of (he intercolonial l{ailway, anionifst which was the following: — 
 
 "Tluit the hi'idifcH on the line should he eonsti'ucted of wood on the JIowo 
 Truss jirinciple." 
 
 This rec()inniendation was subniitled to Council and ap]»r<ive<l of. 
 
 Tenders were invited for the work upon that condition, the sjtecitications and 
 plans heiii!^ prepared accordin^dy. 
 
 Four hundred ami twenty-one miles of the line are now under conti'act, and tho 
 conliacto.'s are re(iuirt'd hy their contract to huild ]Iowe Truss hridi:;es. Any depart- 
 ure IVoni this now would involve ehanixcs and ^)ossilile disputes of considerable ma<^- 
 nilude. 
 
 In the report dated l^th Maicli, 1S7(). made hy the ('ommissicjners, and which 
 tho (lovernmenl laid before I'ai'liament, tho followin;^ was stated in regard to tho 
 l)i'idi;;es : — 
 
 "Th(^ Commissioners ai-e of opinion that in the main, the; brid^res should be con- 
 '•structed of wood on the 'Howe Truss' ju'inciple. There are. however, several 
 '' ])laces wlu-re it will be ilesirable to construct them of iron. The ])iincipal pointg 
 "are at Trois I'istoles. Restin'ouclie, Nipissi<juit. ^liramichi and Folly Jiiver; at these 
 " crossini^s the bridi^eswill beeilher vei'V huii^ or high, and by adopting an economical 
 '' desci'iption of iion bridges the cost will not be veiy miudi gieater than if they wero 
 " built of wood." 
 
 This recommendation met with no objection in Parliament, and mav tlieretbro 
 bo li'oated as acquiesced in. 
 
 So fur, therefore, as the Comtnissioners are concerned they have no other rceom- 
 mcndution to make but renew their pi-evious oiu', that the bridi>es be built of wood, 
 with tho exception of the tive large ami high bridges mentioneil in their report of 
 the I'tth ilarch. 1.S70. which they iccommeiid should be built of i/on. 
 
 M\\ Fleming having addres-^cd a letter to them, dated 'S,U'ii May IS")), u])on tho 
 wliole subject, the C'ommissioners think it right to submit his letter lo Council. 
 
 They are much >urprised at its eontenls, as it is so entirely opjiosed io all 
 ])revious experience in the history of railways, nnd to Mr. Fleming's own opinion as 
 expi'ossed in his letter to Sir John A. ,\racdon;dd, on 27th January. 1S<!!>. wherein lie 
 ijave his o])inion that "generally " .sjteaking an iron bridjjc can be put up tor aLM)ut 
 ♦louble the cost of a wooden one. 
 
 i li 
 !i 
 
 1! 
 
 ■aar 
 
iihIoi- Mio rnil tivul< 
 
 "/-':WJ%, 19Y0. 
 
 ihc Pnnj Council 
 
 li July, I870. 
 
 •f'olonial R-iilway 
 
 c'»i(, tJi . Corninis- 
 ''•' I'lii-siicd in iho 
 iillowiiinf : — 
 
 •il on tJi(! Jfowo 
 
 f. 
 
 I't'cifications and 
 
 f'lKi-act, and tho 
 r's. Any (lopai-t- 
 i>*iderubl(> niai^- 
 
 icrs, and which 
 111 regard to tho 
 
 ^lioiild 1)0 con- 
 
 •Wt'vci-, .several 
 
 >' i'lcipal ])(>int* 
 
 ?ivor; at these 
 
 ••iM etononiical 
 
 '1 if tJii-y wt'i'u 
 
 may theroforo 
 
 other rccom- 
 "liK of" \v(K.d. 
 Iieir leport of 
 
 '7<l, iiiK.n the 
 
 'oiiiicil. 
 'I'osed to all 
 ill ojtinion as 
 ■ wiierein he 
 
 iii> lor about 
 
 The fVimnussionorf« cannot iK-iieve that iimi luidycs can he Iniilt at a^. luw a « osl 
 a> \V(I(mI, and they are not iircparcd to altei' their recdniniendatiKit.-. 'I"he i-onlraeis 
 uio all let, and l»» ilian^fe liiein now wimld iau>e ;^'ie>il eunl'ii>i(»ii, dillieiilly and e<)>i. 
 
 I concur in tho ahovo liciioif. 
 
 (Si/^tied.) I'',I>. I). Chamh.i.k, 
 
 ('. .1. HUVI'IJIIH, 
 
 A. W. M( JiKr.AN, 
 
 ('omiiiiiisio) crs. 
 
 (Si^jnod.) (Ie<». Kt. Cahtikh, 
 Actiitij f'jf (he Minifttr i-f Public Works. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 (Cop)-.) 
 
 Report of ike Chairman <>/ Coinnti.^sioicrs, ihitcil r>f/( Jul;/, l.^'i* 
 
 The undersii^ned concurs in the reeoiMniendation c-nntaiiuMl in tin- foregoinpj 
 IJeport, that iron l>ri<l<^es he constructed at Trois l'i>^!oIc», .M(•li^, Jtestigouche, 
 Ni|iissi(jiiit, Miranuchi, and Folly River; lio cannot, however, concur in tho leconi- 
 meniiation that wooden structures be adlicred to on the remainder of the line of tho 
 Intel-colonial Railway. 
 
 Wooden bridges wore adopted in tho oriiriiuil speciticafion. uiuh-r the conviction 
 that they could be constructed at aii()Ut one-half the cost fif iron sti iieliii'cs, and thi.s 
 conviction was endoi>cd and sustain»!d by the t'liief l-Jigineer. Sandfoi-d Fleming ICsij., 
 in his Ictlor to Sir .lohn A. Maedonald. <if date iiTth .lamiary. IStJil. in which he 
 Htated ''gonorally speaking, an iron bridge can bo put up for about double tho cost 
 of a wooden one." 
 
 Tho calculations contained in the letter of the Chief Knginecr of date '2'Ari\ May, 
 1870. the result (as ho claims) of careful consideration, aft<'r 'ludung allowaiucs foi- 
 tho dirteroncos in nuisonry, t<)r the rospeetivo structures, make the cost of iron and 
 wooden bridges almost ])recisely the same. 
 
 From tho best Information obtainable by tho iindersigne<l, he believes it a liberal 
 calculation to assume, the total cost of iron superstructures as being 21) ])er cent, in 
 excess of those of wood. 
 
 The expeiienee of the ]jresent season lias shewn that the bridges upon certain 
 j)Ortions of the Intercolonial l?aihvay will l»c liable to dostiuction by torest tir«"s. 
 
 For the rea.son. therefore, that in his opinion the cost of iron liridges will not be 
 more than 20 per cent, over those of wood, and considering tlic tcmpoi-ary cliaijicter 
 of wooden bridges as compared with iron, ami their li;d)ilily to desti-uetion by tiro, 
 tho undersignc'l is <tf opinion that it would be true economy to coiistiuct the biidges 
 rm till- Intercolonial, of iron instead of wood, as oi'iginally spi'citied, piovided satis- 
 factory arrangements for sucli substitution can be made with parlies who have 
 already entered into contracts based upon the original specilication. 
 
 (Signed,) A. Walsh, 
 
 Cfudriuan. 
 
 \o. 5. 
 
 Cojnj of a JJ('i>ort of a Committee of the J/ononiUc the Pririj Ccuucil, cp/inircd l>ij His 
 J-Jxccticiiry the (rocirnor (icnerdt in Council on the 1th July, It^Ttl. 
 
 Tho Committoo of Council have given their atlontivo consideration to tho 
 annexed momorandum. signed by a majority of tho Jiailway Comnii.ssi<mors, in 
 relerence to tho relative advantage there will bo in the construction of the luidgcs 
 over tho Intojcolonial J.lailway lino of wood instead of iron. 
 
 I? 
 
r 
 
 I 
 
 I . 
 
 Tlioy have niM) {•orisidcitMl (ho accttinpiinyini; mcinorandiiin l»y tho Cliainnaii «ii 
 iho Ciniiini'siitiu'iN, ili^iM'UtinLM'MHn )lu' view I'Xprcsst-il in )Ik> incnKiraii'lmn h»\< 
 iiiilfnl lt\- the lujijoiHy of llic < 'i)mini>^ioii('i>'. ami tlit'y n>s|n'clt'iilly n'|Htil tlici, 
 (iiiiciii'n'iiic ill ill!' i»]iiiii(tM (•.\|ii«'»t'il liy (Ik' lalliT, an<l iTcoiiiiiiciiil llial with tin 
 i).\('i'|tliiiii iiftlii' hiMilijc- iiRHitiuiK"! a> ii('('t->aiT III lKMoii-.liuft«>i| (iliroii, llio iirjil^nv 
 on till' IiiUicuI.piiIal IJailw.'y lio t'()ii.->lrnr!o<l <•(' wonil on ilio " llnwo 'IVll^^ " i>riii(i|iK 
 
 CVililii">I. 
 
 (^Si^'liod,) W. II. Kkk, 
 
 (.'liflx, Piirif Citijini il. 
 
 Ni). <; 
 
 Letter from the Chuf h'n<jini'<r t<> the Seent'iri/. 
 
 iNTEROdt.iiNlAl, Jl.Vir-WAY, 
 
 OKKICR op the ClUKh' I'NUlNEEtt, 
 
 IlAi.iKAX, '-'2ial Aii^Mi^t, 1870. 
 
 SiK. — I i'ii(loM> licri'Witli priiittHl copius old icllcr vvliicli I have !i<l<li'i'sscil to Sir 
 .lolin Mncdo lal'l, in order to l>rin^ the wlinlc (|in'-tion of wood or iron lnidu'i's hcfbrc 
 the (i< vornini'iit, holoiv it. is too laic This lottcr ijivos full ini'orinalinn, and, i tiiink, 
 ail c'Xplanat'oiis noocssary to onahlo tho (Juvonunent t(j umlcrstand tho snhjort jior- 
 loctly. 
 
 it is iidl yet too late in any instaiiio to soiiuo llu- savin;;' in masonry which would 
 lio enoctoil by tho adoption of iron instoa<l of woodoii spans, hut :is ilK.' contniclors 
 nro ready to^hei'in the ahiitnieiits at JJiviore du Ijoup and Isle ^'ol■le, and as their 
 j)io.>oiit ins! met ions are to hiiild ahutinenl.s (lir wooden spans, 1 would Mi^y,est that 
 these iiiNtruetions ho suspondod, for, say ton days, until tho (Jovorunioiit has an 
 opj)(»rtunity of looking into tho information now suhmitted. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Vour ohodioiit scrvani, 
 (Signed,) Sandforu FrEMiNd, 
 
 Chof Eivjinecr. 
 
 0. S. llos-., Ksq,, 
 
 Se< retary. &,(•., 
 
 Ottawa. 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 Letter from the Chief Eiujimer to Sir John A. Macdonahl. 
 
 iNTEiicoi.oMAr, IIailway, 
 
 Office of the CnrEF ExciiNEKR. 
 To tlio Jlon. Sir .lohn A. Macdonahl, K.C.li., Halifax, 2Glh July, 1S70. 
 
 Minister of Justice, i^e., &c. 
 
 Sill — I avail myself of tho lil)erty you have given mo to address you on any sub- 
 ject I may consider of sutlicient imiiortaiUH' in connection with the construction of 
 tho Intercolonial Railway, 
 
 I do not wish to troul)lo you with mattci's of little moment, and I wouhi gladly 
 avoid addi'cssiiig yoii at the present time, if f foil I. could fullil my duty i)roperly 
 without doing so. 
 
 Ijofiu'c leaving Ottawa last month. I loft for tho consideration of the Commission- 
 ers, when tho3' next mot, a letter dated ^^ay 2,'Jrd, 1870, containing full information 
 respecting evei-y bridge on tho Linft of JJaiiway between liivioro du Loup and Truro. 
 This letter resulted from investigations and calculations instituted with the view of 
 ])ro|taring a I?eturn to the House of Commons, called for by a J'esolution of the Hon. 
 Adams (r. Archibald (then M. P.). The following is the letter of insti'uctiona which 
 1 received directing me tofurninh thccaleulation.s and other information. 
 
 ri! 
 iil! 
 
 .i^ ' -gyi" 
 
 iMHKflfe 
 
I»y tlin Clinirman oi 
 
 ' MlClM<i|'Jll|i|l||ii Milt 
 
 ''•It'lilly ic|KiiL tli(<ir 
 in'ii'l lliat Willi t|„. 
 I •»ril-«.ii. till) liiiil;;,., 
 wi- Tni^" |trituij»li 
 
 W. n. I.K,;, 
 'tr/i-, Prifij Couurit. 
 
 i NTKiu'oi.oNiAi, Railway, 
 
 ('n.M.MISSInNKHH* OfTtrK, 
 
 Ottawa, 5tii Mat, 187f'. 
 
 I'NorNKKri, 
 -imI Aii^ri,.,!^ 1H70. 
 
 tyo adilifssod t(» Sir 
 iron l»ii(|<>;('s Li'loro 
 iiad.Mi, iitiil, I tliiiik, 
 i<l tlio Miljuct i»ur- 
 
 isoiirv wlilcli w.tiild 
 ii-i I III- coiiti-acioi-.s 
 L'lh". ami a.s tlioir 
 ;'>iil(l Mi-r^rost that 
 iovoniiiioiiL lijw uii 
 
 =:min(i, 
 
 'ln*f Entjinecr. 
 
 XihL 
 
 >'<UNEKR. 
 
 1' .'uly, 1870, 
 
 Villi oil any .siil)- 
 tt»nstni((ion i»f 
 
 I would ,1,'ladly 
 duty jjFoporly 
 
 lu' Coniniissioii- 
 J'uJI information 
 jioupand Ti'uro. 
 Itli llio view of 
 
 jon of the Hon. 
 
 jnutions whiih 
 
 In. 
 
 iBm^ — TJio House of (/onui ons Imvi' (ailed for u Return — 
 
 1. " Showin;^ >o far a- Mil' .^jiiiit' tan at |iie^(til l>e a.^'ertninod, the numl>or of 
 Uridp 
 
 ndp'S, aliovo tlie si/.e ot culvert-'. ii'(|Uiied fi» he cniisl nii'liil nii llie 1 iitereolonial 
 " Jiaiiway, the li»ealilies where the anie are to he huilt, and tin* e-<tiinale(l eortl : mucIi 
 " Return to show the e>liinal»'d eo^l if the hpans aro eoiistrueted ot timber, atul the 
 "ostiinated eont if eonstiueti'd in inm. 
 
 li. '• Al.-o a <'o]iy of -() mill h of ilu' coiilraet.s lor the eoiisli-uetion ot' the road m 
 "t'outain«* the proviNion--, ifany, lor eirdiliny; (he (Aimini^^ioner^ to r^ulwtituto iron l«ir 
 " wood in (lie eoiisl ruction of liridi^cs in case it may m'Oiu to thein de>irahle to do ^o." 
 
 'J'hc ( 'hairniaii desiies lliat \oii will he >o n-oud us order a statement to ho 
 prepareil. showing,' the jiartiiiil.iis ealle I for in llii> lii^t jiait of the address, (the 
 noeond purl will ho got in this otUco) ; wdion prepared, ploaso sond it ovor to juo. 
 
 1 um, Sir, 
 
 Your most, ohcdlcnt borvant, 
 
 (Signed,) C. S. lioss, 
 
 Sundford Fleming', Esq., iSccretary. 
 
 Chief KiiKineor, Ottawa. 
 
 My letter of May 2!Jrd, 1S7(I. ihe rosiilt of eaitdul ennuirioa instituted forthopur- 
 [pose of niakin/:; tlif Ret urn called fur as above hy the ilouse of Coiumons, whowi'd 
 I very clearly thai it would t'ost scarcely any more in the lirsi place to liavo every 
 bridge on the lino huilt ol" iron instead of wood. 1 explained the nnxle ofcaleula- 
 Ition and ovorythiiiu; else to the Cliaii iiian, (lie only iiu'inher of the ('ommission J had 
 I frequent ojtportunilies of -eeinii, and ilii-- ,i;'eiil hniaii did not lie>itate l(» express his 
 leonvielion tnal in the face of all the inforinalion iibiaiued il would hoagreat mistake 
 'to buililthe bridijos of wood instead oliroii. 
 
 Since leaving Ottawa, I ha\i* been eiigageil on a (our of inspection ovor Iho 
 whole lino between Rivioio du Loup ainl 'rruio, and I have seen many instances 
 where the bridges if they had been built of wood, would have been de-troyed, through 
 the forest (ii'cs, which have i-agcd iuM-nie ca.-es for many miles along the lino unil on 
 each side of it. In many such case-, no precautions whatever could have bavod 
 wooden bi-idges from destruction. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this. 1 have leeetiliy reooivod diroctiouH to have all tho 
 bridges, with six exceptions, made olwood, and fearing that my letter contaiiung detail 
 information and calculafions has been over-j'i.iked or nii^undeistood, I deem it advis- 
 ublo, iu tho interest ol tJie midertaUing and Ihe (iovernnieiil, to lepcoduco it in thi.s 
 way, and again point out how mi'ch beiier it would be, having in view economy, 
 safety and durability, to have ail Iho In idi^en mado of iron iu.'slead of periishablo 
 materials. 
 
 (Copy.) 
 
 1 nteucolonial "Railway. 
 
 ClllEl'' I'iNOINKKUS OrncK, 
 
 Ottawa, Mav L'.jrd, 1870. 
 
 C. S. liosH, Esq., Secretary : — 
 
 Sir, — Tho following statement is prejiarod with the view of showing in tabular 
 form a complete list of all the bridges re(|iiired to In" coie-tMiclei! on the lino of tho 
 Intercolonial Kailway. It gives the nundier and names ol' 'lie b;idL;e>, as well as the 
 locnliticH whore they are to be buill, together with the niiinlcr ;;!id length of spans in 
 each bridge. 
 ir2 
 
'I !' 
 
 10 
 
 bo 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 Name of Bridge. 
 
 RiviiTC (111 Loup. 
 
 (Jrceii Uivpr 
 
 Trois Pistoles 
 
 MillStri'iiin 
 
 (Jrarul Hie 
 
 Little Hie 
 
 Kinuiiiski 
 
 Heum Ciilvcrl (Sta. i;UI).. 
 
 Metis 
 
 Tartigoux 
 
 Sayabec, 
 
 St. Pierre i 
 
 13|TobeROte.. 
 
 14 
 
 Amquc. 
 
 15 Indian Brook 
 
 16 Motap«dia (near Forks) 
 
 17 Metapedia 
 
 18 McKianoQ'a Brook 
 
 19 Metapedia 
 
 20 Clark's lirook 
 
 21 (lilmore's Brook 
 
 22 liestigoiiche 
 
 23 Oliriatopher's Brook 
 
 24 Mill Creek (Campbolton).. 
 
 25 Eel lliver 
 
 2() .V. Branch Charlo 
 
 27 S. Hrnnch Charlo 
 
 28 New Mills Brook 
 
 29 Benjamin 
 
 30 Nash's Creek 
 
 31 liotiison Brook 
 
 32 .lacquet 
 
 33 Helledunne 
 
 34 Kim Tree 
 
 35 Nigadoo 
 
 36 Mill Stream 
 
 37,(Trant's Brook 
 
 38 Teteagauchc 
 
 39 Middle 
 
 40 Little River 
 
 41 Nipissiquit 
 
 42 Red Pine Ihook 
 
 43 Bartiboque 
 
 44 Chaplin Island Hoiid. 
 
 45 N. W. Miriimichi 
 
 4t) S. W. Miramichi 
 
 47 Nelson Rond 
 
 48 Barnaby 
 
 49 night-hand Branch... 
 
