Figure 23.—The only surviving Bollman truss bridge, at Savage, Maryland. The bridge was built elsewhere in 1852 and was moved to this now-abandoned Baltimore and Ohio industrial siding in about 1888.
Although no Bollman trusses were built by Bollman or the B. & O. after 1875, those in use were only removed as required by heavier motive power. The Harpers Ferry span, as noted, remained in full main-line service until 1894. Bollman trusses on feeder lines were continued in use until much later; a number of them on the Valley Railroad of Virginia (see [fig. 22]) were not removed until 1923. However, only on the most isolated spurs was the Bollman truss permitted to reach really ripe age. The sole known remaining example ([fig. 23]) stands on such a branch—ironically, at Savage, over the Little Patuxent, the site of the first Bollman span. This is not the 1850 bridge, but one built in 1852 and moved to the present site 30 years later. The fate of the first span is not known.
Figure 24.—Hot-water and chocolate pitchers of the 10-piece, silver tea service presented to Bollman by his fellow employees when he resigned from the Baltimore and Ohio in 1858. A railroad motif was used throughout, each piece being circled at top and bottom by a track, complete with rail of accurate section and ties. Spouts are in simulation of hexagonal sheet-iron chimneys, with seams riveted, and the handles are in the form of a surveyor’s telescope. On the various pieces are engraved the designs of the more important B. & O. bridges. Throughout is a wonderful profusion of bits and objects of railroadiana in low relief, high relief, and fully modeled. In Board of Directors Room, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, Baltimore, Md. (Photo courtesy of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.)
(All B. & O. works listed were designed by Bollman and built by the railroad, unless otherwise indicated.)
| Dates of service | Location | Type | No. spans / length of each | Remarks |
| 1850-? | Savage, Md., Little Patuxent River | Bollman through truss | 1/76' | First Bollman truss erected; granite towers; cost, $23,825.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1851-? | Bladensburg, Md., Anacostia River | Bollman through truss | 1/? | Second Bollman truss erected; granite towers; cost, $19,430.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1851-1862 | Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac River | Bollman through truss | 1/124' | Winchester span; first major Bollman truss; three lines of
truss; granite towers; blown up by Confederate Army on September
24, 1862. B. & O. RR. |
| 1851-? | Baltimore, Md., Carey Street | Trestle | — | Wood trestle bents with wrought-iron diagonals. First use of
iron structural members in trestlework. Total length 76 feet.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1852- | Savage, Md., Little Patuxent River | Bollman through truss | 2/?80' | Still standing. Moved to Savage in 1888; original location
unknown. This and succeeding Bollman trusses use iron towers.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1852 (or 1853)-? | Marriottsville, Md., Patapsco River | Bollman truss | 1/50' | One of first Bollman trusses with iron towers. B. & O. RR. |
| 1853-? | Zanesville, Ohio, Muskingum River | Bollman truss | 4/124' (or 5/160') | Double track, Central Ohio RR. Designed by Bollman; built by
Douglas, Smith & Co., Zanesville. |
| 1854-1870(?) | Elysville (now Daniels), Md., Patapsco River | Bollman through truss | 3/97'9" | Upper bridge, skew. Cost, $24,477.59. B. & O. RR. |
| 1854-1862 | Monocacy, Md., Monocacy River | Bollman truss | 3/119' | Blown up September 8, 1862; rebuilt in 1864. Cost, $22,722.59.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1854-? | Eastern Ohio | Bollman truss(?) | 1/40' | C. O. RR. Section 76 adjacent to 300-ft. tunnel. |
| 1855-? | Bridgeville, Ohio, Salt Creek | Bollman deck truss | 1/71' | C. O. RR. |
| Pre-1855-? | Buffalo, N.Y. | — | — | Unidentified. Mentioned by George Vose in Railroad Advocate
(June 9, 1855). |
| 1856-? | Elysville, Md., about 11/4 miles east
of 1854 bridge, Patapsco River | Bollman through truss | 3/111' | Lower Bridge. B. & O. RR. |
|
Pre-1856-? | Marriottsville, Md. | Bollman truss(?) | 1/48'9" | Referred to as “Tunnel Bridge” in B. & O. RR.
