Ceremonies Mark Beginning of Construction: New Chekiang Structure of Greatest Importance rose Oon Secs. Comsaronsert Hangchow, Nov. 11.
By inserting a pot ina concrete been mark, thus formally sewing! the contre me, the throwing open of the totus' of the puo-anying musenine, and the \urning of the rst Spaue of earth, the work on the Covenang iver Bridge, rivaling, Hot oversnacowing the Lamous Yellow iver priage on me Tientsin-PuKow Ranway in importance and magnituae, began at ZaKnou, Mangenow, tha morning.
Suit uncer Chinese supervision, with we Cornell University graduates Slrechng operations, me structure whicn will be completed in a year a hair wilt be aouoie-decked, tne Gest of iis "type an Coina, with a Towa Tengin of 490 feet, exciuaing. approatnes, the bridge naids tne Key posaion in commun.cations, one of ats Suistanaing features being tne pro> vision Zor adequate prove tion from he military stanapo.nt.
"rhe se tuns then up by the Chinese authorities 4s in deuance of a feurse which, according to legend, was. put on the river by me famous "Eight Fairies. who did not wish a briaye to be built across il, Hundreds of Attempts Were made, soit 1s 5 But none ever succeeded. This legend believed to have arisen out of the great physical duficulties which confronted tne. would-be builders in times gone by.
Messrs. Dorman, Long & Ca. (steel), Messrs. A. Corrit (foundation), anc the Eastern Asia Ca. and Hsin Hong Ca. (approaches).
The bridge, which will have 16 spans of 220° feet each, fas a total hhelght of about 230" feet at the} deepest pair made up as follows: 35 between the upper and lows deck Moors; 30 feet from the lowe: deck to the water surface; water Surface to river bed, approximately 25 feet; river bed to' bottom of pier 40 feet; base of pier to bottom of pile 100 feet.
'A distinguishing feature of the new Structure sits all-round. uti. ity, it having been planned not only for domestic and commercial pur. poses, but also for national defence Tis' pointed out that in case invasion by enemy bombers, the oilway' tracks will have adequate] protection by the upper deck whicn Will be of reinforced conerete, The! spans being of equal size, it would be an easy matter to float one >i the end spans to take the place any one damaged...
cate the obstacles present ing this bridge, boring opera" Hons up to date have reached depth of 140 feet _on the south side without striking rock. On the north] side it was struck at a depth of 70 feet. Six piers are sunk matic caisson and nine
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.