 60 I'arnahy 
 
 5l|Rast Hnvncli 
 
 62|Koiichiboii^ii:ic 
 
 53lKoucbibouguaci3 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 (} 
 
 G 
 H 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 K 
 
 K 
 
 K 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 M 
 
 iM 
 
 JI 
 
 N 
 
 N 
 
 N 
 
 N 
 
 N 
 
 N 
 
 B I 
 
 D 
 
 B 
 E 
 P 
 F 
 F 
 F 
 
 
 P 
 Q 
 Ci 
 Q 
 Q 
 R 
 R 
 R 
 R 
 R 
 
 8 
 13 
 13 
 14 
 14 
 14 
 14 
 
 o « 
 O 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 (> 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 C 
 
 6 
 
 (> 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 H 
 
 H 
 
 E-i 
 
 111 
 10 
 20 
 20 
 20 
 20 
 
 No and Length of Spans. 
 
 100 ft. 
 Spans 
 
 80 ft. 
 Spans 
 
 fiOft. .50 ft. I 40 ft. I 30 ft. 
 Spans Spans Spans Spans 
 
 H 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 Five spans of 200 feet each 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 ■^ . Five spans of 200 feet each 
 '^ ! ISi.\ spans of 200 feel each 
 
 24 ft. 
 Spaas 
 
 
 1 
 
 
u 
 
 engtii of Spans. 
 
 n0ft.|40ft. |30ft. 24 ft 
 Spans S,.an9| Spans Spans 
 
 acb, 
 
 & 
 C 
 
 o 
 
 54 
 56 
 66 
 67 
 68 
 69 
 60 
 61 
 62 
 63 
 64 
 66 
 66 
 
 Name of Bridge. 
 
 Missiquash 
 
 Nappan 
 
 Colli Tramway 
 
 Little Forks 
 
 River Phillip 
 
 N. B. Wallace 
 
 Centres. Wallace 
 
 Folly River 
 
 DeBert 
 
 Station 866 
 
 Ishgonish 
 
 North River 
 
 Salmon 
 
 Totals 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 W 
 X 
 X 
 X 
 Y 
 Y 
 Y 
 Z 
 Z 
 Z 
 Z 
 Z 
 Z 
 
 o a 
 
 No. and Length of Spans. 
 
 11 
 4 
 4 
 4 
 7 
 7 
 7 
 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 
 H 
 O 
 O 
 (0 
 
 > 
 o 
 
 100 ft. 
 
 soft. 
 
 t)0 ft. 
 
 60 ft. 
 
 40 ft. 
 
 30 ft. 
 
 Spnns 
 
 Spans 
 
 Spans 
 
 Spans 
 
 Spans 
 
 Spans 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 60 
 
 10 
 
 19 
 
 18 
 
 15 
 
 6 
 
 24 ft. 
 Spans 
 
 Total number sixty-six bridi^es, embracing the following Kpans, viz: — 
 
 16 spans of 200 feet each. 
 60 " " 11)0 " 
 10 *' " 80 " 
 19 " *' 60 " 
 
 18 spans of 50 feot each 
 15 " " 40 " 
 5 " " :^o " 
 2 " " 24 " 
 
 With regard to the probable costof tho-io bridges with iron orwitli wooden flpans, 
 I may mention, that in my letter to Sir John Maedonald, dated January 27tli, ISUO, 
 when I ventured to oiler scmie observations on the coni])arativo mci'its of Htructiirea 
 mode of perishable and imporisbabie m:!terials, I slatc(l that biidgos of iron miglit bo 
 taken to cost about double as much as bridges of wood, and even with this ditlerenco 
 in favor of wood in the first eost, J satisfiutorily established the eoonomy of using 
 iron insteail of the more perishable material ; while in advocating bridges of iron on 
 
 frinciplcs of economj', it was proper that I should not overstate their advantages, and 
 therefore solectod such ca.ses as ])laceil them in the least favorable light, it being 
 clear to mo, that if I showeil the economy of adopting them in the least favorable 
 cases it would be undisputed in all others. 
 
 Iron girders will cost about twice as much as wooden trusses in larijc spans only; 
 in the great majority of cases there is much less ditlerenco between them, and the 
 ratio between the first cost of wood and iron brit.gos changes with the length of spans, 
 the diiferonco diminishing as tho spans shorten, until with very short s]taus there is 
 really no very great di Here nee. Out of tho whole number of bridges to l)e built on 
 the Intercolonial Railway, embracing 14') spans in all. ranging from twenty-foui- feot 
 up to 200 feot, there are not more than three bridges where the cost of superstructure 
 or iron would bo double that of wood. The.se In-idges are the Host igouche and the two 
 Miraraichi Bridges. It should be observed, too, that the dilVerenco in cost is not even 
 in these cjisos so much as it appears, as it is oidy in the spans : the ;ip])roaches, abut- 
 mentw, piers and costly foundation work, being common in both systems. 
 
 The Commissioners are fiware tli;it in a great many cases an iron bridge requires 
 less masonry than a wooden bridge. 1 have lia<l occasion to exjilain this to yon in 
 my letters bearing date July 2nd, 18Gi», January 2Gtb and January 20th, IKTii, with 
 
U I 
 
 '•l< 
 
 in 
 
 .11 
 
 18 
 
 onclosiireH, from wliich it would appear that as much as 1,000 cubic yai-ds of masonry 
 would bo saved in oiio bridge alone, (the Trois Pistoles) by making the spans of iron 
 instead of wood. o i 
 
 Jt appears fi-om calculations which I have recently liad made with as much care 
 as possible, that the adoption of iron instead of wooden bridges would eft'cct a saving 
 in masonry on the line between Truro ami Eivierc du Loup of not less than 11 432 
 cubic yartls. ' 
 
 This is a ]ioint of considerable importance, for although there may bo loss outlay 
 on wooden spans than on iron spans, the additional cost of other works whicli go to 
 form Ihe whole bridge stnicfuro, ivally make (excepting the three cases referred to) 
 the aggregate lirst cost oi'tho l.ridgcs with wooden spans scarcely less than if they 
 were finished with iron spans in the first |)lace. 
 
 In proof of this I siiall now suhniit approximate estimates of the aggregate cost 
 of all the bridges on the line, oxcejiting only the tliree specially mentioned, with 
 largo spans, viz:— one over the IJostigouche and the two over the Miramichi. 
 
 The fii-Ht estimate is calculated for the spans of wood, the second is for spans of 
 iron, and it will be clear that the omision of the Itestigouche and the two Miramiclii 
 JJridges iH not im])ortant, as the Commissioners and the Government have now 
 decided that these shall be made of iron. 
 
 f 
 
 Estimate with Spans of Wood. 
 
 73,5G0 cubic yards of masonry in the aggregate in abut 
 
 ments and piers @ $13.34=«081,200 
 
 60 spans of 100 feet @ $3,471 per span 208 '>G0 
 
 J2 ;; S*^ " -Vi«'' " 24,'860 
 
 ]l fi<; " MW " 33098 
 
 ^ 50 " 1,442 " 25,956 
 
 15 " 40 " 1,143 " I'7i45 
 
 5 " 30 " 450 " 2'250 
 
 2 " 24 " 300 " 'SSo 
 
 ,, . „ 81,293,459 
 
 hstmate with Spans of Iron. 
 
 62,128 cubic yards of masonry in the aggregate in abutments 
 
 and piers :,.,,,„ ^ $13.34=8828,787 
 
 00 " 100 leet @ $5,G0(» per span 336 000 
 
 10 " 80 " 3,750 ■' q-t'roO 
 
 ]l ;; «o " 2,200 ■ :::: Hfol 
 
 ? ' 5« " hrm " 28,800 
 
 1^ 40 " l,2iH) " 18000 
 
 1 f] " «'"^ '• 3000 
 
 2 " 24 " 360 '• 720 
 
 81,294,607 
 In explanation of the above estimates, I mav state that the quantities of masonry 
 have heon taken wlioi'cvor it could l)o tlonc. from the printed schedules, and the 
 whole has been calculated from the lithograph plans published for the information of 
 intending conti-actoi-s. The ii-on girdci-s have been cominited at fair prices, and for 
 oilier Items a mean has hccn taken of the prices given in all the tenders which I 
 have as yet had access to, viz., the tenders first sent in for sections Nos. 1 to 12 
 inclusive. 
 
 J'Voni tliese estimate-^ it wniiM appoai', thai the first outlay on the bridges if made 
 of iron would praclicaily ho ulM.iit the same as if made of wood, when overythintr is 
 taken into account. . • j e> 
 
13 
 
 ^icyai-ds of masonry 
 ingtho spans of iron 
 
 e with as much care 
 ould effect a savins 
 not less than 11,432 
 
 ' may bo less outlay 
 
 works whicJi l'o to 
 
 eases referred to) 
 
 y less than if they 
 
 the aggregate cost 
 ly mentioned, with 
 JUiramichi. 
 'ond is for spans of 
 the two Miramichi 
 11 men t have now 
 
 Of course it must be allowed that a change in the rates will affect the total 
 .mounts in those estimates one wa}' or another, hut no change can bo made, within 
 eason, that would materially aHeot the comparison. Fi^om this comparison and 
 y^hat has already boon advanced, it is clear that on ovoiy principle of economy the 
 (ridges on the whole length of the Intercolonial Railway should bo made of iron. I 
 srould, therefore, most strongly i-ecommcnd that every briilgo on the line be made of 
 ron instead of wood, a 1 that stops be immediately taken to enter into arrangements 
 or their construction w ith respectable bridgo-builders. 
 
 A final decision should be made ou this question at once a^ the contractors are 
 ressing for plans of the masonry of bridges, and a loss will result if any change in 
 he plan is made after the work is commenced. 
 
 1 shall bo prepared to furnish general specifications of iron girders and all infor- 
 nation required by bridge-builders in making their proposals, whenever the Cora 
 nissioners request. 
 
 ai3.34=«fl81,2no 
 208,260 
 24,860 
 33,098 
 25,956 
 17,145 
 2,250 
 600 
 
 « 1,293459 
 
 3 
 
 '34=6828,787 
 
 336,000 
 
 37,500 
 
 41,800 
 
 28,800 
 
 18,000 
 
 3,000 
 
 720 
 
 »1,294,607 
 '« of masonry 
 ides, and the 
 'formation of 
 '•ices, and for 
 ders which I 
 *^os. 1 to 12 
 
 'gesifmade 
 ^'erything is 
 
 3.^ 
 
 I am, &c., 
 
 (Signed,) Sandfobd Flbmino, 
 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
 I may add to what it is expressed above, by way of farther explanation, that the 
 
 stimates coming out so nearly alike is a j)urely accidental matter. I purposely 
 
 voided making the computations at rates fixed by myself for reasons which will bo 
 
 nderstood. I employed the mean of the prices given in the Contractors' tenders, 
 
 thus bringing to boar on the question of value, not my own views, but the opinions 
 
 of the hundreds who tendered, including many good practical men. This course was 
 
 adopted in every instance except one, viz. : The price per ton of iron gii-ders : in 
 
 this case no prices have as yet been furnished by parties tendering, and for this alone 
 
 am I responsible. 
 
 I need scai-cely trouble you with any lengthy explanation showing how iron 
 bridges do not require so much masonry as wooden bridges. I have done so fre- 
 quently to the Commissioners verbally, and also by letters dated July 2nd, 1869, 
 January 26th and 29tli, 1870 ; and so well satisfied were they on this point, that in 
 certain cases which then came up, thoy decided to abandon wood and use iron. The 
 cases referred to are the bridges at Trois Pistolos, Metis Rostigouche, Nepissiquit, 
 Miramichi, and Folly River. Since then mijre extended inquiries and calculations, 
 embracing every bridge structure on the line, establish the fact that not less than 
 about eleven thousand four hundred (11,400) cubic yards of first class masonry would 
 be saved by using in every case iron instead of wood foi* the spans. 
 
 This reduction in masonry I'oprcsents a saving not far short of 8150,000, a sura 
 quite sufficient to compensate foi- the extra cost of'ii-on over wooden spans. 
 
 I am aware that this rather astonishing result is at variance with preconceived 
 ideas. Many will be surprised to learn that the Tntorcolonial Railway can be finished 
 from end to end with iron bridges at scarcely any greater first cost than with wooden 
 on-is. This, however, is substantially the case, and it will be found on investigation 
 to be mainly due to the ])eculiarly simple designs for bridge masonry, which have 
 bcon prepared for the several structures. With rcgar<l to these designs a few words 
 of explanation may not be out of place. They have been prepared with the moot 
 careful regard for economy whilst the greatest poi-manency and fullest efficiency 
 have been aimed at; they were prepared under instructions from the Government 
 when tenders wore first invited in 1808, and the}' were fully matured and litho- 
 graphed before the Commissioners were appointed. It is important that I should 
 mention this, to prevent the possibility of a charge being made, thatl have only now 
 prejiared the designs for iron bridge structures, and that I have unduly reduced the 
 quantity of material in order to made out a case, it being well known, and I have no 
 desire to conceal the fact, that I strongly favor iron instead of wooden bridges. Those 
 designs were cai'efully considered and matured long ago, when there was really no 
 question open; it was then a settled conviction (with rae at lea^t,) that all the 
 
M' 
 
 '! W 
 
 i I 
 
 i ' ! 
 
 I i: 
 
 H 
 
 >d 
 
 14 
 
 bridges would be made of iron, and that the construction of wood would never 
 thought of As already mentioned, I Wen went so far as \o have the designs litho 
 grapnod. 
 
 Those lithographed designs are those from which the calculations of quantitie 
 herein referred to are made. Of courao some changes were necessary to adapt thei 
 to spans of wood, but those alterations consisted in simple and necessary enlai-gemevl 
 to suit the more cumbersome structures of timber, the same economic designs being 
 as far as possible carried out. 
 
 In proof of what I have advanced, it may suffice at present to make a comparijj 
 son between the Intercolonial Bailway designs for bridge masonry, and design] 
 carried into execution on another railway. 
 
 A few months a^o, one of the Commissioners, Mr. 0. J. Brydges, favored md 
 with copies of four different plans of abutments which have been used on the Granc| 
 Trunk Kiiilway. Each design calculated for a height of sixty feet gives the follow | 
 ing quantities of masonry : — 
 
 Design No. 1 Grand Trunk Railway, 3,230 Cubic Yards. 
 " 2 do do 2,060 do 
 
 «« 8 do do 2,260 do 
 
 "4 do do 2,310 do 
 
 Average do do 2,465 do 
 
 The Intercolonial Bailway designs calculated for the same height, sixty feel 
 gives as follows : — 
 
 For wooden spans 1226 cubic yards. 
 
 For iron spans 760 do 
 
 Thus showing that while the average quantity of masonry in abutments built oi 
 the Grand Trunk is 2,465 cubic yards, on the Intercolonial it would only be l,22f: 
 cubic yards for wooden, and 760 cubic yards for iron spans. 
 
 Had the same designs been adopted for the Intercolonial Railway as those w 
 find built on the Grand Trunk, it is evident that the quantity of masonry and conse 
 quently the cost of the whole lino would have been very materially increased 
 Fortunately we have adopted another design which reduces the masonry very con 
 siderably, and this design is more especially advantageous in an economic point o 
 view when iron girders arc used. According to the above comparison, this desigi 
 reduces the masonry one-half for wooden spans, and to less than one-third for iroi 
 spans. 
 
 It will now be clear to you how the bridges, under the circumstances whicl 
 obtain on the Intercolonial Railway, can be finished as cheaply with iron as will 
 wooden spans. 
 
 It was undoubtedly stated flt one time by some authorities, and without muc 
 examination accepted generally as correct, that the cost of iron bridges would prov 
 about double the cost of bridges made of wood. This may still bo con-ect unde 
 certain circumstances, but the rule does not appear to be borne out by a careful invei 
 ligation into the whole question under the conditions which exist on this lino c 
 Railway. 
 
 I shall not trouble you with any further observations on the subject, boyon 
 saying that whatever may have been believed at one time as to the comparative cos 
 of iron and wooden bridges, so soon aa the Commissioners and the Government dii 
 covered that in two or three cases the employment of iron would involve no greate 
 outlay when everything was considered, than wood, they resolved to adopt iron, 
 have now shown that every brid^„ on the line can be built of iron instead of woo 
 without any, at least without any material extra cost; and I naturally conclude tha 
 when the mutter is properly representeil and undei-stood, the same rule which guide 
 in a part, will govern with regard to the whole. The solo aim of this commanicatio 
 is to make the inattor understood before it is too late, and in this I trust I have t 
 some extent succeeded. 
 
 
f wood would never o 
 have the designs litho 
 
 Iculationa of quantitic 
 ecessary to adapt then, 
 necessary enlai-gemewj 
 economic designs beind 
 
 nt to make a comparil 
 masonry, and design/ 
 
 Biydges, favored mi 
 eon used on the Grand 
 "f teet gives the follow 
 
 Yards, 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 io * 
 
 ne height, sixty feoj 
 
 cubic yards. 
 
 do . 
 
 in abutments built oJ 
 
 would only be 1,22J 
 
 1 Kailway as those 
 
 I masonry and conse 
 materially increase! 
 le masonry vevy coeI 
 an economic point of 
 npanson, this desiej 
 W!n one-third for ire ^ 
 
 circumstances whicj 
 ly with iron as witf 
 
 3, and without mucl 
 bndges would provj 
 
 II bo coiToct undel 
 t by a careful invei 
 exist on this lino 
 
 the subject, boyonj 
 he comparative cotf 
 he Government dii 
 
 involve no greatcl 
 Id to adopt iron, 
 on instead of woo 
 rally conclude tha 
 
 i-ulo which guidci 
 his communicatiol 
 s I trust I bave 
 
 15 
 
 So well sntirtfied am I of the imjwrtance of the question, and the serious and 
 jirroinodlablo mlMtako it would bo to defer any longer the decision of the Government 
 to use iron insteiul of wood, that I have thus ventured specially to draw altontion to 
 'the subject ; and T further I'eel it my duty to point out that it would be advisable to 
 have the instructions to build wooden bridges, suspended until the whole matter is 
 reconsidered ; I'o harm can possibly result from tnis, as the Contractors, who are 
 ready to begin bridge work, are begging for the adoption of iron bridges in order to 
 reduce their masonry. 
 
 I may add that in anticipation of any possible change from wood to iron bridges, 
 recent contracts contain a special clause providing for the change, so as to obviate 
 any difficulty with Contractors. 
 
 The following is the clause referred to: 
 
 " Provided always that if the Comm'ssioners shall at any time hereafter think 
 fit to substitute tlio erection of iron bridges, for the bridges or wooden superstruc- 
 tures specified .n the General Specifications forming Schedule A of this contract, 
 then, and in every such case, the Commissioners shall be at liberty to make such 
 substitution at any time before the Contractoi*s shall have commenced the actual 
 laying of the foundations of tho masonry for receiving the superstructure, and in 
 every such case the Commissioners, upon giving notice to the Contractors of tho 
 intended substitution, may proceed to the procui'ing the necessary materials for and 
 to tho erection and completion of the superstructure of such iron bridge at the cost 
 respectively of Her Majesty, a. id the Contractors shall thence be relieved from tho 
 necessity of erecting, at such place or places the bridge or wooden superstructure as 
 specified in the General Specification forming Schedule A of this contract. But in 
 every such case tho value of the wooden superstructui'e, and tho reduction in quantity 
 and value of masonry (if any) consequent upon such substitution shall be tfeducted 
 at the prices named for such descriptions of work in the Schedule hereunto annexed, 
 from the full amount herein mentioned as payable, and to be paid for tho performance 
 of the work under this contract." 
 
