Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1881 — A Long Bridge. [ARTICLE]

A Long Bridge.

Quite a notable engineering undertaking has just.peen completed in Russia, in the shape of a long bridge over the Volga, On the Syoran and Orenburg railway, connecting the cities of Hyora, in the Government of Simbirsk, with that of Samara. The width pl the river its .nearly a mile, and, as it is liable to the occurrence of heavy spring floods, the piers, of which there -are fourteen aliojgether—had to be built 100 feet above mean water level, the depth of thp water being more than fifty feet. The great girders, 364 feet long and twenty feet wide, riveted and put together on the right bank of the river, and then floated to their position. The whole cost of the structure, which is regarded as a model of its kipd, was 7,000,000 silver ruble*. . w Greek brigandage is a regularly organized business. A little capital for the purchase of arms is required. ,Fiq>nrs arq drawn up, in which the shares of the captain and the men are specified. Sometimes routes are let by one baud to another for a per centage. It proving exceptionally good in one. case, the parties came very near bringing the affair into Court on a law suit. Death to the captive is almost certain if the ransom is not paid. A-. ransom which wad once on its way from Constantinople wadstolen from the messenger by another bhnd, but the captive was killed all the same. A farmer having two children captured could send the money onl y for one, and the boy was returned. He begged a little delay, blit the band , on the move and could not wait. The little girl was found afterward with ei' sUb in the heart and wild flowers in her hand. These robbers never drink wine, never neglect thqir religious , duties, always cross themselves before eating, and never omit the numerous fast days the Greek Church insists upon. Some are well read, one leading scoundrel always traveling about with a small library.