Document 35, p 3
| 65 | ||||
| "shall be swept away between any of the Piers, but that the Quicksand under | ||||
| "it will presently follow like water itself; and an Excavation may be made | ||||
| "in a few hours, as deep or deeper than any of the Piles that guard the Piers:- | ||||
| "when a downfall must be the immediate Consequence, On these principles | ||||
| "therefore the Bridge ought not to be attempted in this spott and if no better | ||||
| "can be found in any other situation there is but one Method of dealing | ||||
| "with such Ground which has succeeded where expence was not regarded | ||||
| "and is by carrying a solid Wall quite thro’ the River from side to side, about | ||||
| "6 feet high; and in this Case it must be 42 feet Broad" The preceding Extracts | ||||
| are made from a Copy of Mr Wooler’s Letter of the 19th July 1775 to Mr Pickernel | ||||
| the perusal of which will more amply set forth the Grounds and Reasons of | ||||
| Mr Wooler’s opinion; that no Bridge under such Circumstances, is likely | ||||
| to be accomplished, at any limitted Expence, he concluded with saying | ||||
| "I had the honour to mention this Method (that is of the Solid Wall) to Mr | ||||
| "Aynesley when there was a doubt about the nature of the Ground some | ||||
| "time before their Surveyor found out the Stratum of the Clay but he then | ||||
| "looked upon the Expence to exceed their Abilities but however, after all, if | ||||
| "ever a Stable Bridge be made there, I do not know any other means to Effect | ||||
| "it-You will lay this before the Gentlemen for their Consideration." | ||||
| After this Mr Pickernel proceeded to sink a Well or Shaft in the Solid | ||||
| Soil of Tyne Green, near the place where the South Abutment of the intended | ||||
| Bridge was to be when passing through the Stratum of Gravel found the | ||||
| Quicksand at nearly the same depth as in the foundation Pitt for the Pier | ||||
| on the other side into which he thrust the Iron Barr as before; and covered | ||||
| up the Shaft till Mr Wooler should come to Examine the Premises. | ||||
| He also proceeded to try the River by Boring in other places and particularly | ||||
| in the Pool below the East Boat, that is, a little above the place where Mr Smeaton | ||||
| afterwards pitched upon to Build a Bridge for Mr Errington, on Account | ||||
| of which Borings, being transmitted by Mr Pickernell to the Clerk of the | ||||
| Peace, reference being thereto had will more fully appear: but which went | ||||
| 3 to |
Note: Mr Smeaton's Memorial concerning Hexham Bridge, p 3
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Transcribed by CTW and TB