 Thus it will be seen ample provision has been made for enabling the (yommis- 
 sioners to substitute iron for wood in the construction of tho bridges without involv- 
 ing themselves or the Government in complications or difficulties of any kind with 
 the Contractors : it now only i*ests with the Government to decide finally whether 
 all the bridges on the Intercolonial Railwaj'' shall be built of iron or wood — whether 
 for about the .'.nme actual expenditure they shall be really permanent, or merely 
 formed of perishable materials, requiring to be renewed in a few years, and liable to 
 bo destroyed by fire at any time. 
 
 I have tho honor to be, Sii", 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Sandfoed Fleming, 
 
 Chief Engineer, 
 
 No. 8. 
 Memorandum of C. J. Brydges, one of the Commissioners. 
 
 The undersigned, one of tho Commissioners for the construction of tho Interco- 
 lonial Railway, begs to comply with tho request made to him by the Government, 
 that he would ^ut in writing his views upon tlie question of the bridges for tho 
 Intercolonial Railway, rendered necessary by the ia«t appeal which Mr. Sandford 
 Fleming, the Chief Engineer, has made against the decision, at which the Govern- 
 ment has repeatedly arrived upon this subject. 
 
 It is right, in tho first place, to call attention to the fact that on the first appointr 
 ment of the Commissioners, now nearly two years ago, the Government decided that 
 the principle of wooden bridges should bo adopted in building the Intercolonial 
 Railway. 
 
:!i: 
 
 16 
 
 That dcciHion was announced, and it formed the subjoct of Hovoral paragraphs ii 
 tlie report of the Commissioners, whidi was 1 id before Parliament at its lastsossionl 
 That report, recommending the general adoption of wooden bridges, was before Par-i 
 liamont for a considerable part of its session, and no proposal was made to vary the! 
 decision, which the Commissioners had recommended, and which the GovernmentI 
 aiTived at. ' 
 
 It is safe therefore to say that Parliament, so far as it had any opportunity of I 
 considering the question, has acquiesced in the general propriety of the decision at 
 which the Government had arrived. 
 
 The only reference to the matter in Parliament, was a return asked for by a 
 member of the House, asking for a statement of the relative cost of wood and iron 
 bridges. In answer to this, a return was prepared by Mr. Fleming, and his opinion 
 recorded m a letter addressed to the Commissioners, dated the 23i-d of May ISTO 
 Those documents were very fully and very carefully considered by the Commissioners 
 and the majority of them, i.e. three out of four, reported in writing to Council, that they 
 did not concur in tho views expressed by Mr. FJeraing, and thoy adhered to their 
 original opinion, that it was not desirable to build the bridges on the Intercolonial 
 Kailway of any material except wood. 
 
 The whole question, including Mi-. Fleming's letter of the 23i-d May 1870 waa 
 submitted to the Government a couple of months ago, and they came to the decision 
 that it was not desirable to change the coui-se which had already bcsn determined 
 upon. 
 
 m?*^^ 'j ^'*^"™*°S'^ appeal therefore, now,;in the communication addressed to Sir John 
 A. Macdonald, is an appeal, not from any decision of the Commissioners, whose only 
 duty it is to cany out tho decisions of tho Government, but an appeal against the 
 formal decision, after consideration of tho Government itself. 
 
 Before dealing with the general question it is necessary to review some of the 
 statements contained in Mr. Fleming's letter to Sir John A. Macdonald. 
 
 Mr. Fleming prominently refers to tho danger of fires arising in the woods 
 through which the Intercolonial llailway will run, extending to the railway and 
 burning wooden bridges. "^ 
 
 The undersigned is of opinion that Ihis is not an argument of any weight. 
 
 The undersigned has been connected in tho chief "management of railways in 
 Canada for a period now of nearly eighteen years, and during that time it has been 
 his duty to manage railways extending from the Detroit Kiver at one end of Canada 
 to Rivioro du Loup (and Portland on tho Atlantic) at the other. 
 
 Many miles of railway, in this vory extensive district, runs through extensive 
 forests in which fires occur every year; and upon these railways there are at this 
 present moment a great number of wooden bridges, which wuuld of course bo subject 
 to danger from tho cause suggested by Mr. Fleming. It is only necessary to say 
 that during the whole of the eighteen years referred to, the undersigned has never- 
 known a single instance in which large fires, burnir - upon either or both sides of the 
 track of the railway, have burned a wooden bridge, or have in any way whatever 
 injuriously affected a bridge of any kind or sort. 
 
 The " Intercolonial," like all other railways in Canada, will be cleared for an 
 average distance of fifty feet on either side of its track. This of itself is calculated 
 to prevent the danger which Mr. Fleming supposes possible, added to which, experi- 
 ence has sic wn that the number of persons necessary to be employed in the working 
 of f ;«;;v,!iv, is always sufficient to prevent the possibility of a danger, from the 
 ca- •. ,/f fires raging in tho woods, injuriously attecting such parts of it as its bridges. 
 
 The undoi signed, therefore, from experience of so many years, ^nnot attach any 
 wo.-orht to fhc (U'lnger which Mr. Fleming has suggested. 
 
 Mr. Fleming Mates in a further part of his letter, that, bo well satisfied were the 
 Commissioners, as to tho ec^onoray, as regards masonry, of iron bridges over wooden 
 ones, that they decided to make six of tho briilges of iron inste'ul of wood. The 
 reason given by Mr. Fleming for the decision, at which the Commissioners arrived is 
 not the coiTect one. It was in no way whatever because they believed that any large 
 
 
 I 
 
 i_ I 
 
 L 
 
 i.i; .. 
 
 ^J:- 
 
 •WfilfcLL 
 
 ^ggggsmm 
 
 giuMtum\vivimirm,imm9^ 
 

 ifte Governmentf 
 of tho docieion atf 
 
 d 
 
 ;t."-n aaked for by « 
 •ft of wood and iron 
 
 theCom^i,^. 
 
 ^J^ adhered to thei? 
 n the IntercoJoniaJ 
 
 Jj-d Jtfay, 1870 wa* 
 
 T,^JedocS 
 
 "vsa determined 
 
 Jros«edtoSirMn 
 °"er8, Tvi^ose only 
 ^Peal against the 
 
 J,;-«omeofthe 
 
 Jf in the :vood8 
 tho raiJway and 
 
 "y Weight. 
 
 ' of i-aiJways in 
 "^« it has been 
 eond of Canada 
 
 ^«gh extensive 
 3'e are at this 
 '"I'se bo subject 
 cosNary to say 
 
 Tu -T °eveV 
 >th sides of the 
 ^»y whatever 
 
 Jeared fop an 
 18 calculated 
 
 the working 
 ■cr, from the 
 '8 Its bridges. 
 >t attach any 
 
 ed were the 
 ver wooden 
 wood. The 
 ' an-ived, is 
 t any largo 
 
 It 
 
 Living would 1)0 ofloclod, or tluvt ocoiioniy would bo promotetl 1»\' tlio Kulistitution of 
 
 roll liir wood, but liorauso (ho ]K'culi;u' ciiru.) stances ot" tbi< six biidi^os roforrod to 
 
 (•uderod it dc^irai)io in tlii' opinion of tin- Coinniissionoi'.-. tlial tiio.-u pariifulur >truc- 
 
 luv^, and those) only, hhoulil in- made of ii'on. Thoir reasons for ari'ivin;^; at this 
 
 le"i>ion were, th:it tiie six l>i'i(l!.';e-* Avero all loii;^. that, liiey woi'O 'Ugli, and that thero- 
 
 i;e anv accident wliich n.iicht possiltly ai'ise, to them, would hecilcalatel to inti-rtbro 
 
 A'ith the tralJii- of liie line, and il wa> sinijdy lliese i'ea>ons. viz., their great K-ngth 
 
 Ijind their height, that iirought ahout lli" (ierision. wliieh was in no way eiloelotl whal- 
 
 over hv tho iliilerenco in li.,: (|uantily ot" masonry i-equircd. 
 
 Mr. Fleming, in one ol' his early lellers lo tlu- (Jovernmenl, afier I ho (.'ommissionorrt 
 Avero a)))ioinl<'d, nia(hi a distinct anil positive statement liiaL inm bridges would cost 
 nbont (louhle (liat of wooden brii.lg'^s. 
 
 Jt is to lie jiresumed lliat Mr. Fleming lunl rea>.'ii-i for making that ^tatoniont, 
 and ahout its correct ncss there can be no doubt, a> it is in actionl with the universal 
 experience of ongincor.s, and of all those who iiave had anything to do witli the con- 
 struction of railways. Xow, however, Mr. I'leming distinctly .-tatcs that the )iridgo3 
 on (he Jntei'colonial I'aihvay, fioniend to end, can bo constructed of iron at practically 
 the same cost as if tluy are constructed of wood. 
 
 Tho undor.signod can only expros.s his groat astonishraont ai any engineer making 
 such a statement. 
 
 3Ir. Fleming's original opinion, as stated in his letter to tho rjtvvornment, has 
 been modiried; as a])pears by his letter of (he 2ortl of May and 2Gth July, 1870, not 
 t'rom any subscfpient experience which ho has had in tlie construction of wooden 
 or iron bridges, but upon theoretical data only, which if true, is a most wonderful 
 discovery. 
 
 Mr. Fleming states that his i-oason for this now is that by great (simplicity ot 
 design in the abutments and ])iers ho has been able to lurgcl}' reduce the <piantity of 
 masonry required. 
 
 If this sinq)lieity exists at all it must be equally applicable to wood as to iron ; 
 Avith (lie small (litVerences that are ie(piircd in heavy abutments Avluif the track 
 runs upon (ho uppiM- chord of the bri<lge. when the (rack runs upon the lower chords 
 there can be no tliniiniition of masonry in the al>utmenis, and as regards inicrmedi- 
 ate ])iers, the (pumtity of masonry Avill be gieater tor iron (ban (or Avoodon bridges, 
 owing (o (ho depth of the truss tor iron being loss than tor wood a greater length of 
 masonry is required in the ])iers; any sim[ilicily Iherefoi'o tiiat may have been 
 devised Avill be equally a[)))licahlu to one as to the oilier, and no advantage iti the 
 discussion can under any circumstances ariiie from this cau.-e. 
 
 There is no doubt that as I'ogards (he contracts now exisiing it avouM be a 
 serious departure from the ])rinci|ile upon Aviiieii they ai'o ba>ed, viz., thai of pay- 
 ing a lumj) sum for (he whole quaiKity of W(M'k to lie done in each section, if tho 
 plan proposeil by Mr. Fleming could be adopt I'll, of making a de;lueiion Irom (ho 
 contracts, because :is regards masunry a lew yari.U more or less had been done aAvay 
 Avith. • •- • . 
 
 li ma>l bo borne in mini that none of the cuiiti'acf- contained aii_\' ivi'ereiice to 
 quuntiiy Avhafever, and it Is e.\{)ressly stipulated that no mailer Avhat tho (pianlity of 
 any kind or description of Avork may tui'n out to be, the contractor shall not bo 
 entitled to have his contract varied on (hat account, ll", iherefore, so far as regards 
 tho majority of the contracts, any diminution was made in tho quantity of masonry 
 required, it Avould sim])ly hr again to the contiactor, and tho Govei-nmont Avould not 
 dori\'e one farthiiig benefit from it. In a few of the late coiiti-acts a clause h."s boon 
 inserted, (itioled by Mr. Fleming, the introduction of which it is not necessary again 
 to refer (o, afier whal occurriMl at (he las( meeting of (.'ouncil, Avhiidi Mr. Fleming 
 thinks, as Ihi' as regards ihoio live or six contracls, Avould aller ihe case. In tho 
 opinion of the undersigned, hoAvever, it would not <lo so, and for (ho reason that the 
 contracts being based iijion a lump sum, tho contractor Avho would be called upon to 
 submit to a<leduclion on accouiiL of masonry which he Avas not re(iuired to execute, 
 Avould have an answer, firyt, — that there are no quanlitie-- shown in hiscontractatall, 
 iu3 
 
It 
 
 and lliaf it is imposHihlo tlicrcfnrc (f» nppl}- a question of diiniiiut. .. 
 
 qu!iiifili(."> wliic'li liavi- no c.vistoiifc in llic^-oiitiiicl ilM>|('. Jlo wuiild ^.. 
 
 cliiiiii \v«':i> ;i<!nii(tiMl in iv<rim\ lo llio (liniinnlion of (jujintilv, l.c cnlillni' (o a^'k 
 lieshonlil 1)0 nt, any rait- allowed lo pi'oiit upon the woilc wliieli lie w 
 not to i.c.'toiin, lull whii'li In- woidd liavu made if tiio eontiatt liad 1 
 
 as oi'iiii)iai!\- inleiided. 
 
 ion or iiKTcnsd 
 aJM). even ill 
 
 as reiiue.J 
 •een carried 
 
 1 1 intiM jd-.o 1 (• I onie in mind dial (lie iMti'odnclion of sueii a system as l| 
 would Ik- de-tnietive of llie i»rinei|)le of luniji-siim eontraets, and woidd enlin 
 destroy tiio .-yminetry u]ion wliicli the w 
 
 1 
 
 hole system isloui:ded. 
 
 lie colli ractor who. iinde;- the amhoiilv of such a el 
 
 aiiM- 
 
 Huhmit to a lediielion of his c(.ntiact ]M-ice because lie did not exe 
 
 was called upon 
 
 ... . - -• - — elite some ])roi)OMl 
 
 quaiility ol worii, wim ii is in no way, whatever ^o far asre;,fardsquaiitilv, referied I 
 111 his contract, Avould have u lair and just opportunitv to turn round and ask til 
 (I'overnmeMi to pay liim for .-uiy extra quantity of otiier kind of work tiiat he mij^dl 
 or may be eilled upon to perform in the execution ofhiscontract, but which, underTl 
 principle of lump-sum contracts he would have no ri^ht to claim, because under tl., 
 terms ofhiscontract lie has to complete the whole amount of work cntirelvre-'iirdless J 
 
 quantities. The undcr>ii;iied is theretbre of O|)iiiion that 
 
 as 1 
 
 e^-ards the mijority 
 
 contracts, iiodiminution of quantity in masonry would ever bo to the be 
 
 the (iovcrnment, but to tlicsole boiietil of the eontract 
 
 (1 
 
 iietit (I 
 
 or; and as re<,'ards those con 
 
 tracts in which theclauso refened to has been introtIuce<l, it would open Iho door t 
 questions of the .:,q-ayest doubt and difHeulty, inevitably involving Morious coi 
 
 sequences in the soltlin-r u)U)l' the contracts after tlieir completion 
 
 Mr. Fleminu: states that the contractoi 
 ,i,'es, in order to reduce their masoni\- 
 
 ■M are be«rging for tlio adoption of ir 
 
 ■on. 
 
 W hateverrt'duetion may beari-ived at by the adojition of iron instead of wooden 
 l£,'es, would lie, no doubt, pleasing- to the c'ontractors. because their contracts require 
 in to do the whole work, and of eour.so any diminution in the <|uantity required to 
 .0 doncMvould be solely and entirely for their benetit. The reasons of their desire for^ 
 iron bridges are therefore obvious and seltish. i 
 
 It is only necessary now to deal with tlio extraordinary fact, if it be one as 
 announceil i)y Mr. Fleming, •' timt iron bridges can be built v\»m the Jntercohmial 
 Kailway at as small a cost as wooden bridges; the difference in fact only bein" I 
 aecM.rding to his figures, some ^1,200. ^fr. Fleming places the dilVerence in inasoniT 
 at 8irj(l,00(», arrived at by a reduction of 11,500 Aards of masonry, which is eciual to 
 about K; pel- cent, of the (luantily required. It'lias been alr«ady stated tliat the same 
 general <U-sign of abutments and piers will an.swer tor either wooden or iron bridgefi, 
 and the only ditfereiiee is where the track runs up(m the u])por chord of the bridge', 
 necessitating in that event a somewhat larger quantity of masonry in the abutnicnta 
 and a less ((uantity of masonry in each of the intermediate iiiers. When the track 
 runs upon the lower chord of the bridge the quantity of masonry in the abutments of 
 a wooden or iron bridge is i)iecisely the same." 
 
 The undersigned having had very consideralile exiierience in the construction of 
 railways, is prepared to state that the ditierence of masonry, luentioned by Mr. Flem- 
 i"" is not one which experience has proved to be correct, ' 
 
 Ai'U-y having gone carefully into the matter, and dealt with the (piestion upon 
 thoHuppi.sition that the style of the abutments is the same lor both descrii)tion3 of 
 bridges, the undorsigiKKl is very clearly and stronglv of the opinion that a sum of 
 «80,0()0 added to tlu- cost of masonry, for wooden, as against iron briiiges, would 
 more than cover the extra cost. This is making a liberal allowance. 
 _ Then in regard to the cost of the iron su]»e'r,structuies instead of wood, the iindor- 
 Mgned IS .salistied that Mr. Fleming's estimate is very far below the cost, us regards iron 
 Tiie .sum named by Mr. Fleming for wood is about correct. Jiut as re^anls iroa 
 there i.^ a diirereiice in the opinion of the um'.ersigned, of not tar short 01^^8200 000. 
 The total excess of the cost of iron over wood, would, in the opinion of the under- 
 signed, be from $250,000 to 8:500,000, or on tJic whole co.st of the bridges, un increase 
 hy adopting iron of twenty-live per cent. 
 
 mttummmm n. < 
 
1» 
 
 
 ,':'',"'•" (lie mijoHlv ( 
 
 ' "'^ '•*'-"'-.l,S ,lK,.so CO, 
 
 > iiiidor (I 
 
 U lllldlT llij 
 
 
 iOJ). 
 
 coiil 
 
 ">» of iroi 
 ;; !"'-t«'a(l of woodcni 
 
 «"«Oit]lojl.,leyi,.ofof| 
 
 'f't' iTit bo 
 
 )Oll 
 
 ill 
 i/1 
 
 th 
 
 « J'>(oi-c„loni,,| 
 ^'Ht only l^^i,^, 
 
 ; ;\''^;" the track 
 
 .'J'e cuiisd-ncfion of 
 
 ";;' 'im-.rfon upon 
 
 yod, the under- 
 
 il.S J'( 
 
 '^■'H-d.s iron. 
 ^ "« iv;^,u-cls iron 
 
 '/'"^'^'f'^euncior: 
 ^ift-'s, an inci-oas© 
 
 Thoro camiol, in llu' oiiiiiiou ol' tlio iind(>;'si!^m»il, bo niiy doubt wbatcvor thai 
 
 \vi>rl< I'oi- bi idu'i'^ «'oiild no! b»' bud down and cit-ctoil at tbf diilVn-nl ]ioiiit-' idmi;; 
 
 liili'icni'tiiial liiMi ol' riniway for any y.u-h smim a-< Mr. Mciuiiiv' li.is ^•^tinlM!(■d. 
 
 n \v:>ik t'aii Old} i M'^^mniii;^ il to comh- tVom J''ni;!aiid) bo landed a', i-i'i'tidii ])l;i"i'>. 
 
 ,vhi('!i lai'i^i' oecini vrx.-^ids can K-acli tlu' wlmi'vo-;. 'I'lio.-c placus would bol^aoboi', 
 
 aniivhi, Ihdliousic, I'ictoa. llaliiax' and '?'. John. 
 
