n the south bank of the
river, which is crossed by three bridges, besides the railway viaduct--the
Victoria Bridge (erected in 1898) and the famous "Twa Brigs" of Burns. The
Auld Brig is said to date from the reign of Alexander III. (d. 1286). The
New Brig was built in 1788, mainly owing to the efforts of Provost
Ballantyne. The prophecy which Burns put into the mouth of the venerable
structure came true in 1877, when the newer bridge yielded to floods and
had to be rebuilt (1879); and the older structure itself was closed for
public safety in 1904. The town has extended greatly on the southern side
of the stream, where, in the direction of the racecourse, there are now
numerous fine villas. The county buildings, designed after the temple of
Isis in Rome, accommodate the circuit and provincial courts and various
local authorities. The handsome town buildings, surmounted by a fine spire
226 ft. high, contain assembly and reading rooms. Of the schools the most
notable is the Academy (rebuilt in 1880), which in 1764 superseded the
grammar school of the burgh, which existed in the 13th century. The Gothic
Wallace Tower in High Street stands on the site of an old building of the
same name taken down in 1835, from which were transferred the clock and
bells of the Dungeon steeple. A niche in front is filled by a statue of the
Scottish hero by James Thorn (1802-1850), a self-taught sculptor. There are
statues of Burns, the 13th earl of Eglinton, General Smith Neill and Sir
William Wallace. The Carnegie free library was established in 1893. The
charitable institutions include the county hospital, district asylum, a
deaf and dumb home, the Kyle combination poor-house, St John's refuge and
industrial schools for boys and girls. The _Ayr Advertiser_ first appeared
on 5th of August 1803, and was the earliest newspaper published in
Ayrshire. In the suburbs is a racecourse where the Western Meeting is held
in September of every year. The principal manufactures include leather,
carpets, woollen goods, flannels, blankets, lace, boots and shoes; and
fisheries and shipbuilding are also carried on. There are several
foundries, engineering establishments and saw mills. Large quantities of
timber are imported from Canada and Norway; coal, iron, manufactured goods
and agricultural produce are the chief exports. The harbour, with wet and
slip dock, occupies both sides of the river from the New Bridge to the sea,
and is protected on the south by a