annual report, 1856. |
| 1856-? | Near Ijamsville, Md., Bush Creek | Iron girders | 3/23'9" | Possibly trussed beams; mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual
report, 1856. |
| 1856-? | Near Ijamsville, Md., Bush Creek | Iron girders | 2/23'9" | As above. |
| 1856-c.1862 | North Branch, Md., Potomac River | Bollman deck truss | 3/142' | Partially destroyed in Civil War. B. & O. RR. |
| 1860-1906 | Chile, Angostura River | Bollman truss(?) | 4/115' | Chilean Railways. Designed and built by Bollman. Replaced by
bridge built by French firm of Schneider, Cruesot & Co. |
| 1860-1910 | Chile, Paine River | Bollman truss(?) | 1/? | As above. |
| Post-1860-? | Ilchester, Md., Patapsco River | Bollman through truss | 1/? | B. & O. RR. |
| Pre-1861-? | Cuba | Bridges and station house | — | All bridges on Havana RR., including iron station house and
bridge at Guines. Designed and built by Bollman. |
| Pre-1861-? | Cuba | Bridges | — | All bridges on Cienfuegos RR., Cárdenas RR., and Havana &
Matanzas RR. Designed and built by Bollman. |
| Pre-1861-? | Cuba | Trestle | — | Trestle with wrought-iron columns (the first such ever
constructed). Havana RR. Designed and built by Bollman. |
| 1862-1862 | Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac River | Bollman through truss | 2/160' | Span no. 3 (July 24) and span no. 4 (August 21). Blown up
September 24, 1862. B. & O. RR. |
| 1862-1936 | Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac River | Bollman through truss | 1/160' | Span no. 5 (November). B. & O. RR. |
| 1863-1936 | Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac River | Bollman through truss | 3/160' | Spans nos. 3, 4, and 5. Constructed previous to April 1863.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1863-? | Berwyn, Md., Paint Branch | Bollman truss(?) | ? | Iron bridge mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1863 |
| 1863(4?)-? | Clinton, Iowa, Mississippi River | Pivot draw | 1/360' | Built by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. It was the longest
in the world at time of completion. Designed by Bollman. |
| 1864-? |
Laurel, Md., Patuxent River | Bollman truss | ? | Replaced stone arch that had been washed out. B. & O. RR. |
| c. 1864-? | Near Veracruz, Mexico, Medellín River | Bollman hrough truss | 1/115' | Veracruz & Jucaro RR. First iron bridge in Mexico. Designed
and built by Bollman. |
| 1864-? | Near Point of Rocks, Md., Back Creek | Bollman truss(?) | 1/80'(?) | Iron bridge mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1864.
The span length given is that of previous stone arch. |
| 1864-? | Bladensburg, Md., Anacostia River | Bollman truss | 1/? | Span for second track, to match 1851 span. B. & O. RR. |
| 1868-? | Cape Fear, N.C., Northeast Branch, Cape Fear River | Bollman truss(?) | 2/146'6" 1/164' pivot
draw/150' | Wilmington Railway Bridge Co. This bridge was connected to
that over the Northwest Branch by 21/2 miles
of timber trestling. Designed and built by Bollman. |
| 1868-? | Cape Fear, N.C., Northwest Branch, Cape Fear River | Bollman truss(?) | 1/217'(?) pivot draw/150' | See above. |
| 1868-? | Quincy, Ill., Quincy Bay (in Mississippi River) | Bollman deck truss | 4/85' pivot draw/190' | Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR. The pivot draw was formed
of two 85-ft. simple Bollman deck spans whose outer ends hung from
hog chains. Designed by Bollman; built by Detroit Bridge &
Iron Works. |
| 1869-c.1892 | Baltimore, Md., over Jones Falls, B. & O. RR., and Northern
Central RR. | Warren truss | 2/100'
2/55'6" | North Avenue Bridge. Composite double intersection truss; timber
top chord and posts, wrought-iron lower chord and ties. In 55-ft.
spans, both chords timber. Cost, $73,588. Built by Bollman. |
| c.1869-1936 | Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac River | Bollman through truss | 4/? | Canal span (no. 8), Wide span (no. 2), Winchester span, and West
End span. Destroyed by flood in 1936. B. & O. RR. |
| 1870-.1895 | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Iron “Isometrical truss” (probably Pratt type) | 1/108' | Charles Street Bridge. Three lines of trussing.Cost, $20,297.
