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THE NATIONAL TKLBUNE: WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 4, 1882.
THE PRICELESS THINGS.
BY JOHX BOYLE O'REILLY.
Those are vulgar things we pay for, be they stones for
crowns of kings ;
While the precious and the peerless are unpriced sym
bolic things.
Common debts are scored and canceled, weighed and
measured out for gold;
But the debts from men to ages, their nccount is never
told.
Always see, the noblest nations keep their highest prize
unknown;
Chaeronea's marble lion frowned above unlettered stone.
Marathon and Balaklava who shall mete the worth of
these?
Shall we huckster with our lifeboats that defy the leap
ing seas?
Ah, the Greeks knew ! Came their victors honored from
the sacred games,
Under arches red with roses, flushed to hear their shout
ed names.
See their native cities take them, breach the wall to
make a gate!
What supreme reward is theirs who bring such honors
to their State ?
In the forum stand they proudly, take their prizes from
the priest ;
Little wreaths of pine and parsley on their naked tem
ples pressed !
We in later days are lower? Ay! a manful stroke is
made,
And we raise a purse to pay it making manliness a
trade.
Sacrifice itself grows venal surely Midas will subscribe;
And the shallow souls are satisfied when worth accepts
the bribe.
But e'en here, amid the markets, there are things they
dare not iiize;
Dollars hide their sordid faces when they meet annoiuted
eyes.
Loversdo not seek with jewels ; flowers alone can plead
for them ; '
And one fragrant memory cherished is far dearer than
a gem.
Statesmen steer the nation safely; artists pass the burn
ing test,
And their countrj pays them proudly with a ribbon at
the breast.
When the soldier saves the battle, wraps the flag around
his heart,
Who shall desecrate his honor with the values of the
mart ?
From his guns of bronze we hew a piece, and carve it as
a cross ;
For the gain he gave was priceless, as unpriced would
be the loss.
When the poet sings the love song, and the song of life
and death,
Making millions cease their weary toil and wait with
wondering breath ;
When he gilds the mill and mine, inspires the slave to
rise and dare ;
Lights with love the hopeless garret, tells the tyrant to
beware ;
When he steals the pang from poverty, with meanings
new and clear,
Reconciling pain and peace, and bringing blessed vis
ions near;
His reward? Xor cross nor ribbon, but all others high
above,
They may wear their splendid symbols he has earned
the people's love !
Sword and Pen.
ACROSS THE MPIDAK
PUSHING INTO THE WILDERNESS.
Charlos B. Brockway, lnte Captain, Battery F, First Pa,
Artillery, in Philadelphia Times.
Grant's Rapidan movement began on the 3d
of May, a few days'later than Hooker had begun
his Chancellorsville mo veinent, and six weeks
later than McClellan his campaign of 1S62. The
utmost caution was observed to prevent the
enemy from discovering our movements, and no
huts or other material were allowed to be burned,
as that would attract the enemy's attention.
Just before starting an appropriate order from
General Meade was read to the troops. It was
temperate in tone and avoided the bombast
generally used on such occasions. During the
night the army was massed at different fords on
the Rapidan, ready to push over on the appear
ance of daylight. On Wednesday, the 4th, our
corps Hancock's crossed at Ely's Ford with
out opposition. We were all surprised at this,
because the river formed a splended line of de
fense. Lee was evidently saving his army for
hard work elsewhere. Our road took us over
the Chancellorsville battle-ground, and by a
wonderful coincidence we parked our battery
on the same ground where exactly one year
before we were in line of battle engaging the
enemy. The spot was full of interest, as at this
point battery after battery had been massed, the
horses sent to the rear, and intrenchments made
of logs, knapsacks, dead horses, limber-chests,
and whatever came to hand. Here the gallant
Whipple fell, and here the enemy made so many
desperate attempts to break our lines. A few
hundred yards to the front were the ruins of the
Chancellor House, and over the whole country
was scattered the usual debris of a battle-field.
The enemy had leveled the intrenchments after
Hooker's retreat.
