By Corey Sandler
It seems like we were here only the day before yesterday. Well, yes, we were.
This morning we were slightly delayed in our return to Quebec because the Saint Lawrence River is running very high because of major storms.
Captain Mino Pontillo was advised by the river pilots we have on board to wait until low tide before passing beneath Le Pont de Quebec just west of Quebec City.
I took this photo as we made our way beneath the old bridge.
The Quebec Bridge was the longest cantilever bridge span in the world when it was built in 1907; it still is.
The total length of the bridge is about 1,800 feet; its central span 640 feet.
On August 29, 1907, eighty-six steelworkers were perched on the partially completed south cantilever of the bridge.
Just moments before the quitting time whistle was to have sounded, two compression chords in the south anchor arm failed and the partially completed center span collapsed.
75 died.
It was later determined that the actual weight of the bridge—its dead load—was well in excess of its carrying capacity. Some engineers had spotted problems, but the contractor had gone ahead to disaster.
On September 11, 1916, with the bridge once again near completion, a new center span was being lifted into place.
One of the four rocker arms failed and the span fell into the river, killing 11 more workmen.
The bridge was finally completed in 1917, and is still in use. And we made it beneath the center span successfully this morning.
You can read more about Quebec frm our visit of 5 October 2018.
Inside the Hôtel du Parlement, the House of Parliament just below the Plains of Abraham in Québec City.
All photos and text Copyright 2018 by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved.
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