Built by Bollman. |
| 1870-1893 & 1900 | Bellaire, Ohio-Benwood W. Va., Ohio River | Bollman deck truss | 9/107'-125' | In approaches; 2 spans on Ohio side; 7 on West Virginia side.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1870-c.1895 |
Belpre, Ohio-Parkersburg, W. Va., Ohio River | Bollman deck truss | 16/? | In approaches; 7 spans on Ohio side; 9 on West Virginia side.
B. & O. RR. |
| 1870-? | Elysville, Md., Patapsco River | Bollman through truss | 4/? | Skew; replacement of Upper Bridge(?). B. & O. RR. |
| 1871-c.1895 | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Timber and iron truss | ? | Decker Street (now Maryland Avenue) Bridge. Cost, $24,975. Built
by Bollman. |
| 1871-c.1892 | Baltimore, Md., over Northern Central RR. at Jones Falls | Warren truss | 1/100' | North Avenue Bridge. Composite double intersection truss;
cast-iron top chord and posts; wrought-iron bottom chord and
ties. West span. Built by Bollman. |
| 1873-1923 | Cave Station, Va., Middle River | Bollman deck truss | 1/98'7"
1/63'5" | Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 120. The main
span was a Whipple deck truss. Replaced with plate girders. Designed
by Bollman. |
| 1873-1923 | Mount Crawford, Va., North River | Bollman deck truss | 2/98'6"
1/148'9" | Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 117. Designed
by Bollman. |
| 1873-1923 | Verona, Va., North River | Bollman deck truss | 3/98'7" | Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 129. The main
span was a 147-ft. Whipple deck truss. Designed by Bollman. |
| 1873-? | Wadesville, Va., Opequon Creek | Bollman through truss | 1/147'8" | Span length given is that of previous wood span that burned in
1862. B. & O. RR. |
| c. 1873- | Baltimore, Md. | Iron roof trusses | ? | First Presbyterian Church. Built by Bollman; possibly
designed by him. |
| 1873- | Baltimore, Md. | Cast-iron stairs | | City Hall. Cost, $12,840. Designed by George A. Frederick,
architect; built by Bollman. |
| 1873- | Baltimore, Md. | Cast-iron framework | | Dome of the City Hall. Cost, $70,525. Designed by George A.
Frederick; built by Bollman. |
| 1875-c.1913 | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Iron truss | 1/? | Fayette Street Bridge. Cost, $9,396. Built by Bollman. |
| 1876-c.1913 | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Single-beam iron bridge (truss?) | 1/? | Canton Avenue (now Fleet Street) Bridge. Cost, $8,904.
Built by Bollman. |
| 1876-c.1913 | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Single-beam iron bridge (truss?) | 1/? | Eastern Avenue Bridge. Cost, $12,382. Built by Bollman. |
| 1877- | Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Pratt and bowstring truss | 1/88'6" | Lombard Street Bridge. Three lines of truss; two outer
trusses, composite cast- and wrought-iron polygonal Pratt type;
center composite bowstring with Pratt-system web. Both chords are
cast-iron water mains, bifurcated at the end bearings; cast-iron
posts and wrought-iron ties. In service. Cost, $7,632. Designed by
Jas. Curran, Baltimore water department; built by Bollman. |
| 1877-c.1913 |
Baltimore, Md., Jones Falls | Iron truss | 1/? | Bath Street Bridge. Cost, $4,172. Built by Bollman. |
| 1879-? | Baltimore, Md. | Drawbridge | 1/? | Over entrance to City Dock. Cost, $13,182. Built by Bollman. |
| 1879-c.1930 | Baltimore, Md., over Jones Falls and railroad tracks | Warren truss | 2/173'9" | North Street (now Guilford Avenue) Bridge. Composite trusses;
cast-iron top chord and end posts; wrought-iron bottom chord and
web members. Cost, $38,772.45. Built by Bollman; designed by Latrobe. |
| 1881-1960 | Baltimore, Md., (Woodberry), Jones Falls | Wrought-iron Pratt truss | 1/? | Union Avenue Bridge. Built by Bollman; possibly designed by him. |
| ?-? | Harpers Ferry, Va., Arsenal Canal | Bollman through truss | 1/148' | Arsenal Branch, B. & O. RR. Skew type. Span length is that
of previous timber span. |
| ?-? | Baltimore, Md., Gwynns Falls | Bollman through truss | 2/? | B. & O. RR. |