The troops were in motion at daylight of
Thursday, the 5th. The day was fine, though
intensely hot. Our corps, leaving the main road,
marched in a southerly direction, passing by a
furnace and some ore mines. We soon halted
and formed line of battle, but shortly afterwards
countermarched and formed on the left of the
Fifth Corps, already in position on the Brock
road, which cut the Orange plank road at right
angles. A. P. Hill's corps was in our immediate
front, and it soon became evident that we must
fight. The ground selected by Lee was in a
dense chapparel which covers this country for
miles and is called "The Wilderness."
With instinctive haste the men began con
structing breastworks, using for that purpose old
logs, planks torn from the road, in fact, any
thing that would stop a bullet. The pioneer
corps was busily engaged in slashing trees in
front of the work, either to give play to some
few guns which were in position, or to impede
the enemy should they charge. No noise be
tokened the presence of our foes, yet "we felt
in our bones " that they were not far off. General
Hancock held the left, General Sedgwick the
centre, and General Warren the right. Burn
side had joined us with thirty thousand men, in
cluding one division of negroes, but was not put
on the line, and seemed to have had the wagon
train assigned him. As Sedgwick's artillery
had. not arrived our battery was ordered to report
to General Getty, commanding a division of his
corps. The General, however, found that only
one section could be used, and that must advance
at close intervals up the plank road. My section
was selected. I may truthfully say that I never
expected to come out of the engagement alive,
nor to bring any of my men out. The infantry
on my right and left were to a great extent
shielded by the Wilderness, while I had to take
the open road, and those of us who were mounted
formed a very good mark and were visible to the
enemy a mile off. The road was narrow a
ditch on each side with no chance to limber up
and retreat in case of accidents. I therefore had
my caissons follow some distance in the rear and
put the guns in echelon, or in an oblique line, in
order to enable me to open with both at once.
I also took the precaution of having several
shells prepared, as I knew the attack would be
sudden. Our skirmishers were only fifty yards
in front of our first line of battle, in which we
were, the two remaining lines following at close
distance. AVe, of course, could not see what was
in the woods, but several rebels leisurely paced
the road four hundred yards in our front, and
"by the pricking of our thumbs" we knew that
" something wicked this way comes."
As the minute hand of the watch pointed to
4.30 p. m. an advance was made along the line.
A few steps aroused the sleeping lion and the
silence soon changed to a deafening roar of mus
ketry. We advanced about two hundred yards
when the infantry began to waver and I deemed
it proper to perform my share in the tragedy.
The gun3 were speedily unlimbered and a few
percussion shells sent into the enemy's ranks, now
only a few hundred yards beyond. Immediately
they placed in the road a section of Napoleon
12-pounders, aud ere we could bring our guns to
bear a couple of solid shot whizzed by our ears.
Here was a tangible enemy, and we all breathed
freer in seeing something definite to fire at. At
this time the whole line was engaged ; hundreds
of wounded men and stragglers passed to the
rear; the line of battle advanced and receded,
and the demoniacal yells of either party rose
above the rattle of musketry and roar of artil
lery. By a fortunate shot we exploded one of
the enemy's limber-chests aud soon had disabled
the most of their men and horses. They then
threw among us rounds of double-shotted canis
ter, which bounded like hailstones, tearing up
splinters in the plank road, and here and there
knocking over men and horses. But our percus
sion shell was superior and their artillery was
soon withdrawn. For a moment there was a lull
and then the rebel line charged. Slowly they
pressed our men back, yelling at the same time
like demons incarnate. I at first threw solid
shot at the column as it advanced, until they
neared the guns aud commenced double quick
ing. At this time an acquaintance from Dan
ville, an officer in the Ninety-third, hallooed:
"Stick to it, Charlie; I've got a thirty days' fur
lough;" showing me at the same time a gaping
wound in his thigh. But the time had now ar
rived to use our canister, and well was it served
and terrible execution did it do along that nar
row plank road. They struggled bravely against
the stream of fire. If the line broke they steadily
reformed it; if the colors fell they were at once
seized by another hand; the wounded crawled
into the ditches and the dead formed a barrier
to the second line.
