Hillsborough Bridge (1902) construction fonds

• Document iconographique

• Source du titre propre: Title based on contents of the fonds

collection

Public Archives and Records Office of Prince Edward Island

CA PCA Acc4190

35 photographs

Unknown

It is likely that these photographs are part of the collection of Charles Arthur Farquharson, one of the engineers on the construction of the bridge, as some are duplicates of those in Acc3909.

The fonds consists of some 33 photographs taken during the construction of the Hillsborough bridge in 1901- 1903. There are also two railway photographs. Photographer is unknown.

On 18 April 1900 an agreement was signed between the federal and provincial governments for the construction of a railway and carriage bridge across the Hillsborough River, Prince Edward Island. This was to constitute part of the Murray Harbour Branch of the P.E.I. Railway and would allow people east of Charlottetown an option other than travelling by ferry to and from Charlottetown or by road around Mount Stewart. Construction was begun in the spring of 1901 by M. J. Haney of Toronto under a detail contract. Twelve spans of steel bridgework were dismantled from a bridge near Derby Junction Station on the Miramichi in New Brunswick and eleven were re-erected and set on newly constructed piers to sit 15 feet above the high water line. The fifth span was a draw span which opened and closed for navigation on the river. In the late 1950's concern mounted that the bridge was growing too old to support the increasing traffic and it was closed for a brief period of time to the intense dismay of Islanders. Although it was reopened, it was soon after replaced by the current bridge in 1961 and was dismantled in 1963. The piers however were never dismantled and are still visible from the new bridge.

• Charlottetown (P.E.I.) - Bridges - Photographs
• Hillsborough Bridge (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) - Photographs

• Unknown (Producteur)