Harry Piers: Museum Maker

Notes from Piers Accession Book:

Photo. of the first Swing Bridge of the Narrows, Halifax, from Richmond to Morris's Cove, North of Dartmouth, erected in 1884-85, and mostly swept away during a very heaving wind and rain storm on night of 7 Sept. 1891. (see Lauris Hist. of Dart., pp. 123-124).

W. Noel Forbes says it was the first steel swing-bridge ever entirely constructed in Canada; for although there was other steel swing-bridges in the Dominion, yet they were manufactured in foreign countries and merely erected here.

The bridge from shore to shore was designed by the Intercolonial Railway's engineer Peter S. Archibald, as chief engineer, and Mr. Ritchey his assistant. The steel swing span was designed by John Forbes (1834-1915) of the Sterr Murfgy Co. Dartmouth; and his son, W. Noel Forbes (b. 1858), drew the planes and superintended the making and erections.   The trestle-work was built by Oaks and Paw, their contract price being $84,000. the centre circular stone pair, on which the steel-swing revolved, was built by Duncan Waddell of Dartmouth, for $19,945. (These figures from W. Noel Forbes, 1928). This would make a total cost, exclusion of rails, of $103,945. The swing could be worked by one man. The whole bridge measured 650ft. in length, and was built in water from 60 to 75 ft. in depth. On 6 Jan. 1886, the branch railway from Richmond to Woodside Sugar Refinery, over this bridge, was opened for traffic. It was demolished 7 Sept. 1891. A second bridge was completed about Jan. 1892, and practically floated away on 23 July 1893. The swing span had survived the first destruction and was utilized in the second bridge.

View complete entry from the Harry Piers Accession Book

Date Accessioned: 3 May 1928

Photographer: Gauvin and Gentzel

Reference: Harry Piers number 6211  Nova Scotia Archives Photograph Collection Transportation and Communication: Bridges