Our infantry was pressed behind the guns;
but General Hancock was now on the ground
and promptly sent in fresh troops to support us.
The enemy, however, soon learned that they
could not advance down a narrow road in the
face of a section of artillery, capable of throwing
into their midst a peck of bullets a minute!
They soon left the road and adopted safer tactics
by loading their guns under cover, then jump
ing into the road would fire and take to cover
again. But their haste made their aim inaccu
rate. Alter being under fire over two houra, I
found, to my dismay, that only a round of can
nister remained. Major Eicketts then sent in
another section to relieve me, which formed in
battery some distance in my rear. I then fired
my last round, and by means of prolongs pulled
my guns off to fill up with ammunition. The
enemy, supposing the line was falling back, made
another charge. At this critical moment one of
the guns burst, carrying away a foot and a half
of the muzzle. The other gun, unaided, could
not check the enemy, who drove our men back
and secured the gun. Our remaining section was
now ordered in, but Hancock countermanded the
order, saying it was madness to rush artillery
into such traps. By a gallant charge Carroll's
brigade recaptured the gun, and after dark we
secured its limber. I have described only that
portion of the battle which I saw. On the right
and left it had been equally heavy, though no
artillery was used. At the close of the engage
ment that night we held our ground on the left
and centre, but on the right had lost two guns,
some prisoners, and much ground. Generals
Hays and Wadsworth had been killed, General
Seymour captured, and several other generals
wounded. Considering the entire engagement,
we got the worst of it.
On Friday, the 6th, Hancock determined to
show Lee the mettle of the Second Corps. The
musketry was terrible, but for once we proved
that our infantry could outfight theirs, even on
their chosen ground. Line after line of en
trenchments were taken and the enemy's right
flank steadily driven over two miles. This left
our flank exposed; and the enemy was not slow
in taking advantage of it. Barlow's division was
thrown into momentary confusion, but order was
soon restored, and the line began falling back
upon its supports. It was at this moment that
Burnside should have attacked, and upon his
failure to do so Grant was said to have sent him
word that "if he could not fight his corps to turn
it over to Hancock, who could." At this crisis
Mott's division, formerly Hooker's, of the Third
Corps, behaved badly, and by breaking nearly
lost us the day. They allege, as an excuse, that
their time had expired, and though under the
circumstances they would naturally feel indis
posed to risk their lives, it would have been bet
ter to have stood by their comrades than to have
tarnished a heretofore glorious record. Nearly
on the same ground where they disgraced them
selves, one year before they gloriously withstood
Stonewall Jackson's grand assault, which cost
him his life.
About noon a lull ocourred, but it was only
the calm that precedes the storm. Longstreet,
following Jackson's tactics, massed his entire
corps on our left. We managed to get Dow's and
Edgehill's batteries in position at short range,
ours being put in a position commanding the
plank road. About 4 p. m. the change was
made, led by Longstreet in person. It was the
heaviest of the war and on it Lee staked his
hopes of driving us beyond the Rapidan. Our
men stood it like heroes. The guns were double
shotted with canister and fired at short range,
but still the column pushed forward. At this time
a portion of Mott's division and an entire
brigade of Birney's once Kearney's broke and
went to the rear en masse, taking along their
colors, and for a time we feared the line would
be severed. Their conduct was the more inex
cusable as they formed the rear line of battle.
To add to our discouragement the breastworks,
which were built of planks, caught fire, com
pelling our men to fall back on the second line.
The rebels renewed their shouts: their colors
danced all along the works and hundreds of
them rushed from the Wilderness into the road
they had gained. But the eye of Hancock saw
the danger, and at the command " Charge ! " the
Second Corps, mindful of its past history, rushed
to the front, captured or killed those of the
enem3r who had gained the road, drove the re
mainder back, capturing their colors, wounded
Longstreet, killed Jenkins, and disabled a num
ber of other prominent generals. The other
corps were engaged, but not so heavily. We had
repulsed the enemy, but they held their original
ground, besides securing their wounded and
thousands of ours. They had lost heavily and
we counted our dead and wounded by thousands.