 Tli.'ro aiv no odici' |»lac("i idoiij;- iho i-oa-t wlu-.v lar^e vus.sols ci.iild ciinu' alnui;- 
 e ol' Iho wharvLv* ai any poinr. 
 
 Il'inak'i'ial bad to be hindod oIscwIhnc liny woidii Inivo to lie Ii*Mu>hiii|i"d into 
 ulloi'vos-td-i, inviilviiiLi', orcoiir-c, (M.MisiclerabJL' extra evptMHt'. delay and rislc. iVssiim- 
 tho iron work to be landed at the places name 1, the cost ot" hatdinir the niatei'ial froiri 
 ise points to the iliiVeroiil locations where the liridi^es have to be erecleii, woidd add 
 y lar<;tdy indecil to tiieir cost, and tiiere would be a ^rcat <litKcult._v from the |K>ii- 
 iiily ot" purls ol" the bi-idi^es lieini^ htst or injui-ed in Iraii-^it, involvini; delay and 
 jK'nso. 
 
 An iron lattice bi'id;;c is luaih^ up of'a, i^rrcat many Mnall parl>, to !"• |iut toii-cihtr 
 the spot; the iidxin<^ or loss f>l'|»arf.s ot' the bridii;c>, in so lart,^i a (painlity, wixdd 
 almost certain to occur, and the .ibsence of what woidii appear to bi- NUiall p:irts 
 the brid^^e, at the sj)ot whore thty wore required, miijiit cause d«day in tho com- 
 etion of the structure for several months. 'JMiore are 155 s])ans ol bridges lo erect. 
 Iiese will include many tiiousand ]>ieces, all re'|uiriiii; each to be in their exact spot 
 - the rii:;ht moment. If a I'l'W piocos were lost it nunht delay the work for months. 
 The undei'si^-ned Ikin no dount wha:ev(M', that takint^ all these facts into considera- 
 on, and makiiiy,' cvei'y allowance for the saviii<x in masonry, theiv would be an extra 
 ost, if iron bridii'cs are adopted, (»f not less thiin S'i'>0,O(»(». or twenty-live per ci'iit. at 
 1st. Jt Avould be. possibly, a ^ood deal increased by tho dillicullies whicli would 
 iso with tho contractors, if an attempt was made to vary their contracts, in the 
 laiiiior j)roposed by Mr. Flcmini;. 
 
 It is also clear that considerable delay would occur if iron bo adojtted instead of 
 rvood. 
 
 Tho quantit}' of iron bridtfos required is very lar^o, and if ordered immodiatel}' 
 ivould lake some considerable time to be mamd'actiueil and )ilaceil upon the spot; 
 tone of it could roach any ])art of the St. Lawrence until tho month of May next, unci 
 would then bo some considerable time aftt'r that l)ef<»ro it could be in its place arsd 
 eady to be cM-ected. 
 
 Wooden bridnv's on the other liaud, can be constructed diirintj tiie condni!; winter 
 at every place where they are i-oijuired, and the liridi^os themselves r^ady by tho 
 time lrackdayini>; and ballastiiii; is to be ct>inmenced next sprinif. 
 
 If iron is ado]>ted, tem])orary briiln-es would bo recpiired in many ])laccs to allow 
 of the trackdayiiii^" to go llirwartl. and these tem))orary bridiivs would add to the cost 
 of the whole work. 
 
 it would not bo sur])risint;; if the adoption of iron bridges added $r)0O.00O to the 
 cost of tho line, besides involving groat delay and coid'usion. 
 
 l*i()])erly constructed wooden bridges, and well taken care of, with the light 
 traffic that will exist oti the intercolonial, will last from twelve to tiftoon years. Thoro 
 are wooden bridges now in existence on the (J rand Trunk Riiilway, over which a v<*ry 
 large traHic is ])iissed every year, which are older thiin tho longest time named. On 
 the l^ailway from JJutl'alo to (loderich — 1()1 miles, upon whi(di there is a very con- 
 siderable trartic, all tho bridges are of wood, and any ren<nvals that lutvi; had to bo 
 made, so far, have also been made iii wood. 
 
 On the (ii'oat \Ve-<teru Railway a considi'rablo numlier o 
 wood. 
 
 All weiv (D'iginally of wood, and when renewals l)egan to bo necessary a few 
 years ago, some of the heavier bridges were renewed in irtni, but latterly all renewals 
 have been nuide in wooil, and it is uiaiorstood tl.>at tho Company intends all loiu'wals 
 that will be ro<piirod in futureof their bridges of wood aud not of iron. ThatCompany 
 is also now making a cross^ line Iroto Gloncoe to the Niagara Eiver, a distance of about 
 
 tho bridges are now of 
 
\'\ 
 
 'I 
 
 20 
 
 150 mills, over wliicli llicy intoml lo pass tl)o ^M-oiil hulk (•(' (lioir licavy paHscn-rol 
 nnil iVoi.i^'ht tnllif; upon iliis cross lino (Iioy aro omtii)<r nil tlioii- liiidl-rs of wn(J 
 nnd liiyiii;,' stool rails, thoy >ta(o tluit llu-y .ll. tliis l-ocaiiso it is tli.- niost'oc()ii,.inioa| 
 nmiii.;;oino!it, ami th.if wlioii loiy oftli* In i(|;;osio(iuiio rouowal tliov oaii horoiunvoil iil 
 iron, if it should tlion l.o coiisidoi'cil (lo>i)'alil(! to do so. 
 
 Tlioro ai-o a ooiisidonihlo nunilior (W wo.xNmi In-id/jcs also on tli(> (Jrand TnuU 
 ■Railway, and no ronowah of hri.li^c •. on the (li'and Trunk for tlio last ion yoar^ 
 liavo boon niado in anytliiiig cxcopl woud, that polioy will ho ooiitinuod by tiiJ 
 (jrand Trunk Company. I 
 
 There aro wooilon hrid.«,^os on the Grand Trunk IJuilwav for about '.iOO mileJ 
 of its lino. ' I 
 
 Tho inidors»i;.;:nod has no doubt whatovor that the ].ro])or oourso to adopt \M 
 to build tho bridi^'os on tho Inton-olonial h'ailwayof wood, bv Avhioh both ooo>i()i,iy| 
 and time will bo soiMirod, and that hoivaftor when thoso brid-^os. twolve or tifleoiil 
 yoai-s honoo. bonin to i-oipnro romwals, tiioy can. if thou/^'bt dosirablo, thon bol 
 ronowod in iron, tho Jiaiiway atfordini,' tho n^cans of transpdrtin;,' tho matorial to! 
 tho spot without dilHrulty, dola}' or oonfu.siou. 
 
 (Signod,) C. J. liKVfifJKH. 
 Montreal, 2;h'(l Soptomboi-, 18V0. 
 
 No. 9. 
 Sitnilford Flcmuhj to Sir John A. Macdonnld. 
 
 lNTERCor,0NIAl, UAri.WAV, 
 
 Ofi'ick ok the Ohiek Engineer, 
 
 Ottawa, October 18th, 1870. 
 Sin,— J^oforring to tho lottor which 1 had the lionor to ad<lross vou on tho 2Gth 
 July last on tho subject of tho Intercolonial Railway bri-Ii-os, 1 felt anxious to know 
 if tho (iovornmont h:id oomo to any deci-iuii in the matter, and accordinj^-lv made 
 on(]uirios since niy arrival in Ottawa a few days au:o. I have loai-nod froni'lho Hon- 
 orable the J'resideut of the (.'oimcil, that the c'otisideration of the subject is not finally 
 closed, but that considerr.blo ditliculty and c\|)cnsc is aiiprohondod by tho Govern- 
 mont in making the jiroposod change fioni wood to iion in consocpiclico of certain 
 
 representations which have l)con made by on(M)f the Commissioners 
 tho Council was 
 
 Tho Prositlent of 
 
 u;il was good onough at tho saim; time to hand for my ])orusal a memoran- 
 dum on tho subject, dak'd 23rd Soptombor last, drawn up and isubnn'ttod by Mr. C. i. 
 Urydgos, one of tho Commissionors. 1 have looked over this document, and I find 
 that ono or two ])oints only roipiiro lo bo noticed. I now, with vour itormission, 
 detiiro to refer to them briefly. 
 
 Before doing so. however, I desire to remind you that when dealing with this 
 question under a generally received imjnvssiim that iron bridges would cost about 
 double that, of wood, I conclusively dem<Misti-atod, as a pure matter of economy, that 
 they should be constructed of iron.'and sti'ongly urgeil that policy on theCiovernment. 
 Subsequently tho Coniini;:;iionors very proj)erl'y adojjtod ni}- vitws in relation lo six 
 of tho most impoi-fant Iiridgos, and a* careful detail examination of the whole subject, 
 in order to ])repai'o an accnralo relnrn tbr the House of Commons, has proved that 
 t^ho whole of tho bridges nifiy be oreeted 'of iron Avith scarcelv anv addition to tho 
 first cost over lliat rcjuired for struct mv- <'f perishable materials. 'With thoo facts IS 
 in my pos'0--ion ai:d in view of the impr.i-tant (j^ic^ion of security to lifoau' ]»i-o- ■ 
 porty for all timotocomo, it would really bo criminal on my ]iai t m")! (■. uige bv ovorj' I 
 means in my powoi- the adoption of tho pormareni striiclures. ' S 
 
 l._ "With regai-d lo tho (piostion of casualties from lire on exi>ting railways, 1 
 doubt if any rocoi'd is kept of the number of bridges de-<troved, or tlTo number of 
 times they catch tire, ft is well known to be the established policy of railway man- 
 agers lo coiu'oal as much as jiossible all accidontH, and this policy is just ilied on tho 
 ground that to publish everything that occurred in the way of uccidcuts, or CHcapea 
 
21 
 
 ,"" I'"' ^''•"'"l TninlJ 
 
 ^>- tw.lyeortine,if 
 f ''o-^ii-iiMt., H„.„ I 1 
 
 '"■"« "- m;„.'.',-^i 1:1 
 
 '''^"" J^^'i, 1870. 
 ,<ws von on <l,o 2Gth 
 
 '.'' ''•'."» "'o Jfon- 
 
 •'"' ''.V Uk, Gover,;. 
 ^'<lju:ur^ of certain 
 
 J our j)onnis.sion, 
 
 ; onM cost nbonfc 
 
 "leCfOvcrnment 
 » 'vladon to, six 
 
 '^' ^Vholo SlllMoct 
 
 ''•'<« prove. I U.at 
 
 Ji'Hifion to tho 
 
 ^'f' 'JK..efa,,t, 
 
 '" ''^''J"!' ]>i-o- 
 
 ""Ko;«j.-evei^. 
 
 fi'o nii/iiberof 
 ' ^-'.''w.-.y num. 
 ";*'"H'don tJ,o 
 "i«, or oxcapes 
 
 
 horn acc'ldonts, woultl only on;;eti(ler a iW'linij of iiisociirity in the mind of tJio travel- 
 ing pnl)li(' willioui diin'^^ any ^oixl. Hc'lhi.-iaH il may, I have not at my ii.iii'l any 
 4ta!isti(;.-i to ^llo\v tin* piiijuntion of woddua lii'idi;;iH iiijiirivi or de^ti'oycd diirinj^ pa?»t 
 /oars; l)iit I iiavo no ditliculty in icferrinji; to the li'.*timony of my own MMi(>es durinff 
 Itiio very last trip 1 made ovei" that |>)iiioii of llie (nand Trunk wlietiMvooden |prid^»'s 
 prevail, viz., lic'.ween L'ortiaudand Kiclimond. (.)n tlli:■.^et•tiorl of liiis railv.a^\' williin a 
 'distance ol' about 150 miles, two wooden hrid^e.s had very recently hi-en tolully 
 dost royod, one near Windsor Station, not ten miles frcjtn Ifichmond, tl;e othorat 
 iiichardson'.s ^Mill's a few miles fioiii Islaiiil I'ond ; any one may see v hat ha.- iM'ciir- 
 rud if by chance they look out of the car windows, (he trains are still |)a.-.ed over tho 
 llivors on (empoiary .staii'inij. and the marks of lire still lemain on the banks. Oil 
 enquiry I k'urned that notwitlistamliuy; the employment of wal<dimen to look aftor 
 and prf>tect them, the wooden brid^ves on this section of the (Jraiul TriiiiU are con- 
 tinually eatchim': lire, il is ihcr <luly of the watchnnin ti» make peisonal examination 
 of tho bi'idj^e under his <diari;e after each train lia^ jiassed, and put out any sparks 
 tluit. may liave Iodide in tlu^ timbers, lait notwilhslinidin;^ I lu'^e extraordinary expen- 
 8ivo and necessary jirecaiitions it a]»]»ears that on this >eftIon referri'd In alone, an<I 
 within the [>ast two or three months ojdy. no less than two wooden bi-id^cs have 
 boon totally destroyeil. Tlicse tiies have been caused it is supposed by sparks from 
 tho enii;inos, unseen by the watchman and left to smoulder until fanm-d into a tiamo, 
 tJius illustratiiiLC an element of damper not prominently notice 1 in my jnevions lettern, 
 but however caused, these tires an<l tho constant expense in attempting to /.ciuu-d 
 ajL^ainst them, show very lorcibly the dan^^er and mistaken econom^ of employin^r 
 Blructures made of (ionibustible materiids on a line of railway. In the case of tho 
 burninif of the bridLTc at Richardson's ^Mills, it is i-eiiortcd that the tire spread to tho 
 mill property adjoininij de.stroyintf cverythinii;, and the result i.s an enormou.s idaini, 
 KOmo say from J?10,00<» to ?50,0(i0 against the Railway Company for damages. 
 
 Mr. Ihyd^fes t^ivcs to the (Jov«rnment most positive testimony rcspeetin;,^ the 
 entire inimunity of wooden bridii;es fi-om datii^er duriu'^ a poi-iod of einhtcen years, 
 the lenf:;th of his ex])erlence as ( 'hi(!f Manager of liaiiways in Canaila ; it woidd havo 
 been onlv candid on his iiart had he alludeil in some wav l<)r the iid'ormation of tho 
 Government to what I have hero mentioned. 
 
 No one knows bettor than the otHcers in ehari,'e of i-ailways with pei-ishablo 
 stnicturos, tiiat the risk to life ami ]»roperty from one cause or another is alway.s 
 great, the above are only two instances which came to my knowledije casually the 
 other day, ami 1 mention them as illustrations. Since Mr. Jh-ydixes' statement was 
 put in my hands two days a^o, 1 have taken tho trouble to ascertain the exact dayH 
 upon whicli these brid<i;es wore consuniod. It appears that the AVindsor bi'idire was 
 destroyed on tho 2Gth July; the bridin'e and other pi-oporty at Richardson's .Mills, on 
 tho 6th of the same inontli. Mr. Hrydgcs, statement is dated tlie 2;{rd Sojifembcr. 
 Tho two accidents referred to may possibly, at tlu^ time Mr. lJrvd/.cos wi'oti', Iiavo 
 escaped his memory, but if he for^^oi what occurred so recently, almost under his 
 own 03-0, it is dilUcult to eonceivo how he can remember all that has occurred durinif 
 PC lon<^ a period as ei.n'bteen yeais. 
 
 1 do not wish to go ovei' all tho ariruments agaii\st the use of wooden b-.'idges on 
 the Intercolonial Railway a^ain, Imt I think 1 should here ilraw attenlitm to tlie fact 
 that owing to the de-;crip)ion oftimber covei'ing ^hc faci- of the eoiinlry in the L :)wer 
 Province,-., fires in the wood much more freiiueiitly occur tlian elsewhere whei(» tho 
 circumstance^ are ditforent; in Ontario and mucIiof'(|^uebec. a\ iu're existing r, ilway.s 
 run.the adjoining country is generally cleui-ed,and in the ca.-eo!' hardwood forests, where 
 they exist, tires aro .seldom known, and they never carry with them such widespread 
 dosli-uetioii to everything combustible as in the wildei-no.-is counti-y throu;r!( whieh 
 so mueii oi'tlie Intei'colonial liailway is now being c instructed. 'I iie '. 'nmnii-* ioiicrs 
 could not fiil to sec during their last trip .scores of miles on both si'le. oi' the lines 
 blackened by fires; tho road over which thoy passed had a groat m-ny of its bii<lg(*s 
 destroyed, and had it been tho railway, its bridges, if of timber, would have shared 
 tho same fiito ; I am sutistied that nothing whatever could have saved them. 
 
I 
 
 ii - 
 
 I >i 
 
 2. Mi\ lirydi^oH omlojivors to show tlial tlicro would bo ii j^roiit <loal of (lilllciilty 
 witli the l"i):iii;ii'iiiis in -iiImI iliitiii:^ iron tin' woxlrii K|)atis. Tlioro wn^ no dillli'iilty 
 wliutovor oxpfrii'iici' I in nialuii;^ tlio t'li:iii;;«> in ' lie >ix ca-os, wliit-Ii llio ( 'oiuiiii.s,'-ioiioi-H 
 havo nli'oady divided sliuuid l»o ol'iiuii, and it cortaiidy <l">os not upjioar very clonr 
 tliat tlici'o would lio nuii'li ^roaii'i" diHi'iilly now widi iv^ard fo tho wliolo. moio 
 o-tpciially as nn.irly all tlio i'on(racts sinco let contain iv special clau^o lOMTvin^ 
 power lo t!jt( <! >mriiis-iio:»orH to luaUe the eliaiii,'e. 
 
 ii. Mr. Hryiini'* calls in (jMostion tlio aeeiiraey oi' llu- li!;nre> I liave sulimitttMl 
 rc>pt!i'ti!iLC tlie 'inuiiMiies of ni:iM)nry in the piers and ahninient> of the Kridi,res to l»o 
 built on the line (»!' the Intercolonial Uailwav. 1 can oidv ^«av in repiv, that tlio 
 ipui. titles have necn ino-it carofully computed in detail, troi'i the very best data to bo 
 had, by the most accurate and )iainsiakiri^ Miii^incer on my Htatf; this ^•enllenian 
 ai^ain assui*'s me that ihoy are coi-roct, ai\d I have so mucli contideneo in iiim, that I 
 challenge the \i'\-y idoM'st scrutiny; I believe them to be as reliable as (hey inn pos- 
 sibly \h\ ami I would not vontiiro to present them as such if any iloubt existed in my 
 own mi ml. 
 
 4. Mr. I hydj^es states that while my estimates tor vooden nuporstnieturcs is 
 about correct, I have place I the proliable cost of superstnieturcs of iron nuii-h too 
 low; he also st:ites that iron biidy-es could not be secured in time for the layinjj; of 
 the rails and ballastini^. 1 oidy desire to havo an oj^portunity afforded jue of satis- 
 fyinu; the (lovernmoni on this point. I know perfectly well that l could find parties 
 with a r(>putalion above all (piestion, wh(» would undertake to furnish and erect tho 
 very best doscriptifln oi'ii'on brid<^os now niaile, over the whole line /"/• /»,« thtin my 
 ('sfiimi((\ and without causint; any serious, or any delay at uU, eitlior to tho layin<^ of 
 the rails, tin' ballastin<^, or any other work whatever. 
 
 I now come to another matter which I may bo excused for bringing up at this 
 opportunity. I am directed to furnisii to tho Contractors, immediately, plans of 
 wooden supersti'ucture for tho brid;^'e.i at Itivieredu Loup and Isle V'ertc. TIiobo plana 
 aro prepared, and it is my duty to obey; befbro mailing;, however, I bej^ to make a 
 tinal and respectful npjjoal a;;ainst the takin<^ of an irrevocable step whicii must, in tho 
 estimafion of every one lower and degrade tho eharucler of the woiks on this import- 
 ant national undertaking. 
 
