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The Quebec Bridge is a Canadian bridge. It is the largest cantilever bridge in the world and crosses the lower Saint Lawrence River west of Quebec City, Quebec. The Quebec Bridge is a riveted steel-truss structure and is 3239 feet long, 94 feet wide, and 340 feet high. It presently accommodates both three highway lanes, one rail traffic line, and two pedestrian walkways. At one time it also carried a streetcar line. Each cantilever span is 580 feet long.The Quebec Bridge is owned by the Canadian National Railway.
1 History
1.1 The collapse of August 29, 1907
Before the Quebec Bridge was built, the only way to travel from the south shore of the St. Lawrence in Levis to the north shore at Quebec City was to take a ferry. By the 1890s, a bridge was needed. A March 1897 article in the Quebec Morning Chronicle noted:
- The bridge question has again been revived after many years of slumber, and business men in Quebec seem hopeful that something will come of it, though the placing of a subsidy on the statute book is but a small part of the work to be accomplished, as some of its enthusiastic promoters will, ere long, discover. Both Federal and Provincial Governments seem disposed to contribute towards the cost, and the City of Quebec will also be expected to do its share. Many of our people have objected to any contribution being given by the city unless the bridge is built opposite the town, and the CHRONICLE like every other good citizen of Quebec would prefer to see it constructed at Diamond Harbor, and has contended in the interests of the city for this site as long as there seemed to be any possibility of securing it there. It would still do so if it appeared that our people could have it at that site. A bridge at Diamond Harbor would, it estimated, cost at least eight millions. It would be very nice to have, with its double track, electric car track, and roads for vehicles and pedestrians, and would no doubt create a goodly traffic between the two towns, and be one of the show works of the continent.
The bridge was built by the federally-owned Quebec Bridge and Railway Company, as part of the government's National Transcontinental Railway, but was contracted to the Phoenix Bridge Company of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania (the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of four states of the United States of America that is called a commonwealth. It has given its name to the Pennsylvanian time period in geology. Pennsylvania is called the Keystone State. Although Swed. Construction began in 19031903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasn't had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. Events January 1 Edward VII of the United Kingdom is proclaimed Emperor of India under the direction of famous American engineer Theodore Cooper after the federal government allocated funding. It was designed to span the river's shipping lane and measured 26.5 meters (67 feet) wide, carrying two railway tracks, two streetcar lines, and a two lane road.
By 19041904 is a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 7 The distress signal " CQD" is established only to be replaced two years later by " SOS. February 7 A fire in Baltimore, Maryland destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30, the structure was taking shape. However, due to miscalculations made during the planning stages, the actual weight of the bridge was far in excess of its carrying capacity. When the bridge was nearing completion, structural problems were noticed, but the local engineering team did not recognize the gravity of the situation. Work continued despite the fact that the consulting engineer ordered all work to be halted on August 27August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. Events 479 BC Battle of Plataea ends the Persian invasion of Greece, Mardonius routed by Pausanias, the Spartan commander of the Greek army., 1907Events January events January 6 Maria Montessori opens her first school and daycare center for working class children in Rome Casa dei Bambini in San Lorenzo). January 14 An earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica kills more than a 1,000 January 23 Charles Curtis. On August 29August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. Events 1261 Urban IV becomes Pope, the last man to do so without being a Cardinal first 1475 Treaty of Picquigny ends a brief war between Fran, after four years of construction, the south arm and part of the central section of the bridge collapsed into the riverMurray River in Australia Australia A river is a large natural waterway. It is a specific term in the vernacular for large streams, stream being the umbrella term used in the scientific community for all flowing natural waterways. In the vernacular, strea in just 15 seconds. Of the 86 workers on the bridge that day near quitting time, 75 were killed and the rest were injured.