Grant is said to have declared that his previous
battles were but skirmishes compared to this.
The picket firing was very heavy during the
entire night and succeeding day. On Saturday,
about dusk, it was discovered that Lee was
moving towards Spottsylvania Court House.
The arms in our possession, either captured from
the enemy or belonging to our killed and wounded,
were gathered up and broken or buried ; and in
order to deceive the enemy headboards were
placed over them containing the names of ficti
tious soldiers. During the entire night the
weary soldiers were marching. Warren had the
advance, followed by Sedgwick Hancock com
manding the rear guard, which, however, did
not leave the field until daylight of Sunday.
The heat was so intense that many fell by the
way, worn out or sunstruck, and had to be aban
doned to the tender mercies of Mosby's omni
present guerillas.
I will describe here what I saw of the charge
against the salient at Spottsylvania on the 12th.
It was just getting light, though a heavy fog
rested over the earth, when the low command,
" Forward! s was given. The men passed quietly
over three-fourths of the distance ere the enemy's
pickets fired and fell back. Our fellows then
charged at the run and gained the works before
their men were really awake. They had only
time to fire a few rounds of canister. Unfortu
nately, at the sight of the prisoners and captured
guns, the supporting columns could not restrain
themselves, and gave vent to, their joy by the
most noisy yells imaginablethus alarming the
enemy's supporting lines and warning them of
our advance. Had it been otherwise nothing of
any account would have been left of Lee's army,
as their centre was pierced and in a few moments
more we would have been in their rear. But the
enemy were aroused, and hastily drawing troops
from other points endeavored to retake their
works. The Mississippi brigade regained a por
tion of the line in front of Birney's division, and
at this point occurred the hardest fighting of the
day. Our men only retreated about thirty
yards, and though unprotected, fought unflinch
ingly throughout the entire day. So steady was
our fire they could not show their heads nor take
steady aim, nor could they retreat, as our guns
covered the open space behind them. Where our
line joined theirs the men could touch each other
and would load and fire over the parapet. This
continual and terrific roar of musketry was kept
up through the night in order to prevent the
enemy from carrying off some artillery which
lay between the two lines. To show its intensity
I may state that trees eighteen inches in thick
ness were cut down by it, and that the bodies of
men and horses lying between the two lines were
so riddled as to present shapeless masses.
As Hancock's headquarters were in our bat
tery we saw and heard all that was going on. A
moment after the charge we beheld a crowd of
men coming confusedly to the rear. I could
scarcely believe the corps had broken, especially
as there had been but little firing; but the gray
uniforms soon dispelled the fear. They came by
us in thousands, and we began to fear they would
outnumber the weak guard sent with them.
Major -General Johnson was brought in. He
turned to his guard and courteously thanked
them for their kindness. "You are damned wel
come," was the blunt reply of the sergeant.
Hancock greeted him cordially, saying : "I am
glad to see you, Ned." "Under other circum
stances," said the rebel, "I would be pleased to
meet you." Hancock then said to an aid in his
decisive manner, "Telegraph to Warren and
Bumside to attack at once ; that I have routed
Johnson and am going to roll up Early ; have
taken their main line, eight thousand prisoners,
thirty guns, and twenty-three colors. Request
General Wright to send me reinforcements, and
in the meantime send in every available man
and give orders to hold the works at all hazards."
During these orders Johnson put his hand to his
heart as though it pained him, and as he gazed
upon his fellow prisoners and the earthworks,
which, but an hour before were under his com
mand, heavy tears coursed down his cheeks and
his whole frame heaved with emotion. But he
took a drink of liquor with Hancock, who sent
him on horseback to Grant's headquarters, ac
companied by an aid. Our horses were sent to
the front to bring off captured guns, and in many
cases the men had to fight while hitching to
them. The Irish brigade and Miles' brigade each
secured a gun after dark, by slowly crawling up
in the face of the enemy's fire, hitching to them,
and then dragging them to therear.