 In August last, 1 wrote to the Commissioners «u/^i:cesting that until tho Govern- 
 ment had an opportunity of considerini:; the whole subjeci, ])art of the masonry of 
 these bridifos should be suspended, so that tho saving in masonry duo to the employment 
 of iron sujierstiuetures mitrht be effected. A susjiension ^vaB not, Ik vever, autho- 
 rized, tho masonry is now well udvancod, and it is now too lato to effect any saving 
 in a chaiifje trom wood to iron. I am prepared, however, to make voiy tonsiderablo 
 personal sneritiees rather than see a single perisiiable bridge on this line of railway; 
 a lino with which I have been so long connected, and in tlie perfect construction of 
 which I take a great and pardojiabio ])ride. If the (Joverinnent will allow these 
 bridges to be of iron instead of wood, I will consent to pay half thodiii'oronce in cost, 
 if any, out of my own salary, and I shall guarjinteo that tho tracklaying and ballast- 
 ing shall not bo interrupted or delayed in any way. 
 
 I now very respectfully l)eg for authority to ordor spang of iron instead of wood 
 for Eiviore du Loup aud lelo Vorto on these conditions. 
 
 I havo the honor to bo. Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 S.v.NUFouD Fleming, 
 
 Chief EiKjinecr. 
 
 To the Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald, K. C. ]J., 
 
 Minister of Justice, &c. 
 
 
mt .lo.,| nr,|i(Ji,.„,^^, 
 '"'••Mnn ii(..|i(ii,.„|,- 
 ''"'^'<''>iuiiii.s.>i„i,or8 
 
 .' ","'«• ^v:„.i,., „,„,„ 
 
 ";, M,;,V(.s|iI„nitfo<l 
 •t tlio l,|-i.|i.,,s (r) 1,0 
 
 '" 'yh-, flmt tlio 
 
 VUiy l-C'st (llifu to 1,0 
 
 "; tins /^iciilleiiian 
 f'"«'oin liim, thntl 
 lo..Mt|,eyi,.n po«. 
 ""btoxHfo,! in nij- 
 
 •^'Jpoi-sh-iiotiirca is 
 f»* ii-(,n niucli too 
 '<>'• tlio lavin^r of 
 "■•''^•! "»i' «.f«,l(iH. 
 /';>iil(l tind j,i,rtios 
 >^'» Jind orcct tlio 
 > /">• /rs,i than uiy 
 '• <o tlio layiii^r of 
 
 "ffu'/,' up at this 
 (liJitoly, plans of 
 fi'io. Tliosopimm 
 ^ ''<'.!,' to make a 
 »i^'' niuNt, in tho 
 f^on tlji.simport- 
 
 'til tho Govern- 
 tlio masonry of 
 t''« einj)loymont 
 ;t vc'vc'i-, autho- 
 00 1 any saving 
 'y oonsiderablo 
 '"« or railway; 
 c'onstruL'tion of 
 ill allow these 
 loronccin cost, 
 "g ajid ballaat- 
 
 istead of wood 
 
 rrNo, 
 
 No. 10. 
 
 Copy r,f a Report of the Commin^innrrn nf the Tntirrol'inuil luv'luay to the JlonorabU 
 the Piicy Council I'j i/nte Hith Juniuiri/, 1S71. 
 
 Tlio riuaini.Hsiotioi'rt for tho (•'•!mlnirtii>n of llio Inloii-olonliil Railway bnpf to 
 report to tho (lovoinor in Council, iipDn Iho ijno-'tion 'if the Miiporstiuoluro of the 
 hnd^'Ort f)n tho lino. 
 
 A rp|iort from tho C^Iiii'f l'!ii!,'inooi' is nnpc^ndod, from whic'i it nppt^ars that (he 
 lari^cr [trid_u,o>t ("in lio (•oiisiriicli'd of iron, at u cost which will not ,i,'ioally oxccod that 
 for wood, talcing into account tho jvdiiclion, which in somo casos, may ho made iu 
 the masonry. 
 
 ('onsidorimr that stool rails arc to he laid upon tho whole lino, and that it is 
 deniralilo that all tho work Hhoidd, as far as possible, bo of tho most ])ormanont char- 
 actor, Iho Commissionors roconiracml that all spans of bridiros, of niore than sixty 
 foot oponinj^H, should bo conslructod of iron, provided that such ohan^jes will not 
 delay iho completion of tho woi-ks, and Ihat siicfi arianiionionls can bo made with tho 
 liovoral contractors as will not materially oiihanco tho cost. 
 
 (Sigiio<l,) A. Wat, sir, 
 
 Kd. 13. CUANDLEn, 
 
 ('. J. Hrvdoes, 
 A. McLei.an, 
 
 Commissioners. 
 
 No. 11. • 
 
 Copy of a Jieport of a Committee of the ITonorahlc the Vrivy Council, approved by Jlis 
 Excellency the Governor (hneral. in Council on the l'j//i Jiuiwiry, 1871. 
 
 14th k lOtli Tho Committee of Council after carofiilly cansidci'in^ tho rojiort of the 
 
 Jan. 1871. Intercolonial Railway Comiiiissioucrs and Chief Mti^iiieoi' of that Jfailtva}', 
 
 shcwiny; the economy of ado])ting steel rails, notwithstanding^ the <^roater cost in tho 
 
 IGtli .liiri- tii'st instance, and havin;^ considered the repoi't of the Commissionors of 
 
 imry, 1S7I. (ho 13th January, iiist., recomnioiidiiii^ the acceptance of the tenders of tho 
 
 Ebb Vale Co., at £11 stg. perton; the Barrow To., at XI I .'is. xi'j;. They respectlully 
 
 recommend the ado])tion of that report, leaviii!^ to the Commissioners to make if 
 
 practicable, a hotter arrani^ement with res|)cct to freight. 
 
 Tho Committee having thus, for the reasons <fivon in the several reports referred 
 to, come to tho conclusion to rccomineml the use of steel rails tor the Intercolonial 
 Railway, further advise that, with a view to render all the more important works and 
 structures connected with tho roadway as indestructible as jiossible, the Commission- 
 ers be authorized to build iron biiilges instead of wooden lu-idges in cases whore tho 
 span is over sixty feet, whenever — 
 
 1st. The (Jontractors assent, and the chant^o can be made without increase of cost 
 or payment of indemnity. 
 
 2nd. Where there is no material delay cau8e<l by the change. 
 
 3rd. Whenever the additional cost of the bridi;es will not exceed the estimate of 
 the Chief Ent^ineer, already submitted to Council. 
 
 They further advise that the iron l>rid<fes bo put up to public tender. 
 
 Certified. 
 
 W. A. Ilt-MSWORTII. 
 
 Clerk, Privy Council. 
 
 No. 12. 
 
 Letter from the Chairman of the Commissioners to the (^Viicf Ein/ineer. 
 
 (This document incloses the Order iu Council of ItUh Janimry, 1871, and direct* 
 tho Chief Engiuoor to carry it into ettect.) 
 
14 
 
 I" 
 
 'h- i 
 
 M 
 
 i 
 
 :i : li ;i;i!' 
 
 ]ir 
 
 1 
 
 '! 8 
 
 m 
 
 \l u 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 11 
 
 i 
 
 M 
 
 Wia 
 
 
 No 13. 
 
 The Chief EiKjinecr to the Chairman of the Commissioners. 
 
 iNTEROOIiONIAL EaILWAY, 
 
 Ofi-uce of the Chief Engineer, 
 Ottawa, Jamuuy 2Ut, 1S71. 
 
 Deau Sill, — I have your lottor of tliia lUito in n^fercuco to iron bridges, and will] 
 bo litippy to iitloiid to llio eontoiit-* thoiool". Tlio tirst and third conditions attachcil 
 to llie (Mdor in CoiuR'il, approved TJth January la'^t, arc admittedly aniLiiguous, and 
 they i'onned the subject of the conversation wo liad with the Ministers of Public 
 Woi'lcs and Agriculture at the otfico of the former; thoy woi'o also di8cu^:!sed with the 
 Prcsitli-nl of the Council at bis office, and I nndcfstood all tlirec to say that tho 
 Council int<'nded by tho first condition siinjdy to mean that before the cbangos from 
 wood to iron were finally determined on, arrangements should bo made with each 
 Co* M-actor of such a nature that no claims for indemnity or for extras should bo 
 e:iti(i)lislied by tliern by reason of tho change. In fjict, to make arrangements in 
 every case himilar to that intended by the special clause bearing on tho question 
 which was added to some of the contracts. By the third condition, that tho cost of 
 iron su])ei'siructure shouhl be within or not materially exceed my estimate of tho 
 same — this being the substance of tho verbal explanations and directions given by 
 the Ministers referred to. I desiro to put it on i-ecord for my own guidance and for 
 correction, if I should be under any misapprehension. 
 
 Yours very tnily, 
 * (Signed,) Sandford Fleming, 
 A. Walsh, Esq., Chief Engineer. 
 
 Cbaii-man, &c., , 
 
 Ottawa. 
 
 No. 14. 
 
 The Chief Emjinecr to the Secretary of the Commissioners. 
 
 Intercolonial Eailway, 
 
 Office of the Chief Engineer, 
 C. S. Ko.ss, Esq., Ottawa, May 5th, 1871. 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 StH, — Befcrring to your letter of January 20th, as well as to a letter of tho 
 Chaii-man of the same date and my reply thereto, dated 21st January, all on the 
 Bubject of bridges, and the substitution of iron for wood in the superstructure thereof. 
 
 This correspondence resulted fiom an Order in Council dated llHh January, 
 which, as ex])lained by the Minister of Public Works and other members of the 
 Government, was intended to mean substantially Jislbllows: — That all bridges over 
 sixty fe ' span be made of iron instead of wood, ]>rovided tho change can be elfected 
 Avithout establishing claims tbi- indemnity or extras by contractors, and provided also 
 the iron spans can be erected at prices within or not greatly exceeding my estimate 
 •for the same submitted to Council. The duty of giving elVect to the Order in Council 
 by the Chairman's letter devolved upon me. 
 
 In order to set at rest the question of (claims for extras or indemnity by 
 contractors, I have liad a paper, worded as follows, executed by all or nearly all tho 
 Contractors on the Line : — 
 
 "We, the undei'signed Contractors for sections of tho Intercolonial Railway, 
 "having been advised that the Government is anxious to substitute iron for wooden 
 "bridge-; u[)on said Railway, provided such substitution can lie eil'ected without 
 "payment of indemnity or additional cost, and being desirous that this great national 
 " unilertaking (in the consti'uction of which we take a just pride) shall be as pei'ina- 
 " nent and indestructible as ])ossible, wo hereby severally concur in tho .substitution 
 "of iron tor Avooden sjians upon our respective sections, in every instance whore tho 
 " Government and Commissioners may consider the same desirable on condition that 
 
2& 
 
 Hssioners. 
 
 'fiiEp Enoineer 
 anuiiiy 21.st, 1871, 
 iron hri<J<re.s, and willj 
 m conduioii.s attachod| 
 tlodly aml.igii„us, and! 
 10 AlinKstons oi" Public 
 I so di,scus,sed with theL 
 tlircc to saj that' the 1 
 oi-o the changes from -f 
 icl bo made with each 
 iov extras should be 
 lako arrangoments in 
 •^}-\ng on tlio question 
 't'on, that the cost of! 
 I my e^^timato of tho 
 d directions given bv 
 >wu guidance and for 
 
 Flemino, 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
 onen. 
 
 I'^NGINEER, 
 
 klay 5th, 1871. 
 
 to a letter of the 
 tinuary, all on the 
 ■"■structure thereof. 
 ^ VM\\ January, 
 members of the 
 all bridges over 
 ge can beeirected 
 ind provided also 
 ing njy estimate 
 Older in Council 
 
 ed 
 
 nt 
 
 Ull 
 
 the Commissioners furnish and erect such spans of iron free of cost to us ; and 
 ["inasmuch as such substitution wouhl bo a saving to us of the cost of erecting the 
 
 spans of timber, and in some instances it would also be a saving in the quantity of 
 J" masonry in the abutments and piers of biidges. We hereby consent to a deduction 
 I" from the amount payable to us at the close of the contract, cqaal to the value of 
 I" the said wooden spans and masonry saved to us Ity such substitution, the same 
 I" being calculated at the rates given in the Schedules to our respective contracts, 
 I" and further we shall not picl'er any claims for indemnity on account of aaid 
 I" Bubstitution of iron for wooden bridges." 
 
 This paper still wants one signature to complete it. I shall transmit it to you 
 las soon as 1 have an opportunity of procuring this signature, in this I anticipate no 
 [difficulty as the ccmtract of the contractor contains a clause, especially inserted, to 
 [the Bame effect as the paper above referred to. 
 
 In order to satisfy the Government with regard to the cost of the iron bridges, 
 1 1 sent the following circular along with the speciticatiou and other documents printed 
 for the UBO and information of parties tendering. 
 
 Intercolonial Eailway, 
 
 Chief Engineer's Office , 
 
 Ottawa, January 2l8t, 1871. 
 Memorandum. 
 To Iron Bridge-Builders. 
 
 " The total number of spans on thicj line of Railway will probably be as follows : 
 
 16 spans of 200 feet. 
 
 'J1 
 
 
 100 
 
 n^ 
 
 
 80 
 
 19 
 
 
 60 
 
 22 
 
 
 50 
 
 21 
 
 
 40 
 
 5 
 
 
 30 
 
 2 
 
 
 24 
 
 "The Government of Canada an<l the Ivailway Commissioners have decided to 
 "make the sixteen 200 feet spans and twonty-oui' of the 100 feet spans above men- 
 " tioned of ix'on ; they have also determined to lia%'o the remainder of the 100 feet 
 " spans and the eighty feet spans of iron, provided the cost does not exceed the 
 "estimates laid before them." 
 
 " The undersigned is not authorized to nsk for tenders for any spans under 80 
 "foot, but he advocates the adoption of iron bridges throughout the whole line, and 
 " will be glad (in order that tho Government may be ])laced in possession of full 
 "information on the subject) if parties tendering will give the prices at which they 
 " would bo prepared to furnish all the various spans. 
 
 (Signed,) " Sandforu Fleming, 
 
 " Chief En<jinccrr 
 
 3r indemnity by 
 • nearly all the 
 
 lonial Railway, 
 iron for wooden 
 iToctctl without 
 gi-cat national 
 ill be as j)cima- 
 tlie substitution 
 anco whore tho 
 condition that 
 
 I r 4 
 
16 
 
 !|: 
 
 
 I ' 
 
 I ' 
 
 ijr. 
 
 With rogard to the cost of erecting tho spans of iron, I find in looking over the] 
 tenderB I'or supplying uiid eroding all bridges of !()(( loot an I under, tho lowest! 
 appears to ho one iVom the Fairbairn Kiiginfering Company, ot Manchester, JCngland. 
 The following is a comparison of the Kairbairn prices Avith my own estimate. 
 
 Fairlmirn Enf^inecr 
 
 ni; C().',H P 
 
 rices. 
 
 Cliief Engineer's 
 
 Estimate. 
 
 
 No. and Length of Spnna. 
 
 Rate. 
 
 Amount, 
 
 t 
 
 1 Xo. and Length of Spans. 
 
 I 
 
 Rate. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 61 iSpans of loo feet :— 
 25 Tliroiiirli Snana 
 
 $ cts. 
 
 5,941 00 
 4,719 00 
 
 3,670 00 
 2,8.34 00 
 
 2,649 00 
 1,919 00 
 
 1,383 00 
 
 1,023 00 
 
 463 00 
 
 370 00 
 
 ji els. 
 
 148,.525 00 
 169,524 00 i 
 
 i 
 
 : 61 Spans of 100 feet 
 
 i 
 
 10 Snans of 80 feet 
 
 $Ct3. 
 
 6,600 00 
 
 3,750 00 
 
 2,200 00 
 
 1,600 00 
 
 3,200 00 
 
 600 00 
 
 360 00 
 
 $ cts. 
 341,600 00 
 
 36 Deck " 
 
 
 
 10 Spans of ftO foct :— 
 
 8 Tlirnugh Hridges 
 
 2 Deck " 
 
 318,049 00 i 
 
 
 29,360 00 j 
 5,668 00 1 
 
 37,500 00 
 
 19 Snans of 60foct 
 
 
 19 Spans of 60 feet :— 
 1 Throuch Uridce 
 
 35,028 00 ] 
 
 
 2,649 00 
 34,542 00 
 
 41,800 00 
 
 18 Deck " 
 
 22 Spans of 50 feet 
 
 21 Spans of 40 feet 
 
 .") Slum** of 3il feet 
 
 
 
 
 
 37||91 00 
 
 
 22 Spans of 50 feet 
 
 30. .126 00 1 
 21, ■183 00 
 2,315 01) ■ 
 740 00 ! 
 
 35,200 00 
 
 21 Spim.s of 4') " 
 
 5 Snans of :'.0 " 
 
 25,200 00 
 30.000 00 
 
 2 Snans of ''4 " 
 
 2 Spans of 24 feet 
 
 720 00 
 
 
 
 
 $445,232 00 
 
 $485,020 00 
 
 The Fairbairn Engineering Company of Manchester, is one of the tirst and oldest 
 establishments in existence, they will without any doubt carry out in a satisfactorj 
 manner wliatever they^ undertake, and as this tirm proposes to erect in place the 
 various bridges considerably under my estimate, tho remaining condition of the Order 
 in Council is fully met, and tho substitution of iron for wood may therefore b© con- 
 sidered authorized by the Covornment. 
 
 While this appears perfectly clear with regard to all bridges over 60 feet span, 
 the Order in Council of 19th January does not go bo far as to sanction tho eubstitutiou 
 of iron for wood for spans of (10 feet and under. 
 
 The information which I am now enabled to submit is, however, of such a nature 
 that the Government will have no diliiculty in arriving at a final and satisfactory 
 decision with res2)ect to the substitution of iion for wood for all tho lesser as well 
 for the larger spans on the lino. 
 
 The pa])or which the contractors have signed gives thoir consent to the substitu- 
 tion of iron for wood in tho small as well as in tho larger spans, and relincjuishes on 
 their })art all claims for indemnity or extras by reason of the substitution ; the paper 
 further gives thoir consent to deduction from their contract sums of the value of tho 
 wooden spans and masonry saved, and in every case it clearly and exactly defines tho 
 rates and prices rixed at which the deduction:, aro to bo calculated. 
 
 The tenders now received give the prices at which reliable buildern are prepared 
 to erect, in their proper places on the liiie of railway, all tho iron bridges small as 
 well as large. 
 
 We are thus furnished with the exact means of ascertaining the cost of erecting 
 complete the bridge structures with spans of wood or with spans of iron. 
 
 1 have asked my assistant, Mr. Forrest, to make calculations showing tho cost 
 sepai-ately of each bridge structure of sixty feet 8j)an and under on the line. Mr. 
 Forrest's calculations ai-e herewith furnished in detail, and if they arc correct, and I 
 
 HiMlllli 
 
2t 
 
 Hi in looking over the 
 i^ iindor, tlio lowest 
 -Waiiohostor, Jllntrlund 
 own e«tiinatc. 
 
 's Estimuto. 
 
 Rate. lAmount. 
 
