New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-19
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
HOW THE OBELISK WAS LOWERED.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS By COMMANDS


HOW THE OBELIsK WAS LOWERED.
DESCRIPTION or THE PROCESS By COMMANDER
CORRINGE.
A. the meeting Of the New-York branch Of the
United state, Naval Institute, held AZ the blo"eN
Navy ard yesterday, I1eutenaut-t onNh"hueF buI-
rIngr described the means employed 10 remove the
ob,lisk from ITS size in Alexandria TO Tie Unl@'i
States ifle remarks were illustrated by models.
Tie Oie.Isk Wa- buried. he said to hegAt oi
feet above the pcdc, tai IN mass oil debll, ana
sand. lie age OF Obclshs can be deter
d med with considerable accuracy by the depth OF
the surrounding arcumulatlons. there were TWO
plans o GOOSE from IN. removing HE ODeNk from
| itt upright position. One Was by securing the seq
Ment OF huge wheel 20 the obell.k with two guys
fastened 10 IN. shaft behind. 1hcn the oDeisk
would b, Tilted % throw the weight on tc
! guys and excavations being carried on un"cr lhc
Dhso 1t you'd Slowly tuih ot ,hc n i,S "o Of
the ground was unknown, and as rocks
wOuld very likely render the excavation dlihcut or
impossible, the idea was adopted ol mounting the
ObeiIsk like a cannon upon kind of cun-caTriage.
| his carnage was made III Trenton ana taken 10
Egypt in pieces. The obelisk was carefully lncased
III timber, and four derficks were erected The non
plates OF the tIunncns weighing SIX tons each were
hoisted into place the sides of the obelisk and
boited together by bars running across. being also
supported by rods running up and down. Then the
carriage WAS placed underneath aud the truH-
MONS Just fitted INTO the rests on the car,
rage. The different parts were securely fastened
by bolts then the obclisk was lifted bodily and
turned over of Its weight. ITusses were placed
on each side, with steel bands running to the heel
from breaking III two when suspended by the md
die. Ii was top heavy. the part above the tUn-
Mons weighing four tons than that below, and
therefore came down upon the high cradle prepared
for II with a tremendous crash. Some of the TIM
bers were broken, but special preparation had been
ade for this and a kind of cushion OF lmbers was
ready to receive the shaft.
Stacks of Imbers were placed under the obeliSk
When il was rCCunDent it was lifted by
hydraulic Jacks, and the tlmbers were
taken ont by one until 1t was
lowered 70 the level OF the pedestal deep PIT or
canal bad been aug underneath and a huge box or
caissOn was readiness large enough to float the
obclIsk out to sea. Here miShap occurred which
has been wrongly SAID to have been malici"usiy
caused. The had to 60 30 feet to reach the
sea. 1t went twenty feet ana then stopped. For
the remainder of the II bad to he pushed by
pressure of 100 tons inch by men TO the sea.
AfteTwaTd It was found that between the WAYS and
the cradle were several pieces of iron and stones,
winch probably found their way IN acct
dentally The was very rough and
once the ODE sk was sunk, but it ii
nally tOwcd seven miles and put IN
dry dock. 1t was laid diag0nay to the keel Of the
ship, III the side of which a large port had been
opened BY the and of Kind of railway formed Of
O.iuch channel iron and J4f-Inch cannon balls the
obeiIsk was moved forward. being turned hen hall
way into the ship 10 90 parallel with tie keel,
and,it finally lay upon bed on the very top of the
keel. Tnen he port closed up. The weather
was good except for three days of the voyage. No
danger at all was apprchenGed; IN TACT Alr Cor
ringe considered that such a rigid body rather
strengthened the snip.