PECK'S REGRETS.
At a recent Camp-fire given by W. H. Sargent
Post, No. 20, G. A. R., of Janesville, Wisconsin,
comrade Thomas T. Crofb read the following
letter of regrets from one of the invited guests
who was unable to attend. Though written in
a humorous vein, there is yet a pathos in the
sentiments expressed that can but touch the
heart of every soldier of the " Twenty years ago."
Tomuel Croft, Esq. My Beautiful Dreamer :
Your invitation to me to be present at your bean
banquet is received, and I regret to say that a
previous engagement will prevent me from tak
ing you by the hand, on that occasion, and lead
ing you through green pastures and beside still
waters. Do you think I want to get all the
beans in this country? I am not a hog, Tom. I
know when I have got enough beans. That last
pan-full of beans at the Milwaukee Camp-fire
fixed me, and I have not looked a bean square in
the face since. I don't know what it is, but
there is something in beans that makes men
sociable and reckless. Beware of beans, Tom, as
you value your future happiness. Look not
upon the bean when it is baked and giveth its
color in the pan, for at last it swelleth like an
accordeon, and biteth like a cucumber.
But I would like to be there, Thomas, and take
the old soldiers by the hands, and look into the
eyes that are becoming dim, and notice the effect
of Father Time's pencilings on the faces of the
boys, who, twenty years ago, were as full of vi
tality and as kitteny as any man that ever kept
step to the rattling of a canteen against a car
tridge box. Boys, do you realize that you are
getting old? When you enlisted twenty years
ago the Government was glad to welcome you to
the ranks, but if you should go to a recruiting
officer to-day he would say, "My friend, you are
too old." You would feel like kicking the re
cruiting officer, but he would be right. You
could not stand the marching, the laying under
the fences, sleeping in the mud, and living on
army rations. It is hard to realize it, but if an
other war were to break out, your little baby,
that you left in its mother's arms twenty years
ago, crowing at the "hand me down" blue uni
form in which you were disguised, would be the
chap the Government would want. Boys, you
are rapidly becoming "old back numbers;"
though you feel young enough to stub around
home, you are "exempt" now. Do you realize
that the little baby girl that clung to you as you
said good by, twenty years ago, with tears in
your eyes as big as a glass paper weight or an
editor's diamond pin, is now a woman, married,
and that another baby is trying to utter the
word "grandpa," when you come in putting on
your youthful airs ? It is pleasant now to chase
the festive bean around the home camp-fire, and
talk of the nights when you slept on the ground,
in a pup tent, or on some battle field, with your
wet and muddy pantaloons legs frozen as stiff as
a dried codfish, while you dreamed that every
star that was looking down from above was the
eye of a dear one at home beckoning you to
"Hold the Fort," and hurry up and get through
with the confounded foolishness and come home.
You can laugh now as you think how you
got up in the morning after such a night's rest,
looking as though you had been drawn through
a brush fence, and swearing because the nigger
was afraid to come up with the camp kettle of
coffee. You who are left have a right to be happy,
but in the midst of your bean banquet, let me
ask you to stand up with your tin cup of black
coffee, and drink to " The Boys who never got
home," the brave fellows who never returned to
meet the loved ones they parted with twenty
years ago. Let us hope that the great congress
above " removed the disabilities " of the boys who
left vacancies in their regiments, and that the
few chickens they took in the way of business
from the enemy will not be entered up against
them on the Big Book, but that the Provost
Guard on duty at the gates of the New Jerusalem
will "Present Arms" to them and tell the boys
that they are welcome to the best there is, and
that when we all get in our work here, and are
ready to join our regiment in heaven, that the
fellows that we buried years ago may stand on
the parapet as we come straggling in, and give
us the old soldiers' welcome with a " three times
three" with a Tiger. And we shall say to them,
"All right, comrades, we would have been here
before, only we were detained by business."