 I $ cts. 
 . 6,600 00 
 
 $ cts. 
 341,600 00 
 
 3,750 00 37,500 00 
 
 2,200 00 41,800 00 
 
 1,(300 00 
 
 1,200 0(1 
 
 600 00 
 
 3G0 00 
 
 35,200 00 
 
 25,200 00 
 
 30,000 00 
 
 720 00 
 
 $485,020 00~ 
 
 the iirst and oldest 
 
 It 
 
 in a hatififactorj 
 
 erect in place the 
 
 ition of the Order 
 
 theieforo be con- 
 
 lit 
 
 7 
 
 ver 60 feet span, 
 n the Bubstitutiou 
 
 of such a nature 
 «nd satisfactory 
 lesser as well 
 
 to the substi tu- 
 rpi inquishes on 
 Ition ; the paper 
 the value of tho 
 Jictly defines tho 
 
 !ifl are prepared 
 itlgos tsinall as 
 
 '©.•^t of erecting 
 
 wn<r the coHt 
 the lino. Mr. 
 L'orroct, and I 
 
 Ido not at all question their nccuraoy, nil tho bridejos of sixty foot and under can 
 
 lactually be built witJi Hjinnn of i.oii for coiiKiik'iublv k'st, than with npans of wood. 
 
 I These cak'ulutions c'ionrly establish the fact, t)uU while all tho hmallcr bi'idi,'* 
 
 [Btructurcs (includini;; masonry) \voiild cost 83Si',8ii7, if built with wooden spans. Iliey 
 would only cost $;]31,lHtG, if built with iimi si)iinM, and by the adoption of tho latter 
 
 I an actual saving in the iii'st coat would lie elfocted of 8.57, '.'Ol. 
 
 I should state that tho prices of the iron spans are those yivon in the tender of 
 theFairba'rn I'^niijineerini; Comjxmy, irlthovt ihit)/ ; if duty is collected at the rate of 
 15 per cent., it would amiMint to about 88,2.17. The cost of the iron spans wouM be 
 
 I chargeable with that amount, and tho comparison would stand thus : — 
 
 Hri(l^,'e8 with spans of 
 
 Timber. 
 
 Iron. 
 
 Diffpr^tice. 
 
 2. 
 
 $ 
 1. Total cost of masonry calculated at Contractors' prices in each 
 
 case I 289,053 
 
 Total cost of snperstructurp, comprising 1',) sjxins nf (;0 fuct, 19 
 spans ot no feet, IH s])ans of 40 feet, live spim^ of 30 feet, one 
 span of 24 feet, ciileiiluted at Contractors' prices in tlie case of 
 timber spans, and at the Fairbairn's tender prices in the case of 
 iron spans, and in the latter case, 15 per cent, duty on tlie F.U.U. 
 prices is added '. 
 
 09,944 
 
 $ 
 248,159 
 
 92,091 
 
 Totals. 
 
 389,897 
 
 340,253 
 
 41,794 
 
 7,850 
 
 49,644 
 
 Shewing a net saving in first cost, tifter paying duty on iron spans, of $49,644. 
 
 The substitution of iron for wood in tho small ispaLs would reduce tho quantity 
 of masonry to be built iibout 8,8(J4 cubic yards, and by lessoning the work to i/«» 
 executed would facilitate the construction of the line. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Signed,) SANDFflttD Flemino, 
 
 Chief Emjineer 
 
 No. 15. 
 
 The Chief Fnghieer to the Secretary of the Commissioners. 
 
 Intkrcolowiai. Eaii.wav, 
 '- Ofi'ic?: of the Chief FiNoiNEER, 
 
 Ottawa, Mav 10, 1871. 
 C. S. Ross, Esq., • 
 
 Secretaiy. 
 
 Si:i. — As requested by the <'(mimissionors, I have made a careful examination 
 of all the tondors and ])ljins recently leccived for the su|»[)ly and erection of iron 
 bridges, and I now h.nve to ro|K)i't. 
 
 I find thtit 'M ditlerenl establishments in Fngland and in the United States, have 
 tendered for tho bridges, and tho tondors embrace a great variety of forms of con- 
 •truction for all the various spans from 200 feet down, * 
 
, — I 
 
 28 
 
 I! /! 
 
 TENDRR v„ , 
 
 ™™.« ... „._,„„^, ,^^^_^,^_^^ ^^^__ 
 
 ONDOiV, ONT. 
 
 TENDER 
 
 19— CLARKE, RE}3VES 
 
 spang 
 do 
 do 
 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 Co, PiriLADELPHlA. 
 
 of 200 
 
 fppt, 
 
 100 
 
 do 
 
 KG 
 
 d(. 
 
 CO 
 
 do 
 
 CO 
 
 do 
 
 40 
 
 do 
 
 ;io 
 
 do 
 
 •21 
 
 d.j 
 
 Total 
 
 ..(say)! 
 ..(s:iy)\ 
 
 5,097 
 4,088 
 2,928 
 2,356 
 2,014 
 1,926 
 740 
 
 309,332 
 310,917 
 40,880 
 55,632 
 51,832 
 42,294 
 4,6.30 
 91,480 
 
29 
 
 oft 10 bndA'eM and their 
 Jo <'mi,.sh,n^,andorcc 
 ".^ffjvo prices for both 
 'HtedmuDbcr of spans 
 ''■very and tho erection 
 
 of comparing tJie five 
 
 O^V, ENGLAND. 
 
 Aciount. 
 
 n. 
 
 423,310 
 
 383,507 
 
 43,910 
 
 42,895 
 
 33,068 
 
 21,840 
 
 3,46,'> 
 
 920 
 
 9953/irr' 
 
 416,688 
 
 389,607 
 
 51,130 
 
 39,273 
 
 31,746 
 
 18,270 
 
 2,57.5 
 
 C56 
 
 $949,945 
 
 :^pniA. 
 
 309,352 
 
 310,917 
 
 40,880 
 
 55,632 
 
 51,832 
 
 42,;;94 
 
 4,G30 
 
 ?1,480 
 
 $817,017 
 
 TENDER No. 22.— PAIRBAIRN ENGINEERINa Co., MANCHESTER. 
 
 Rate. 
 
 AlUOUQt. 
 
 16 
 
 spans 
 
 of 200 feet 
 
 61 
 
 do 
 
 100 do 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 80 do 
 
 19 
 
 do 
 
 60 do 
 
 [22 
 
 do 
 
 50 do 
 
 31 
 
 do 
 
 40 do 
 
 5 
 
 do 
 
 30 do 
 
 2 
 
 do 
 
 24 do 
 
 Total . 
 
 $ 
 
 $ 
 
 
 41!i,625 
 
 4,709 
 
 287,249 
 
 2,834 
 
 2ft,a40 . 
 
 1,919 
 
 30,4«1 
 
 l,:i83 
 
 .30,426 
 
 1,023 
 
 21,483 
 
 463 
 
 2.315 
 
 370 
 
 740 
 
 1822,639 
 
 TENDER No. A.— R. JAS. REEKIE, MONTREAL. 
 
 16 
 
 spans 
 
 f 200 fee 
 
 61 
 
 do 
 
 100 do 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 80 do 
 
 19 
 
 do 
 
 60 do 
 
 22 
 
 do 
 
 50 do 
 
 21 
 
 do 
 
 40 do 
 
 S 
 
 do 
 
 3u do 
 
 2 
 
 do 
 
 24 do 
 
 7,425 
 4,500 
 3,000 
 2,100 
 1,700 
 800 
 620 
 
 Total. 
 
 38.'),925 
 
 452,925 
 
 45,001) 
 
 57,000 
 
 46,200 
 
 35,700 
 
 4,000 
 
 1,240 
 
 $1,027,990 
 
 
 With respect to live question of cost, it ajipoars from tho fore<^oiiig that these 
 tenders stand in the foliowini!: onlor: — 
 
 Tender No. 19.— Chirko, I{oevos & Co e 817.017 
 
 22. — Fairbairn En<i;inooiing Company 822, (j3G 
 
 14.— John Walker l>4i),945 
 
 1.— Campbell, Johnston & Co 958,771 
 
 A.— K. Jas. Reekie 1,027,990 
 
 I have very carefully examineil the plans furnished by these parties, with the 
 view of forming an opinion as to the most suitable, taking everythin<; into considor- 
 ation, and in thi.s respect, I think they stand in the following order: — 
 1st, The Fairbairn Fnginooring Company, Tender No. 22. 
 2nd, Campbell, Johnston & Co., " 1. 
 
 3rd, John Walker, " 14. 
 
 4th, K. Jas. Reekie, "A. 
 
 5th, Clarke, Eeeves & Co., '• 1!». 
 
 These tivo tenders are for the whole bridges on the lino. I shall now refer to 
 tho other tenders, giving a separate compariMni tor ail the different spans, and as the 
 ^a-eatest difliculty has been oxporionced in comparing the tcndi'rs and plans for 
 the 200 feet spans, and as these are the most important, I shall notice them especially ; 
 it will, however, bo convenient to deal with the smailci- sp.-ms tirst. 
 
 In the following I have thrown out tender No. IT, li>r tiie leason that no ]ilans 
 have been fiirni.shod to indicate tho character of bridge proposed to be furnished ly 
 tho party tendering. 
 
 In the first place I Hhall furnish lists of the tenders for delivery of tho bi-idgoi* 
 in parts, free on board hIuj), at tho nearest port to the place of manufacture. 
 Thcijo tenders I have arranged in theii* proper order according; to pricoi. 
 
l9^' 
 
 at 
 
 SPANS OF 100 FEET; TRACK ON TOP. 
 
 I : 
 
 ii:' 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 fi 
 6 
 
 1 
 8 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 13 
 l.-J 
 U 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 
 Number 
 
 of 
 Tender. 
 
 12 
 10 
 34 
 19 
 22 
 16 
 •JO 
 7 
 33 
 14 
 
 n 
 
 25 
 8 
 21 
 31 
 18 
 30 
 
 Name. 
 
 Westwood, Dfi'llic k Cn... 
 Pease, 'I"; ' '.ison «fe Co.., 
 
 AslIiU!;, !; 'iCo 
 
 Clarke^ Rf ■ yes & Co 
 
 Fiiirbairn Engineering Co, 
 
 Thorafl:^ Urasscy & Co 
 
 A. Becker 
 
 Kniglit, Howard & Co 
 
 John ('ockerill 
 
 John Walker 
 
 riopkins, f-'lV.cr > Oi 
 
 K.A.Jo; c> 
 
 Palmer Ir in C 
 
 P. & AV. AlcLe hin 
 
 Wat! on MuniUacturinj ,'o 
 
 Det'.oit Iron Works 
 
 Aii'Ofican 13r! '.^,n ''o 
 
 Port of Delivery. 
 
 LoMiIon, Englanil 
 
 Newcasile-on-TytK! 
 
 Liverpool, England 
 
 Philadelphia, United States 
 
 Liverpool, England 
 
 do 
 
 Anv port in Great Britain... 
 
 Miadleboro'-on-Tees 
 
 Antwerp, Belgium 
 
 Glasgow 
 
 Tees River 
 
 do 
 
 On the Tync 
 
 (llasgow 
 
 New York 
 
 Montreal , 
 
 Chicago 
 
 SPANS OF 100 FEET; TRACK ON BOTTOM. 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 2 
 
 32 
 
 3 
 
 19 
 
 4 
 
 22 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 7 
 
 31 
 
 8 
 
 18 
 
 9 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 30 
 
 Pease, Hutchinson & Co., 
 
 Blodgett & Curry 
 
 Clarke^ Reeves & Co 
 
 Ncwcastle-on-Tyne , 
 
 Shedinc, N.B 
 
 F'liiladelphia 
 
 Fairbairn Etigi leering Co Liverpool, England 
 
 Kreeft, Howard & Co 
 A. Becker 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co New Vork 
 
 Detroit Iron Works IMontreal .. 
 
 Middleboro'-on-Tecs 
 
 Any port in Great Britain. 
 
 P. & W. McLellan.... 
 American Bridge Co. 
 
 Glasgow 
 Chicago.. 
 
 SPANS OF 80 FEET; TRACK ON TOP. 
 
 1 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 34 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 19 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 25 
 
 9 
 
 53 
 
 10 
 
 21 
 
 11 
 
 14 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 18 
 
 14 
 
 30 
 
 15 
 
 31 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Co 
 
 Ashbury Iron Co 
 
 Thomas Brassey.. 
 
 Westwood, Baillie ft Co 
 
 Clarke. Reeves & Co 
 
 A. Becker 
 
 Hopkins, Gilkcs & Co 
 
 E. A. Jones 
 
 John Cockcrill 
 
 P. & W. McLellan 
 
 John Walker 
 
 Palmer Iron Co 
 
 Detroit Iron Works iMontrcal 
 
 American Bridge Co j("hiciigo .. 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co 'Xt-w York 
 
 Liverpool. England 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 London, England , 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
 Any port in Great Britain. 
 
 Tees River 
 
 do 
 
 Antwerp, Belgium 
 
 Glasgow 
 
 do 
 
 On the True 
 
31 
 
 SPANS OF 80 FEET; TRACK ON BOTTOM. 
 
 liverj. 
 
 [States. 
 
 ritain. 
 
 ain. 
 
 2,608 00 
 2,612 00 
 2,664 00 ! 
 3,069 00 
 3,214 00 '• 
 3,332 00 ' 
 
 3,110 00 ; 
 
 3,770 00 j 
 4,160 00 
 4,185 00 
 4,208 00 
 4,208 00 
 4,602 00 
 6,070 00 
 6,670 00 
 6,805 00 
 6,200 00 
 
 3,375 00 
 3,S50 00 
 3,809 00 
 4,237 00 
 4,602 00 
 4,725 00 
 5,040 00 
 6,100 00 
 6,190 00 
 6,700 00 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 Number 
 
 of 
 Tender. 
 
 Name. 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 33 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 20 
 
 8 
 
 21 
 
 9 
 
 18 
 
 10 
 
 30 
 
 11 
 
 31 
 
 Port of Delivery. 
 
 Nowcasfle on Tvno . 
 Liverpool, PIngland. 
 (U) 
 
 Pease, Ilutcliiiison & Co 
 
 Fairbaim Engineering Co 
 
 Tbomas Bras3ey 
 
 Blodgott & Curry jShediac, New Brunswick... 
 
 Kreeft, Howard & Co i.Miildlpboro'-on-Teea 
 
 Clarke, Reeves & Co jPhiladeljihia 
 
 A. Beeker lAny port in Great Britain., 
 
 P. & W. McLellan jGlasgow 
 
 Detroit Iron Works j Montreal 
 
 American Bridge Co Chicago 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co New \ork 
 
 SPANS OF 60 FEET: TRACK ON TOP. 
 
 22 
 13 
 14 
 ]5 
 34 
 19 
 9 
 25 
 20 
 
 :!i 
 
 33 
 30 
 
 21 
 8 
 
 Fairbaim Engineering Co Liverpool, England 
 
 Westwood. liaillic & Co iLondon, do 
 
 John Walker [(ilasgow 
 
 Tliomas Hrassey Liverpool, England 
 
 Asiihurn Iron Co '■ do do 
 
 ('larke, Reeves k Co Philadelphia 
 
 Hopkins, Gilkes & Co Tees River 
 
 E. A Jones '. do 
 
 A. Becker jAny port in Great Britain. 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co j.N'ew York 
 
 John Cockerill Antwerji, Helgium 
 
 American Bridge Co |('hicago. 
 
 Price 
 
 per Span. 
 
 F.O.B. 
 
 $ cts. 
 
 2,537 00 
 2,r).'>7 00 
 2. (!;»,'? 00 
 2,8:>0 00 
 3, 1 '1)2 00 
 3,186 00 
 3,600 00 
 3,730 00 
 4,0u0 00 
 4.300 00 
 4,558 00 
 
 |U. & W. M^iellan ;(;iasgow... 
 
 I'alnier Iron Co Ou the Tyi 
 
 1,315 00 
 1,;U5 00 
 
 i,;?r)4 00 
 i,:«!t 00 
 i,-i:n 00 
 
 l,7:i'! 00 
 1,842 00 
 1,842 00 
 1,875 00 
 1,080 00 
 1,'J87 00 
 2,100 00 
 2,240 00 
 2,347 00 
 
 SPANS OP 60 FEET; TRACK ON BOTTOM. 
 
 1,860 00 
 
 2,227 00 
 
 2,265 00 
 
 2,299 00 
 
 ^,400 00 
 
 2,610 00 
 
 2,792 no 
 
 2,792 00 
 
 3,140 00 
 
 3,214 00 
 
 3,349 00 
 
 3,380 00 
 
 3,860 00 
 
 4,150 00 
 
 4,300 00 
 
 T- 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 2 
 
 32 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 22 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 31 
 
 7 
 
 19 
 
 8 
 
 20 
 
 9 
 
 30 
 
 10 
 
 21 
 
 N'ewcastle-on-Tyne 
 
 Sliediac, New Brunswick. 
 
 Liverpool, England 
 
 do do 
 
 Pease, Hutchinson & Co 
 
 Rlodgctt & Curry 
 
 Thos. Brassey....!: 
 
 Fairhairn Engineering Co 
 
 Kreeft, Howard k Co ;.\Iiddlehoro'-on-Tees. 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co iN'ew York 
 
 Clarke, Reeves k Co 'Philadelphia 
 
 A. Becker 'Any port in Great Britain. 
 
 American Bridge Co iChicago 
 
 P. & W. McLellan Glasgow 
 
 SPANS OF 50 FEET. 
 
 1 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 S 
 
 34 
 
 < 
 
 32 
 
 Fairhairn Engineering Co ....ifiiverpool, 
 
 John Walker [tilasgow 
 
 Westwood, Baillie & Co 
 
 Pease, Hutchinson k Co 
 
 Ashbury Iron Co 
 
 Blodgett k Curry 
 
 England. 
 
 London, England.. ., 
 Newcasile-on-Tyne .. 
 Liverpool, Etiglund.. 
 Shediac, N. B 
 
 lAc: 
 
 00 
 
 1,475 
 
 00 
 
 1,812 
 
 00 
 
 1,H26 
 
 00 
 
 1,885 
 
 00 
 
 2.211 
 
 00 
 
 2,2ii4 00 
 
 2,. -CO 
 
 00 
 
 2,150 
 
 00 
 
 2,1141 00 
 
 886 00 
 
 945 00 
 
 050 00 
 
 1,125 00 
 
 1,142 00 
 
 1,160 00 
 
F-^fir 
 
 «PA.VS OF r,0 FERT._C 
 
 Concluded. 
 
 |ijj A. Jones... 
 
 Clarke, iJeerea ACo 
 
 (^'•eefMiowarU &o"o 
 
 ir^si'^if'^^" ••.■■••:.■ 
 
 'ftlnipr Iron Co....";;.* 
 
 Tecs River. 
 
 do 
 
 p.'iiladelphia"; 
 
 Liverno,,! ^'ngiand.; 
 oil-Tees . 
 
 "Plffinni.... 
 
 mI^h??"'' '•'"gland 
 
 ••• iChicaj^o ,. 
 '••'Antwerp, 
 
 •• Xnv York 
 
 ••;<-.lasKow ;■■ 
 
 ••lOntheTj-ne......: 
 
 Prico 
 P'"'- Span, 
 
 % Ct3. 
 
