The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-24
A NEW ELEVATOR.

YORK-CoMPLETIoN OF AN IMPORTANT AND
NEEDED ENTERPRISE OF THE NEW YORK CEN
TRIAL RAILROAD COMPANY.
second great grain elevator for the New York
Central and Hudson River Railroad is just about
completed at the foot of Sixty third street and the
North River. The first elevator. which erected
years ago at the foot of Sixty first street. was
considered an undertaking Of such magnitude that
no addition to its capacity would be needed for very
long time to yet is already inadequate to the
business for which it built, and another ee-
vator. larger and efficient. has had to be put up
The latter stands about three hundred feet away.
and at right angles to the former. and is
planted end out into the river. forming
one of the most conspicuous landmarks on
the east side of the Hudson. The first elevator.
towering high into the air and placed broadside TO
the river, has been prominent object of note for
travellers the river but the two together make
most imposing display and attract the attention Of
every passing eye. The surroundings go to make up
encouraging picture of busy commerce. with great
long lines OF freight the land and whole fleets
OF canal barges on the water side.
FOUNDATIONS OF THE STRUCTURE
The sinking of the foundations for this new eleva-
tor was begun May l. 1878. and took months to
to depth of from sixty-fve to eghty-ive feet and
on top of these number of cassons sunk on
which were constructed 126 stone piers varying in
height from twentysx feet at the edge of the shore
to forty feet out in the river twelve feet at the
base and three feet square at the top. From the
summit Of these piers heavy iron beams were laid
to receive the flooring of the building under which
the tidal waters ebb and flow without interruption.
DIMENSIONS OF THE BUILDING.
The building feet length 70 in breadth
and 1al feet height to the ridge of the roof with
river side) "a feet wide. 1t is built of timber laid
and spiked in what is known as the crib form. and
the outside. for height of Is feet. is covered
with corrugated iron From that altitude the roof
it is covered exteriorly with slate of which several
million pieces have been used Over 100000 feet Of
Georgia pine We're used in the construction The
ton of the building proper was begun December LISTS
and it will be ready for business, it is thought the
18th Of next month. The chimney, 1872 feet high,
stands at the east end of the structure the left
hand side, and is connected by double iron tiue
with the boiler room. an independent brick building
opposite. 66 feet in length. In this two large
boilers. feet inches in diameter and Is feet long.
and low pressure engine Of S00-horse power. The
elevator building contains 40 bins. with capacity
for 900 bushels OF grain. Unlike the first ele
vator erected it ship and receive at the same
time. and for this purpose it has double set Of
chinery consisting Of ten receiving and ten trans
ferring elevators The older building could only
ceve at time. But in the one, while the
drawn up two double tracks within the
building being discharged of their freight. the
steamers lying outsiue ~ 'ne uocA are Receiving
their cargo Four hundred cars can be unloaded in
single day and 100000 bushels be shipped into
vessels.
A CURIOUS SIGHT.
The interior of the elevator is curious sight The
eye is bewldered by the vast crowd and apparent
confusion Of pillars beams and long vertical boxes
Though looking wild intricacy to the uninitiated
eye it is in reality solid harmonious and ingenious
arrangement There floor speak OF any
where, but a ending series Of boxes and bins
and of great wooden tubes shooting here and there
in every direction The wooden pillars OF the
most massive kind: generally dumped together at
piers and spreading out fan shape at the top, where
they support equally massive transverse beams
dovetailed and mortised i'll way give con-
vncing notion of the great strength secured the
whole structure. Each clump of posts is supposed
to bear weight of $50 tons, and 1t u.s. consequently
necessary to make at least the first story OF the
building extra strong when it is possible to
late overhead weight in grain OF from twelve to
fifteen Thousand tons. The main driving belt of the
machinery IL huge affair." being or seven-pIy rubber
two and one-half feet long and four feet VIDE The
main driving pulley is fourteen feet in diameter,
ftytwo-inch face and runs ffty-eight revolutions
minute Two adjacent and smaller wheels drive
set OF steam shovels. On the third foor-or rather
platform-are twenty of Fairbanks 5Oo-bushel
scales, with which 1t Is possible to weigh "a
whole car load OF grain IN two minutes. To unload
freight standing below III the building. transfer
its contents almost as high as the roof, have it
weighed and shipped into the hold Of foreign YES
sci outward bound can be accomplished in seven
minutes Each scale bin holds 300 bushels of grain,
which runs in ut the top and is let out at the bottom
with astonishing rapldity after being weighed.
There hve OF what called barge
cleaners, tor cleaning grain for foreign shipment.
Each cleans at the rate OF 1000 bushels an hour. In
the elevator 'legs' are placed automatic signals,
which efectualy stop draughts OF air when business
is Ill operation, and thus avoid the possibility OF
tanning spark of ire into an instant conhagraion.
Under the roof runs an iron SHAFT the whole length
OF the building, driven with paper and iron friction
pueys, and so arranged that one or more elevators
may be IN operation while the rest stand idle. Five
upright Ventlaors are placed along the apex OF the
root to carry on the dust that arises from the
The building Will be heated by steam and lighted
with gas so that work may II necessary
be carried on ut night as well as day.
At the lett OF the entrance Will be the Office
nected by telephone with the weigher's post up
stairs The erection OF the building, the contract
tor the whole OF which was undertaken by j. L.