Yours truly, Geo. W. Peck.
C. M. Spencer, of Hartford, inventor of the
" Spencer rifle," has invented a single-barrel re
peating shot-gun, capable of shooting ten times
in five seconds. The cartridges are stored in a
tube under the barrel, and it is said that two
gentle movements of the left hand will expel
the exploded shell, re-charge and cock the gun.
An enthusiastic reporter says the sportsman,
without disturbing his aim, can make these
movements with the gun at his shoulder.
THE KING'S QUESTION.
BY MRS. E. V. WILSON".
The King sat at the feast with clouded brow
Silent were all the courtiers seated 'round ;
Sudden he spoke: " Let who will tell me now,
Of life's dread ills, which is the most profound? "
Then quickly answered one, gray -bearded, wise :
" O King, the greatest of all ills is death."
But the King said, uplifting his sad eyes :
" How gladly I would yield this mortal breath."
Another said : " The worst to me of all
Would be the loss of power, wealth, or place."
"Ah," said the King, " how light were such a fall ! "
And a wan smile a moment lit his face.
Then quoth a third: " The keenest pang I feel
When friend proves false in whom I have believed."
Adown the King's cheek slowly tears did steal
As answered he : "I have been thus deceived."
"But there's a deeper woe. Did you speak, friend ? "
Turning to one, a youth, clear-eyed and tall.
" I ah, my liege, I said the saints defend
The King from that profoundest woe of all."
" Of all ! " the King exclaimed. " What knowest thou?"
And ghastly grew the whiteness of his face
As the youth answered, bowing low : " I trow
The greatest ill to proud men is disgrace."
The King was silent for a space, then took,
With trembling lingers from his hand a ring,
" Wear this," he said, and death was in his look;
" Of all life's ills shame has the sharpest sting."
"And now, excuse me, Lords, I am not well ;
Let not my absence mar your feast, I pray ;
The youth is right, disgrace." He backward fell.
"The King is dead," the awe-struck courtiers say.
THE GRAND ARMY.
Griff J. Thomas, Past Commander, Department
of Wisconsin, G. A. K., closed his address, at the
Camp-fire of W. H. Sargent Post, No. 20, with
the following eloquent and touching peroration:
"This is the Grand Army of the Republic a
band of comrades united by ties which death
alone can sever. Over one half of the survi
vors of the war have already been mustered into
its ranks, and the remainder are rapidly gath
ering in. Our comradeship is all the closer, and
our communion more vivid by reason that
our organization is not perpetual. Every year
more than ten regiments stack their arms, pile
their colors, and march down into that dark
valley whose shadows envelop them forever from
mortal vision. In a few short years only a fee
ble remnant will be left, but we will preserve
our bond of union and close up the broken
ranks, until the last quorum of the youngest
drummer boys in the service then, stricken with
age, shall gather round the holy altar fires of our
encampment, and with trembling hands replen
ish the dying embers. Then reverently saluting
the Old Flag once more, with streaming eyes and
throbbing hearts they will surrender their char
ter to the Grand Commander of the Universe in
whose sign they conquered, and sadly disperse to
the ways appointed for all the living.
" This is the Grand Army of the Eepnblic as
sembled here to-night, rejoicing with you in the
magnificent destiny of our common country
now unrolling before your vision. The clash of
resounding arms has melted away into the hum
of healing and enriching industry. Political
parties will rise and fall, leaders wax and wane ;
but so long as the patriotism of the American
soldier is enshrined in the hearts of our children,
the Union shall endure ; the foundation of our
Republic will stand until the heavens are rolled
together as a scroll, and the stars of the firma
ment fall from their places, and our Star
Spangled Banner shall forever float, the emblem
of a country worth living for, worth fighting
for, worth dying for."
FEMALE SOLDIERS.
Female soldiers have been more numerous in
foreign armies than in the English service. In
the French army, for instance, there were (among
others) Louise Houssaye de Bannes, who served
from 1792 to 1795, and was at Quiberon ; Ange
lique Brulon (nee Duchemin, for she was married,)
Sous, lieutenant of infantry, and decorated
with the Legion of Honor, who was born in 1772,
and died, I believe, in the Invalides about 1S59.
