In 1856, two brothers from Aberdeen, John Harper and Hugh Harper, established a small company named Harper & Company. The company's primary focus was on producing strong steel wires used for bridges and fences. John Harper's son, Louis Harper, born in Aberdeen on 23 April 1868, followed in his father's footsteps and became a civil engineer. Louis Harper developed a particular interest in suspension bridge construction, thanks to the exceptional galvanized wires produced by their company, which were well-suited for such bridges. In 1887, Louis Harper constructed the first suspension bridge. Later, in 1889, he collaborated with James Evernethy and Company to build more bridges.
By 1910, Harper & Company had successfully constructed 60 modern suspension bridges capable of carrying 60 people each. During this period, Nepal also acquired materials from Harper & Company for the construction of its first modern suspension bridge, which was built by Nepali soldiers under the direct supervision of engineer Kumar Narsingh Rana in Nuwakot on the Trishuli River. This bridge was completed in Tihar 1957 and opened to the public on the day of Kag Tihar. It appears that suspension bridges in Nepal were initiated during the period of Veerashamsher, predating Chandrashamsher's reign.
After the completion of the bridge in the year 1900, the Nepal government continued to procure materials from Louis Harper Company for the construction of six more bridges, marking the beginning of modern steel suspension bridges in Nepal.
However, after 1910, the Lewis Harper Company ceased its bridge-building operations, and the official company no longer existed for inquiries. Nevertheless, thanks to the company's durable materials, the bridges remained in good condition for a long time. Some of the bridges were eventually repaired before falling into disrepair.
Many years later, Louis Harper's grandson, Douglas Harper, took an interest in the suspension bridges built by Harper & Company worldwide. He successfully reconstructed old suspension bridges in Scotland to their original form through government support. Douglas Harper also visited suspension bridges in India, Africa, and Nepal, compiling a book with details and pictures of those historical bridges.
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