AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS,
127 EAST TWENTY-THIRD ST.,
NEW YORK.
Pittsburgh,Pa. , 13th.March 1889.
Theo.Cooper,Esq.
Consulting Engineer, No.35 Broadway,
New vork City.
Dear Sir :
In response to your recent request, I send you herewith enclosed, blue prints of such portions of the plans of the Channel Span of the Ohio River Bridge at Steubenville,Ohio, as I could recover from the designs made by Mr.J.H.I-inville in possession of the Keystone Bridge Company. The details appear sufficienty upon
the half inch scale drawing, and truss diagram gives the sizes of the members. the external dimensions of top chords and columns are uniform, the difference in area, being in the thickness of metal. the table of strains on the margin of the blue print has been calculated recently, with a view of ascertaining whether it would be safe to erect the new double track bridge from the present structure, and at the same time carry the traffic. i had intended, if such mode of erection should become necessary, to erect a platform on the top chords for the traveller, but, in the mean time, permission has been given us to obstruct the channel by ordinary false-works during the erection, so that the project of erecting a new span from the old one was abandoned.
The Bridge was erected in 1863 and 1864 and if it were not for the necessity of
extending our second track over this bridge, i should feel inclined to continue its use for sometime into the future, as i consider it a perfectly safe bridge,

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS,
127 EAST TWENTY-THIRD ST.,
NEW YORK.
not with standing the superannuated details, and even regardless of the method of carrying the floor directly upon the bars of the bottom chord. i should mention that originally, there were no crossties or regular stringers in this floor, but the rail was spiked direct to flat and longitudinal stringers, which rested on the wooden cross beams.
i also send you strain sheets and tabulated calculations of the members of this
structure upon the original assumption of 3400 lbs. uniform "live load* and 3000
lbs. "DEAD load". also upon 2 ten-wheel engine loads, followed by 2000 lbs. per linial foot of train load and 3400 lbs. "dead load*, the increase of 400 lbs. being for the change in the floor system above alluded.to. also a calculation of the members upon the basis of 2 consolidation engines, followed by 2000 lbs. train load and with an assumed "dead load* of 3400 lbs. per foot of bridge. you will find that nome of the members are strained to any alarming extent in any of the above assumptions of loads.
For more detailed information regarding this bridge, I would refer you to an article published in 1867 or 1868 by J.M.Wllson in the transactions of the FraNK-lin Institute. This Bridge was the first Iron Railroad Bridge on either the Mississippi, Missouri, or Ohio Rivers. I located the Bridge site and position of the Piers myself in 1861 and 1862, and built the masonry, but did not remain
with the Company long enough to be present during the erection.
i would be glad to have you return to me the four sheets with the strain sheet
Jbc
and calculations
Youres Respectfully, Mr. J. Becker