 1,241 00 
 1,241 00 
 1,330 00 
 1,388 00 \ 
 1,4.12 00 
 1,490 00 
 1,502 00 
 1,505 00 
 1,719 00 
 1,812 00 
 
 SPANS OF 40 FEET. 
 
 iJ'': I 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 < 
 5 
 « 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 
 n 
 n 
 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 14 
 
 12 
 
 22 
 
 32 
 
 .'M 
 
 20 
 9 
 
 2.0 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 15 
 31 
 30 
 21 
 
 8 
 
 ilr'Sir" * Co 
 
 Jo'iii Cockeriil 
 
 4 all K. 1 
 
 es & Co... 
 
 lAshburv Iron Co. 
 
 |A. iJeeker 
 
 ("oi'kins, Gilkea" 
 
 I?; • .A. Jones 
 
 jUarke, Reeves kQ'r, 
 
 fjKL'te::^*^'-::::::;:;:::::: 
 
 t aimer Iron Co 
 
 ••••:^>wca8tle-on-Tj-ne 
 ••••Il'ondon, England".". 
 
 •••! Antwerp Belgin;;;::;;:- 
 
 ••• ^n^rpool, England... • 
 - -»n3 ort in Or ,x /iri 
 
 • • leeslJiver... 
 -I do 
 
 ••|P!'jia<iei{)iiia";;;;; 
 
 •• iMiddlehoro'-on.TeeV' 
 •:Ij-ve,.noo. England..::! 
 
 • j.^tw 1 ork 
 
 •;' liicaero.. 
 
 . (.ilasgow .... 
 
 On the Tvne"::."".::: '.■■■■•• 
 
 tnin., 
 
 477 00 
 570 00 
 584 00 
 633 00 
 750 00 
 840 00 
 856 00 
 1,000 00 
 1,023 00 
 1,023 00 
 1,050 00 
 1,057 00 
 1,144 00 
 1,237 50 
 1,300 00 
 1,320 00 
 1,461 00 
 
 
 SPANS OF 30 FEET 
 
 Pease, Hutchinson & Co 
 
 A Uecker 
 
 •yestwood, fJaillie'i'cV"'" 
 
 I Ashbury Iron Co 
 
 ilhomas Uras.^ey 
 
 ,John Coekerill 
 
 'iJ'-Pk'ns, Gillies A Co:;:. 
 
 «<• A. Jones 
 
 Watson iWannractiiVin^'co" 
 
 Pilif^ r ^'cLeilan 
 
 Palmer Iron Co 
 
 .;: !f*>^<'«8fle.on-Tjne 
 
 ■•:::::::::;G;a^^;^''^"^^"'^:.r.::::: 
 
 iHliediae, H q 
 
 f'.'^erpool, England 
 
 ■•••••::::iAS^''gf'"nd:;:;:;::::::; 
 :;jivS'J^7-"'-''^«^ •••••■••::: 
 
 do 
 
 j^'e^*^ ^'ork...,:,' 
 
 ^^'licago.. 
 
 '"iasgow 
 
 ••'On the Tvnc.:::::::::::;::: 
 
 M 
 
 307 00 
 316 00 
 310 00 
 360 00 
 3G5 00 
 425 00 
 655 00 
 619 00 
 600 00 
 6-13 00 
 730 00 
 730 00 
 850 00 
 880 00 
 925 00 
 1,217 00 
 
rv. 
 
 Prico 
 
 piT Span, 
 
 F.O.B. 
 
 cts. 
 
 00 
 00 
 
 $ 
 
 1,241 
 1,241 
 1,330 00 
 1,388 00 
 1,432 00 
 1,490 00 
 1,602 00 
 1,595 00 
 1,719 00 
 1,812 00 
 
 477 00 
 570 00 
 584 00 
 633 00 
 750 00 
 840 00 
 856 00 
 1,000 00 
 l,0i3 00 
 1,023 00 
 1,050 00 
 1,057 00 
 1,144 00 
 1,237 50 
 1,300 00 
 1,320 00 
 1,461 00 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 II 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 
 33 
 
 SPANS OF 21 FEET. 
 
 Number 
 
 of 
 Tender. 
 
 Name. 
 
 14 
 
 ]■; 
 
 io 
 
 2U 
 22 
 34 
 32 
 15 
 33 
 
 9 
 25 
 
 7 
 31 
 21 
 
 8 
 
 Port ol' Dclivi 
 
 ery. 
 
 John Wnlkcr |(51iir<pnw 
 
 Wi'Stwood, Bnillie k Co il/oiuioii, KnpclniHl 
 
 Peiise, iriitcliiiisoti i<: iUt 'NtnvL'iislli' on Tytu- 
 
 A. Bi'cker Aii)- purl in (iroat Hrittiin, 
 
 Fairbaini Kiiginecriiig V.o : liiverpudl, Hngluml 
 
 Ashbury Iron Ci> i do 
 
 Blodgett & Curry |Slifdiac, New Brunswick.. 
 
 Thomas Brasaey Iliiverpool, Engliind 
 
 John Cockerill ;Aatworp, liclKium 
 
 Hopkius, Gilkes& Co jTulv-i River 
 
 K. A.Jones do 
 
 Kreeft, Howard <fc Co jMiddlcburo'-on-Ti'es 
 
 Watson, Manufacturing Co :\ew Vurk 
 
 P. & W. McLfdlan iClasgow 
 
 Palmer Iron Co \0n the Tyne 
 
 Price 
 
 per Span, 
 
 P.O.B. 
 
 $ Ct3. 
 
 215 00 
 
 219 00 
 
 239 00 
 
 250 00 
 
 253 00 
 
 346 50 
 
 380 00 
 
 399 00 
 
 400 00 
 
 438 00 
 
 438 00 
 
 626 00 
 
 C72 00 
 
 750 00 
 
 877 00 
 
 In comparing tendovs for su])ply and erection it. would be of little use to taka 
 ipans separately, us there iH no possibility that the partios te^ndoring would be preparoil 
 ;o Bend out men and imploniunts for putlinii; in place a siii;,'lc bridge or a limited 
 umber of bridges unless at an advance on their tondor j)riceH. 
 
 I think the bewt way i.s to group all tho smaller spans logefhor and money them 
 tut at the rates given in each tender. ^I'hoi'e i.i a ditliii-ence between tho coat of a 
 ridge with the track on the top and oiio with the track on the bottom, but m only 
 ne tender 'XiyoH the price for botii in all tli<> dilVerent spans, 1 am obliged, in order to 
 ilace all tho tenders on Ihc same footing in the following comparison, to overlook 
 'lo spans with the track on bottom and assinno all to have tho track on top. This 
 ill not materially afl'oct the total amounts, and it is the only way in which a proper 
 lomparison can bo made. 
 
 Spans of 100 feet and under — Enrtion inchukd. 
 
 TENDER No. 1.— CAMPBELL, JOIIN.STOX k ('o. LONDON, ENGLAND. 
 
 ho 
 
 307 00 
 316 00 
 310 00 
 360 00 
 305 00 
 425 00 
 655 00 
 619 00 
 600 00 
 643 00 
 730 00 
 730 00 
 850 00 
 880 00 
 925 00 
 1,217 00 
 
 31 Spans of 100 feet 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 80 
 
 do 
 
 19 
 
 do 
 
 00 
 
 do 
 
 22 
 
 do 
 
 60 
 
 do 
 
 21 
 
 do 
 
 40 
 
 do 
 
 5 
 
 do 
 
 30 
 
 do 
 
 2 
 
 do 
 
 24 
 
 do 
 
 Total. 
 
 Rate. 
 
 •i,;;oi 
 
 1,010 
 
 (i'j:! 
 
 00 
 00 
 00 
 00 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 •wo 00 
 
 Amount. 
 
 383,307 00 
 13.910 00 
 4'J,f)j 00 
 Xi.'JM 00 
 
 2i,«io no 
 
 3,40.") OO 
 OJO 00 
 
 $530,455 00 
 
 I r5 
 
i f 
 
 84 
 
 TENDER No. 14.— JOHN WALKER, LONDON, ONTARIO. 
 
 Ml 
 
 Cl Simns of 100 feet 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 80 
 
 do 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 60 
 
 do 
 
 22 
 
 do 
 
 50 
 
 do 
 
 21 
 
 do 
 
 40 
 
 do 
 
 6 
 
 do 
 
 30 
 
 do 
 
 2 
 
 do 
 
 24 
 
 do 
 
 Totol. 
 
 6,;!8T 00 
 
 380, U07 00 
 
 6,ii;i 00 
 
 .')],130 00 
 
 '2,0(17 00 
 
 30.273 00 
 
 i,-iia 00 
 
 31,746 00 
 
 oTO 00 
 
 18, '270 00 
 
 MT) 00 
 
 ^..'m.") 00 
 
 :rJH 00 
 
 t;5(i 00 
 
 
 $033,257 00 
 
 
 TENDER No. 19.— CLARKE, REEVES & CO., PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 
 61 
 10 
 19 
 22 
 21 
 
 2 
 
 JO 
 it 
 :'2 
 :'.i 
 
 spans of 100 feet 
 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 80 do 
 
 60 do 
 
 50 do 
 
 40 do 
 
 30 do (say^ 
 
 24 do (say) 
 
 Totftl. 
 
 5,097 00 
 4,088 oO 
 2,a28 00 
 2,356 00 
 2,014 00 
 1,920 00 
 740 00 
 
 310,017 00 
 40,880 00 
 65,633 00 
 51,832 00 
 42,294 00 
 4,630 00 
 1,480 00 
 
 $507,665 00 
 
 TENDER No. 22.— FAIRBAIRN ENGINEERING CO., MANCHESTER. 
 
 spans 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 of 
 
 100 
 80 
 60 
 50 
 40 
 30 
 24 
 
 Total 
 
 feet 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 61 
 
 BTISUI.S 
 
 of 100 
 
 10 
 
 do 
 
 80 
 
 19 
 
 du 
 
 (iO 
 
 22 
 
 do 
 
 r.o 
 
 21 
 
 do 
 
 40 
 
 5 
 
 do 
 
 30 
 
 '2 
 
 do 
 
 24 
 
 feet 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 do 
 
 Tot 111. 
 
 4,709 00 
 2,834 00 
 1,019 00 
 1,383 00 
 1,023 00 
 463 00 
 370 00 
 
 TENDER No. A.— R. JAS. REEKIE, MONTREAL. 
 
 7,425 00 
 
 4, .500 00 
 
 3,000 00 
 
 2,100 00 
 
 1,700 00 
 
 800 00 
 
 620 00 
 
 287,249 00 
 28,3-10 00 
 36,461 00 
 30,426 00 
 21,483 00 
 2,315 00 
 740 00 
 
 $407,014 00 
 
 452,025 00 
 45,000 00 
 57,000 00 
 46,200 00 
 35,700 00 
 4,000 00 
 1,240 00 
 
 $642,( 65 00 
 
35 
 
 I'Arao. 
 
 Anioiiiit. 
 
 
 
 380, (JOT 00 
 
 J 
 
 .11,130 00 
 
 
 
 a9,27;{ 00 
 
 1 
 
 31,7-16 0(1 
 
 ) 
 
 18,L'7() 00 
 
 ) 
 
 '2.'>ir) 0(1 
 
 ) 
 
 (>5(; 00 
 
 
 §r'33,:i07 00 
 
 LPIIIA. 
 
 310,i)17 00 
 40,880 00 
 55,63a 00 
 51,832 00 
 42,294 00 
 4,630 00 
 1,480 00 
 
 $507,665 00 
 
 HESTER. 
 
 287,249 00 
 28,340 00 
 36,461 00 
 30,426 00 
 21,483 00 
 2,315 00 
 740 00 
 
 §407,014 00 
 
 452,925 00 
 45,000 00 
 57,000 00 
 46,200 00 
 35,700 00 
 4,000 00 
 1,240 00 
 
 $642,( 66 00 
 
 Tlio tcndors for fiirniMliinij and orectin;? all tho smnllor Hnans, viz: — Tlioso of 
 100 foet and niidor, appoiir iVoin tlio fbro^'oiii^ to Htand in tho roUowin^ order with 
 ro)*poct t(» amount : — 
 
 Tender No. 22, Tlio Fnirliairn Engineering Company.... $407,014 
 
 19, Clurkc. I{oeves&(V) 507,(JG5 
 
 1, Cainplitili. Johnston it (!o 630,455 
 
 " 14. .Tohn Walker 533,257 
 
 A. 1{. .Ian. Jteekio (542,0(15 
 
 In thi^ case ;hei'(> can lie '.'■(> (luo.sdon as to No. 22 hoini; tho most eligible 
 tender. 
 
 Spans ok 200 feet. 
 
 'IMiere are tliroo hridi^'e^ to hiivo spans of 200 feet, namely, tho Rostigouche, fivo 
 spans, thi' Nortii-west ,\liraniichi. live spans, and the South-west Miramichi, wix 
 spans, 7nukin<^ sixteen >i)aiis in all. 
 
 1'iif variou-i i)laiis ol' hridgos ;^idimitted may bo divided into two clasHos, which 
 to disliiiij;uisli thoni may ho designated " Pin" and "Riveted" bridi^OH. 
 
 The tenders for delivery IVee on board, of those sixteon sjjans come in tho 
 followin;.^ order, bei^innin^- with the lowest. 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 No. of 
 Tender. 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 15 
 
 ;!t 
 
 20 
 
 ,R 
 
 'A\ 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 32 
 
 23 
 
 17 
 
 19 
 
 21 
 
 33 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 22 
 
 12 
 
 18 
 
 31 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 Darlington Iron Co.^ liivorpool 
 
 Patent Shaft Co., Liveniool or Lon(!on , 
 
 Phajni.f EnRinfcring Works, Liverpool 
 
 Tliomag Hra^sey k Co., Liverpool 
 
 Ashbury Iron Co., Liverpool 
 
 Kellogg Bfidgn Co , BtifTalo 
 
 Hoxall A Hiirpic, Ht. Joiin, X. B 
 
 A. Ik'C'ltcr, any port in (iieat Britain 
 
 Pease, HutehiiHon k Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
 
 Lewis & Stookwell, Lomloii 
 
 ilJlodgett & Ciirrv, Siu'iliae, N. B.. 
 
 Chas. .Macdonalil, Philadflphia 
 
 Tlionias Evans, Liver|H)ol 
 
 Clark, Reeves A Go, Pliiladelpliia 
 
 P. &W. MoLellan, Glasgow 
 
 John Cockorill, Aiitwer|i, Belgium , 
 
 Hopkins, (Jilkes u Co., Tees River 
 
 Tohn Walker, (ilasgow 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Co., Manchester 
 
 Wcstwood.'liailiie & Co., London 
 
 Detroit Bridge and Iron Works, Montreal 
 
 Watson Manuliicturing Co., ,\ew York 
 
 McNairy & Claflen, Cleveland , 
 
 American Bridge Co., Chicago 
 
 Pin. 
 
 S 
 
 168,640 
 163,496 
 
 213,248 
 223,680 
 
 238,500 
 242,080 
 
 243,852 
 
 315,675 
 3.33,100 
 350,060 
 387,160 
 
 Riroted. 
 
 144,024 
 
 169,283 
 183,314 
 
 223,328 
 
 229,348 
 236,955 
 
 242,176 
 
 244,206 
 248,640 
 27.5,610 
 276,720 
 289,940 
 297,998 
 
 On carefully oxaminin<:j the plans, and investigatint^ ovor3'thing connected there- 
 with, I am of o])inion that the tender <>f Pease, llutchin.son & Co., of Newcastle, 
 England, is the lowest that should bo adopted. 
 
 Tho plans of all lower tenders are objectionable in their present form. 
 
 5-1 
 
I 
 
 M 
 
 Willi ro^'ni'd to tlio tondov.H whicli inoludo orootion comploto in place, I find thoyl 
 stand in tlu« followini,' onic;- iK'^iiiiiiiii,^ willi llic lowoht. 
 
 (M! 
 
 I'l.l'.j 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 If) 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 No. of 
 Tender 
 
 23 
 
 32 
 
 B 
 
 VJ 
 20 
 2H 
 31 
 29 
 A 
 IH 
 22 
 "l 
 30 
 27 
 11 
 25 
 17 
 
 Pin. 
 
 Clins. Maodonnlil A Co., New Voik 
 
 l{l(i(lf;ctt .V ('iirry, I'.DStim 
 
 linxiill iir.il liiiriu'i', Hi. John, New Pninswick 
 
 (Miirkc, ItiTvcs & Co., Pliiliidcliiliia 
 
 A. IJcckrr, MoiitnMil 
 
 K. II. WiMVcll, N;w York 
 
 WiitHoii .MiiMiiriiitiiiiiij; »^ Co., I'lUtcrsoii, Nt'W Jersey 
 
 .Mc.Niiii'y it Oliilli'M, Cli'vi'liuiil 
 
 II. Jiu-i.ttctkic, .^l lint I I'll I 
 
 Di'trnit liriil'.,'!' k Irmi Wiok-i, Detroit 
 
 Fiiirbiiini Kiiffineiriiig Cii., .NiiiiirlK':(ter 
 
 (yiiiiil)l)i'll, .JiiTinsldii .V ("o.. Liiiidon 
 
 Anicrionti Iiriilfi;i' Co., CliiciiKo 
 
 0. yiiiilor Kiiiitli, Hiiltiiunrc 
 
 Jnhn Wiilkvr, LuihIoii, (•iitiirio 
 
 K. A. Ji)iie.<, Lomloiiderry, .N'uvn Scotia 
 
 Tiioinns Kvniis, IJclievilie, Ontario 
 
 276,672 
 297,000 
 
 309,362 
 .347,950 
 351,830 
 363,900 
 386,653 
 
 Riveted. 
 
 387,496 
 
 426,461 
 432,910 
 
 $ 
 
 299,413 
 
 385,926 ^;| 
 
 415,626 
 423,316 
 
 468,196 
 469,640 
 407,280 
 
 Taking the vhim of luiduos ,i;i\ cmi in tlio fii'st column, doHignated tho Pin Bridge, 
 I have, at'tor u ciU'cl'iil iir, osiiu'iitinn inlo llio niorilH of the variouB plans Yhich 
 accompany the tenders, jinivod :tt tho conclusion that they stand in the following 
 order, boKinniiiir with wha 
 
 may bo considered tho best 
 
 Tender No. 27, C Sluiier Huiilb, Haltinioro. 
 
 " HI, AVuisoii MaiiiitiK'turin^ ('omjjany, Pattcson, N. J. 
 30, American Hridge Co., Chicago. 
 IS, I ctici; l)ii(lgc and Iron Works, Detroit. 
 1!», (.'larko, Eeoves ^ Co.. Philadelphia. 
 21>, iMcNairv & Clatlen, Cleveland. 
 
 2(1, Kcli..!;- 'Brid-e Co.. Butfalo. . . 
 
 32, Bloiliictl i\; Curry. I'osion. 
 3, V:\Umi Slitii't Co., Livcriiool. 
 ((, I'hix'uix Knginecriiig Works, Liverpool. 
 23, Ciins. Macdonald. Now York. 
 20, A. 15ec!cor, Montreal. 
 The five last would iv|uiie altciai:'>n and additional material to fit them for u.so. 
 The riveted bridges, in my o|)inic)n, stand in tho following order of merit: — 
 
 Tender No. 22, Farlairn Engineering Com])any, Manchester. 
 1, Camjibcli. .lohnston & Co., London. 
 14, John Walker, London, Ont. 
 25, E. A. Jones, Londonderry, N. S. 
 
 A, J{. Jas b'eokie, ^lontrcal. 
 
 B, JioxalU*c l^urpee, St. John, N. B. 
 
 
 i 
 
 n 
 (( 
 li 
 
 I have no hesitation in saying that my opinion is very much in favor of the best 
 of tho riveted bridges as compared Avith thehe.st of the pin bridges. 
 