Theresa Figneur, who served as a dragoon for
fourteen years from 1793 to 112, aud had four
horses killed under her. She died in 18G1 at the
age of seventy-eight in the Hospices des Petit
Mcnages at Paris. Virginia Chesnieres, who serv
ed during the Peninsular War as a Sergeant in
the Twenty-seventh regiment, and died in 1873.
Louisa Scanagatti was a lieutenant of infantry
in the Austrian or Sardinian army during the
Napoleonic wars. Marjetta Giuliani and Her
minia Manelli fought under Garibaldi in 1466.
Herminia was at the battle of Custozza. Augus
ta Krilger fought in the war of liberation against
the French as a subaltern in the Ninth Prussian
regiment, and was decorated with the Iron Cross
and the Russian Order of St. George. She (after
leaving the army) married a brother officer in
1S16, and in 1869 her grandson received a com
mission in his grandmother's regiment. Bertha
Weiss is said to have fought at Spicheren in 1870.
The most recent instances are the following three:
"A young Russian officer," (name is not given)
whom the Times correspondent on September 29,
1S77, reported to have fallen at Kacelyevo, after
displaying the most hrilliant gallantry in rally
ing her men against the Turks ; Sylvia Mariotti,
a private in the Eleventh batallion of Bersaglieri,
whe served from 1866 to 1879, and who fought
at Custozza, and Dolores Rodrigues, corporal at
the age of eighteen in the First regiment of Pe
ruvian sappers. She, it appears, fought in the
present South American war, and is still in ser
vice. A GREAT RAILWAY BRIDGE.
On the top of the Alleghany Mountains, at the
point where the Bradford extension of the Erie
railway is to pass, is a slight impediment in the
way of a ravine 300 feet deep. It is virtually a
valley, running lengthwise of the mountain range,
whose walls are 2,200 feet above the level of the
sea, and whose bottom is washed by the water of
the Kinzua Creek. In some places the depth of
the valley is 700 feet, and 300 feet was about
the first favorable crossing point that could be
found. The place is about twenty-seven miles
from Johnsonburg, the terminus of the extension,
and about thirteen miles from Bradford. "Work
was begun last fall upon a structure which, when
completed, will be the highest railroad bridge in
the world. The length of the bridge will be over
two thousand feet, that distance to be covered
with twenty-two piers of iron and twenty-three
spans. Trinity Church (New York) and steeple
might be put beside the loftiest span and yet be
fifteen feet short of it. Two low stone piers will
underlie each iron one, the total masonry-work
amounting to 2,200 cubic yards. The country
thereabout is extremely wild, and the masonry
work, which is nearly completed, resembles from
the approaches a forest of piers. The length of
the piers will be forty feet, and the length of the
spans sixty feet. The piers will be 110 feet wide
at the base, tapering gradually up to a width of
twelve feet at the top. The Tay Bridge,-whose
fall recently cost so many lives, was constructed
of piers eighty feet high and only ten feet at the
base. In a few weeks they will have a small
army of men employed in the ravine putting up
the iron, and they expect to complete the
structure by about the 1st of June. Its total
cost will be about $300,000. Tuere is no bridge
in the world of so great height as this will be.
The Kentucky River bridge is 276 feet high,the
Great Peruvian railway bridge is 235 feet, the
Portage bridge, on the Erie's main line, 234 feet
and the Niagara suspension bridge is 275 feet.
A brig was discharged of its cargo consisting
of three hundred tons of bones, at Bristol, Eng
land, recently. The load came from Plevna in
Bulgaria, and was designed to be used for manu
facturing, for refining sugars, etc. In the midst
of the phosphorescent mass (from many of the
bones the skin had not yet fallen) were discov
ered hands, amis, and human legs and skulls.
The load wa gathered on the battle-fields of
the Susso-Turkish war.
