Victoria Bridge, Montreal
The Victoria Bridge at Montreal, Quebec, initially constructed in 1859, was named the Jubilee Bridge in honour of Queen Victoria but became know as the Victoria Bridge (Pont Victoria in French). The bridge remains in operation for both road and rail traffic.
The Victoria Bridge is a key historic structure, one still used by the Canadianand North Americanrail systems, and remains a major contributor to Montreal's role as a continental hub. Prior to the building of the bridge it was impossible to cross the St. Lawrence during the long winter season as there would be a freeze up as well as a thawing in the fall and spring. During the summer the crossings of the river had to take place by boat and in winter it was accomplished by sleigh.
The Victoria Bridge, built between 1854 and 1859 was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales in 1860. The building of the bridge is directly tied in with the Grand Trunk Railway which was incorporated in 1852 and was the main trunk line running through the United Province of Canada. The Grand Trunk Railway, a British company formed with the support of the Canadian government to connect the Great Lakes with the Atlantic, achieved the great engineering feat of building the first bridge, a railway one, over the St. Lawrence River. James Hodges (1814-1879), was the chief engineer for the construction. Due to the fact that the port of Montréal was closed during the winter season, the Grand Trunk Railway wanted to have access to Portland, Maine which never closed. In order to reach Portland from Montréal it was absolutely necessary to cross the St. Lawrence River and this could only be accomplished if a bridge were built.
The bridge, approximately 5 km (3 miles) long, includes 24 ice-breaking piers. The original deck was a long structural metal tube made of prefabricated sections from England and designed by Robert Stephenson, son of the builder of the famed Rocket locomotive. This landmark was completed in the year 1859 and during its peak construction years six steamboats, 72 barges, 3040 men (of which there were several children between the ages of 8-12), 144 horses, and four locomotive engines were required to erect the bridge at a cost of $6,600,000. Queen Victoria had been invited to attend the opening of the bridge, however, she declined the invitation and instead sent her eldest son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and heir to her throne. This was the first visit of a royal prince to a British colony in Canada.
In 1897-1898, the metal tube from 1860 was replaced by metal trusses, common at the time. To minimize traffic disruptions, the trusses were assembled around the tube, while the tube continued to carry train traffic. The tube was then demolished. The stone piers from 1860, slightly altered in 1897, still testify to the excellent original engineering.
The St. Lambert Diversion was added in the 1960's as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway project.
Irish Stone
When the bridge was being built the workmen discovered human remains of Irish immigrants to Canada who had fled the famine in Ireland in 1847-8. Unfortunately many of these immigrants had died of typhus when they arrived in Canada. At the bridge approach there is a stone that has become known as "The Irish Stone" with the following inscription:
"To preserve from descration the remains of 6000 immigrants who died of ship fever A.D.1847-8 this stone is erected by the workmen of Messrs. Peto, Brassey and Betts employed in the construction of the Victoria Bridge A.D.1859."
See also: List of bridges
Referenced By
Grand Trunk Railroad | List of bridges
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