 For tho infninialion of the Commissioners, I think it is ])roper that I should 
 allude to the weigh t.i of iron inlentled (o be placed in the bridges according to the 
 several tenders, and the designs which accompany them, and in presenting this infor- 
 mation I do not me;ui il to bo undevsio<xi that the strength and value of a bridge depends 
 
Pin. 
 
 270,672 
 297,000 
 
 oin place, I nndthoyHn all cmoh mainly on the woiijht of material om|)l()ye(l in its cimstrnction; on tho 
 
 contrary, of two bridges tlui liKiivioHt may iiavc its m^voi-iiI incinlioi's so unskillfully 
 
 [arranged and bad ly proportioned lliiit the llulitcht may rciiilT Ik- tlio stron>,a'Nt and 
 
 imost durublo of tlio two; Iml wlicii we t:ikt' lirid^is o( tlir -anio or vciy similar 
 
 design, conKtructod ol'niatrrials of oijual (pialily, and assume lliat a!l the parts huvo 
 
 Ibeen well proportioned in each ou.so, tli(> wciLclits oCspan will ^ivo a toli'ralily correct 
 
 a of the relative streii/^tli and vahio of cadi. 
 
 Tho weights per span and tho total wcii;lit of iion in the sixteen spans arc pre- 
 
 inted in the following lists (as far as asc«'rlainc(l) and to enable the ('ommissioncrs 
 
 fctill further to jitdge. tlici total amounts of tlic lender ai'e divide<l by ilie total weights 
 
 in each case, thus giving the j»riee per ton. 
 
 Riveted. 
 
 309,362 
 347,960 
 351,830 
 363,900 
 385,663 
 
 f 
 
 299,413 
 
 387,496 
 
 426,461 
 432,910 
 
 386,93S 
 
 418,635 
 423,316 
 
 468,195 
 469,640 
 497,280 
 
 jated the Pin Bridge, 
 various plans yhich 
 tand in the following 
 
 N.J. 
 
 to fit them for use. 
 •der of merit :— 
 
 iter. 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 Two iruNDRED 1'eet Spans, F. O. H. 
 Tenders arranged according to Price per Ton. 
 
 No. 
 
 No. of 
 Tender. 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 
 21 
 
 J 
 
 C 
 
 4 
 
 14 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 22 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 33 
 
 Name. 
 
 A 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 13 
 
 26 
 
 14 
 
 B 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 
 16 
 
 32 
 
 17 
 
 26 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 30 
 
 21 
 
 29 
 
 22 
 
 81 
 
 Darlington Iron Co , 
 
 P. A W. McLellan I 
 
 Wm. Thompaon & Co , 
 
 John Walker , 
 
 I'ciise, Hutchinson k Co 
 
 Patent Shaft Co 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Co 
 
 Westwood, Baillie Co 
 
 John Oockerill 
 
 R. Jas. Reekie j 
 
 Lewis & Stockwell j 
 
 Hoiikins, (}ilkc,^ k Co 
 
 E. A. Jones 
 
 Boxall & Burpee 
 
 A. Be»ker 
 
 Blodgett & Curry 
 
 Kellop Bridge Co 
 
 Detroit Iron Works 
 
 Clarke, Reeves & Co 
 
 American Brifigo Co 
 
 McNairy & Claflcii 
 
 Watson Manufacturing Co 
 
 Weight in Tons. 
 
 Per Si)an. 
 
 Ifi Hpan^. 
 
 Amount of 
 Tender, 
 F.O.I!. 
 
 Price per ton, F. 0. B. 
 
 161 
 
 2S5r( 
 
 183.1 
 •2i:! 
 
 202 
 137 
 214} 
 
 ^^r)^> 
 
 20Ci 
 
 140 
 
 14» 
 
 186} 
 
 199 
 
 221 
 
 221 
 
 140 
 
 l:!8 
 
 i; 
 
 10 
 
 140 
 
 101 
 
 144 A 
 
 ]28,\ 
 
 lluj 
 
 mi 
 
 10»| 
 
 2,r)rr. 
 
 4,110 
 
 2,018 
 
 8, H8.W 
 
 3,2:ii: 
 
 2,19« 
 8,'.U2 
 4,0(»0 
 3,304 
 
 2,25.5 
 
 3,041 
 3,.'):ir, 
 
 2,240 
 2,208 
 
 2,m\ 
 
 1,748 
 2,240 
 1,01G 
 2,312 
 2,o.')(j 
 1,772 
 
 
 144,024 
 
 244,206 
 
 1. ■in, 17.5 
 27<),720 
 •.:r.«..348 
 i •,.'^.,540 
 281*, (140 
 •.':»7,098 
 •J48,(i40 
 
 160,283 
 
 L'.30,0r).5 '. 
 275,010 |. 
 
 i;75.i;i(» i. 
 
 228,828 I. 
 
 '-'23.(i80 I 
 
 l!.8H,5uO I 
 
 21. ■1.248 ! 
 
 31,5,075 ' 
 
 248.852 : 
 
 ;!8'(,100 I 
 
 85ii,(i(;i) I 
 ;i88,100 
 
 Pin. 
 
 Riveted. 
 
 
 56 00 
 
 
 69 00 
 
 
 64 50 
 
 
 71 00 
 
 
 
 72 00 
 
 71 00 
 74 00 
 
 
 74 50 
 
 
 75 00 
 
 
 
 75 00 
 
 101 00 
 
 lis 00 
 122 00 
 141 00 
 
 l.M 00 
 107 00 
 ITO 00 
 188 00 
 
 78 00 
 
 78 00 
 
 78 00 
 
 100 00 
 
 1 favor of the best 
 
 per 
 
 that I should 
 according to the 
 onting this infor- 
 'a bridge depends 
 
il 
 
 ! 
 
 ifiii 
 
 
 pi ! 
 
 i. ■ 
 
 f 
 
 IN 
 
 III' 
 
 Ml 
 
 88 
 
 200 FBET SPANS, ERSOTION INOLUDSD. 
 
 Tenders an-anged according to Price per Ton. 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 r> 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 
 No. of 
 Tons. 
 
 22 
 14 
 1 
 25 
 B 
 33 
 20 
 
 18 
 19 
 31 
 
 Name. 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Go. 
 
 John Walker 
 
 Campbell, Johnston k Co , 
 
 E. A. Jones 
 
 Boxall & Burpee 
 
 Hlodgctt & Curry 
 
 A. Becker 
 
 R. Jas. Reekie 
 
 Detroit Iron Works 
 
 Clarke, Reeves & Co 
 
 W., ion Manufacturing Co 
 
 Weight in Tons. 
 
 Per 
 Span. 
 
 244} 
 
 243 
 
 210 
 
 221 
 
 140 
 
 126} 
 
 138 
 
 140 
 
 143 
 
 140 
 
 101 
 
 llOf 
 
 16 Spa9S 
 
 3,912 
 3,888 
 3,360 
 3,636 
 2,240 
 2,024 
 2,208 
 
 2,255 
 
 2,240 
 1,616 
 
 1,772 
 
 
 416,626 
 468,195 
 423,316 
 469,640 
 299,413 
 297,000 
 347,950 
 
 385,925 
 
 387,495 
 309,352 
 363,900 
 
 Price per Ton, 1 
 Erected. 
 
 Pin. 
 
 Riveted 
 
 
 loe 
 
 
 118 
 
 
 126 
 
 
 133 
 
 
 133 
 
 147 00 
 167 60 
 
 171 
 
 173 00 
 191 00 
 205 00 
 
 I trust the foi-ogoinjo; information will be sufficient to enable the Commissioners! 
 and the Government to make a selection from the Tenders submitted without difficulty.! 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Signed,) 
 
 Sandford Fleming, 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
 No. 16. 
 
 Intercolonial Railmat, 
 
 Office of the Chief Engineer, 
 
 Ottawa, May 11th, 1871. 
 C. S. Ross, Esq., Secretary. 
 
 Sir, — In accord .anco with your verbal message sent over this morning, I submit j 
 the following respecting the Bridge Tenders : — 
 
 1st. A comparison of the Fairbairn prices with my own estimate for spans of 
 100 foot and 80 feet. 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Oo.'s Prices. 
 
 Chief Engineer's Estimate. 
 
 Number and length of Spans. 
 
 Rate. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 Number and length of Spans. 
 
 Rate. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 61 spans of 100 feet :— 
 
 25 through bridges 
 
 36 deck do 
 
 10 spans of 80 feet :— 
 
 8 through bridcres 
 
 $ 
 
 5,941 
 4,709 
 
 3,670 
 2,834 
 
 148,526 
 169,524 
 
 29,360 
 5,668 
 
 61 anans of 100 feet 
 
 $ 
 5,600 
 
 3,750 
 
 $ 
 341,600 
 
 10 annns of 80 feet 
 
 37,600 
 
 Total 
 
 
 2 deck do 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 $353,077 
 
 $379,100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
^"**-. 
 
 Ton. 
 
 . 
 
 AmooDt of j 
 Tender, 
 erected, j 
 
 Price per Ton, 
 Ereoted. 
 
 IS 
 
 Pin. 
 
 Riveted, 
 loe 
 
 118 
 126 
 133 
 133 
 
 171 
 
 
 415,625 
 468,196 
 423,316 
 469,640 
 299,413 
 297,000 
 347,950 
 
 385,925 
 
 387,495 
 309,352 
 363,900 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "wfoo" 
 
 157 50 
 
 
 173 00 
 191 00 
 205 00 
 
 ble the Commisaionersl 
 itted without diflaculty.f 
 
 DPORD FlKMINO, 
 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
 F Enqineer, 
 May 11th, IStl. 
 
 8 morning, I submit I 
 stimate for spans of 
 
 r's Estimate. 
 
 89 
 
 The Fairbairn prices appear to bo $26,023 lower than my own estimate for these 
 ipanis. 
 
 2nd. The tenders ibr spans of 100 foot and 80 feet, including erection, ai'o as 
 toUows : — 
 
 Tender No. 1 . — Campbell, Johnston & Co., London, England. 
 
 61 Spans of 100 foot, at $6,287 SSBSjSO'? 
 
 10 Spans of 80 feet, at 84,391 43,910 
 
 Total 8427,41T 
 
 Tender No. 14. — John Walker, London, Ont. 
 
 61 Spans of 100 feet, aL $6,387 $389,607 
 
 10 Spans of 80 feet, at $5,113 51,130 
 
 Total $440,737 
 
 Tender No. 19.— Clarke, Reeves & Co., Philadelphia. 
 
 61 Spans of 100 foot, at $5,097 $310,917 
 
 10 Spans of 80 feet, at $4,088...., 40,880 
 
 Total $351,797 
 
 Tender No. 22. — Fairbaii'n Engineering Co., Manchester. 
 
 61 Spans of 100 feet, at $4,709 $287,249 
 
 10 Spans of 80 feet, at $2,834 28,340 
 
 Total $315,589 
 
 Tender No. A. — R. Jas. Reekie, Montreal. 
 
 61 Spans of 100 feet, at $7,425 $452,925 
 
 10 Spans of 80 fool, at $4,500 45,000 
 
 • 
 
 Total $497,925 
 
 These tenders for the 100 feet and 80 feet spans only, staml in the following 
 order with respect to price — Erection included: — 
 
 , Tender No. 22.— Fairbairu Engineering Co $315,589 
 
 " 19.— Clarke, Reeves & Co 351,797 
 
 " 1. — Campbell, Johnston & Co 427,417 
 
 " 14. — John Walker 440,737 
 
 " A.— R. Jas. Reekie 497,925 
 
 3rd. Tenders embracing the 200 feet, the 100 feet, and the 80 feet spans stand 
 in the following order with respect to T^rwa— -Erection included :— 
 
 Tender No. 19.— Clarke, Reeves & Co $661,149 
 
 " 22. — Fairbairn Engineering Co 731,214 
 
 " 1.— Campbell, Johnston & Co 850,732 
 
 " A.— R. Jas. Reekie 883,950 
 
 " 14.— John Walker 898,950 
 
 With respect to merit 1 am decidedly of opinion that Tender No. 22 stands in 
 the fii'st position. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Signed,) Sandpord Fleming. 
 
 Chief Engineer. 
 
40 
 
 ll I 
 
 I 
 
 u 
 
 lis 
 
 f'S 
 
 ■ ! 1 
 
 li-'M' ! 
 
 ■fir 
 
 I'l ! 
 
 \m 
 
 I I ! 
 i 
 
 No. n. 
 
 Report of the Commissioners to the Honorable the Privy Council. 
 
 Ottawa, 11th May, 18tl. 
 
 Tlio Commissioners for the construction of the Intercolonial Eailway, have j 
 to report to the Governor in Council upon tenders for iron bridges, which were duly 
 advertised. 
 
 Thivtj'-six tenders were received as per list appended hereto. 
 
 Two reports from the Chief Engineer of date 5th and 11th instant, were also 
 received, of which copies are also appended. 
 
 In accordance with the Order in Council of date 19th January, 18*71, tenders 
 were asked for all bridged of upwards of 60 feet span. These include: — 
 
 16 spans of 200 feet. 
 61 " of 100 " 
 10 « of 80 " 
 
 Tenders ^vere invited for either free on board, or erected in place. 
 
 Two tenders were received for all the bridges erected in place, and the Com- 
 missioners are of opinion that it would not be desirable to accept tenders free on 
 board, and have to encounter the cost and risk and delay of bringing the parts to the 
 different point-s of crootion and constructing them at the risk of the Government. 
 
 In other respects the most satisfactory tendei-s ai-e those for the bridges erected 
 in place. 
 
 Dealing with tenders *' in place," the following is the result, viz : — 
 
 200 ft. ipan. 100, & 80 ft. span. Total. 
 
 Campbell, Johnston, ct Co, $423,316 $427,411 $850,'733 
 
 John AValker 416,688 440,737 857,425 
 
 Ciarko,Kocvcs cSt Co, 309,352 351,797 661,149 
 
 Fairbairn Engineering Co, 415,625 315,589 731,214 
 
 E. J. Eeekie 385,925 497,925 983,850 
 
 * The Commissioners are of opinion that it will be most economical to divide the 
 contract, giving 2U0 feet span bridges to one firm, and the 100, and 80 feet span 
 bridges to another firm. 
 
 They therelbro recommend that the tender of Messrs Clarke, Eeoves & Co., be 
 accepted for l(i spans ol' 200 feet, at the price of $309,352, erected in place, and that 
 the tender of the Eairbairn Engineering Co. be accepted for the 61 spans of 100 
 feet, and for the ten 80 I'ect spans at the price of $315,589 for the whole erected in 
 place. • 
 
 This will make the total cost of the 87 spans, ordered by Councd, to be tendered 
 
 for, $624,941. 
 
 The bridges to be made and erected by the Fairbairn Engineering Company, 
 will be of the English Lattice Truss, and those to bo erected by Messrs. Clarke, 
 Keeves k Co., are" known jus the American Pratt Truss, which has been in suc- 
 cessful use lor many years in tlie United States, and is now being very extensively 
 
 erected there. , , . « .i 
 
 The Comm issicjners have also been requested to report upon a letter Irom the 
 Chief Engineer of date 6th May, on the subject of the bridges of sixty feet span and 
 
 under. i n xi 
 
 It appears that he asked foi- tenders for these smaller bridges, and nearly all the 
 parties who tendered for the other bridges have sent tenders for these also. 
 
 They consist of 19 spans of 60 feet. 
 
 22 " 50 " 
 
 21 " 40 " 
 
 5 " 30 " 
 
 2 " 24 " 
 
«■■ 
 
 ivy Council. 
 , 11th May, 1871. 
 )lonial Eailway, have 
 ?e8, which were duly 
 
 to. 
 
 th instant, were also 
 
 Mary, 18^1, tenders 
 nclude : — 
 
 place. 
 
 >Iace, and the Com- 
 opt tenders free on 
 ?ing the parts to the 
 the Government, 
 the bridges erected 
 
 viz : — 
 
 «• Total. 
 
 «850,'733 
 857,425 
 661,149 
 731,214 
 
 983,850 
 
 ical to divide the 
 and 80 feet span 
 
 Beeves & Co., bo 
 n place, and that 
 
 61 spans of 100 
 whole erected in 
 
 cil, to be tendered 
 
 Bering Company, 
 y Messrs. Clarke, 
 has been in suc- 
 vory extensively 
 
 a letter from the 
 ^ty i'eet span and 
 
 d nearly all the 
 
 >c also. 
 
 The teudoi's for th« alHjve sixty-uiiu! s)uin«i, t}j*e»'ti;i| iii pla^'c, art; an tullows : 
 
 Cfimpbell, .Tulinston & Co j51l);»,03i! 
 
 John Walker. !I2 "ii^o 
 
 Clarke, KeevoH k Co ir)5,><(;S 
 
 Fairbiiirn Engiiiefriu<r (.'o 1,425 
 
 E. J. lieekie. 1-U.UO 
 
 Tbe Commissioners looking at tlie h.mall amount involved in ili^so Iti'idgcs. and 
 lo tho.fa< t that a consideraMe q^uautily ofmitsonrv will k- saved Ity tlioir auoptiou. 
 re<'omiu«ind that tlie lender oi' the Kairbairn Knirim-i rirur <'utii|»miy. i'nr thk' sum of 
 191.425, be accepted. 
 
 The tot:il (.os* ofull (he bridges erocfed in jjlitce will be J<71fi.3G(i. ' 
 
 The tender8" of the F.'iirbairii Hliiuineeriug <. 'uni pa iiy. and oi" ^\re-si-*. Clarke. 
 ieveiSct Co., are tbe lowest in each ease, aiid the well known I'Opu la lion of these 
 rms, inid the large quantity o( bridge work whit-h tbcv etctled anrl m-e now enga- 
 ged in erecting, enables the Commissioners to tepurt with entire eoiilidenee aa to 
 their skill, eixperiouee and resources tor the execution of tlie ^vork. 
 
 (Siguefl.) A. W'AJ.sii. 
 
 C .J, liHYlHiKH, 
 
 «■ ' ' ■ 
 
 .\... 18. 
 
 I Copy of a Re/^iort of a CuUimitUe of tK< UonorahU thr Vricy fiAnvU, <ii>/'roved ly His 
 Excdleney tht Governor (imnnil in ('ounril ov th- \'lHi. .17''//, IHTl. 
 
 I The Cuinijiitteo of (Viuiieil have liad undej- consideralion tiie fitine.\'ed report 
 I from the Commissioners foi* the constrn<'tion of tlie Inleiroloiiial Uailway. iimlerdute 
 of. 11th Ma}', 1871, submitting a list of teiadei-s I'l'L-i.-ivel Cur the t.o-.isti-uiti(jn of iron 
 I brklges on tiial line. un;i on tho recomniendaticiii of ilv.' Ui'niii.nM.- the Minister of 
 Piibiie Works, they respectfully advise that the temlers of Me-^i-. CiaiUo, lleeve.'i Hi, 
 Co., for sixteon spans of JOO feet, erected in place, for tho sum of S;iU'.>,;552 ; and that of 
 the Fairbairn Engineering Compiiiiy for tlie bridije-* ol' sixty one sj>;uis of ](I0 feet, 
 and the.ten bridges of eighty feet span, for S.'il5.5^'..>, tiie whuie t/rected in jdace, be 
 acoepte<J. Also, that the tender of the above-mentioned Faiibairu Fngint-ering Com- 
 pany, for ihii bridges of sixty feet .i pan and under, lor the sum "of $U1. 425, be alio 
 accepted, as buggeated in tho said annexed report. 
 
 Certiticd. 
 
 , W. A. IT) MS WORTH, 
 
 Clerh, Frivij (Jourt/cU, 
 
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