The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-19

ne - SOlIS ~ put thC mug bsANN, "'iN
shall stay with him.
It was nearly eleven o'clock before the
last bit of metal was torn up. The bridge
had already begun to show signs of distress,
as if pulled and strained by some invisible
vet appalling power. Some of the beams
began to show signs of distortion, and the
rods. when struck with hammer, rang
sharply like the strings of piano strained
up to a concert pitch The last bolt was
almost off when it suddenly broke with a
loud snap The whole gigantic structure
was in tranvail. An instant after the end
slipped. it moved and crept upon the stone
ledge of the abutment nearly half an inch.
1t was great triumph for the young
man. He had harnessed the sun to do
more than many men and engines. He
moved the bridge and all for loves sake.
1T will reach its full expansion about
three O'Clock. You had best 90 get your
dinner. men. and then we must anchor her
fast before she begins to contract again at
sundown
The men were wild with enthusiasm for
the young engineer. He had brains. He
would have the bridge to its right place in
-tflree days
Old Jimmy Walsh said he had heard
of such things, but he never rightly un-
derstood it till now. and ventured the opin-
ion that it would take power of ehsins
and rivets to hold her back when she began
To cool down.
The sun shone clear all the morning, and
at one clock it was very hot and sultry.
The people round about gathered to see sci
enee toiling for love. and the little meeting
house was quite deserted The good man
preached a mild reproof against worldly
people at work in the bridge, but the en-
tire congregation to a woman said in their
hearts that the young man was doing just
right. The bridge Travelled again about
two O'Clock. and advanced another half
inch. If now il could be held there, if it
could be prevented from returning to its
old position. the gain would be permanent,
aEd the bridge would be moved without
hands
With blazing forges and resounding
hammers, the men worked on IN sort Of
frantic haste. Iron bars were riveted tn
the bridge and clamped TO the stones Of
the abutment. Even chains were bound
round the beams Of the bridge, and anchor
ed to the ties and tracks Of the railroad
1t was now half past tive The tempera-
ture woald be at it, highest very sou, and
then il would gradually fall. and keep fall
ing through the night till morning As
the air cooled, the bridge would contract.
Would it return to it, cid position, or m
main in it, new place Would the an
chored end remain fast, and the contraction
pull the other end forward - eager
were the people gathered near 10 watch the
work that they did not observe the west,
till sudden pcal Of thundcr s,artle-d them
First the san waS ulscurcd, aud then
the hot and saltry air was stirred by TT
ful bFeeze. The people sought shelter in
the neighboring houses, bat the workmen
only rcdoubled their cxertions The rain
would cool the heated bridge quickly. and
It would ooairaci saddenly--perhaps tear
al the work to pieces Either the bridge
must contrast - a whole, and the free end
move, or the fas;eniags would Be torn apart.
The rain came down in Hood The tenn
peraturc fell twenty dcgrcss ia tcw mo-
nenis, and they all nan over the slippery
and dripping hridgc. The young man
sprang down on shc lodge of the abutmsns-
There was clear space between the bridge
and the wedges they had driven in that
morning
The bridge has moved
Az nine O'Clock the next day an eRgine
came up, bringing the manager Of the COM
pany and number Of carpenters and labor
ers. The scaHold must be rebuilt, and thc
bridge lifted On rullcEs, and foreed ever
into is place by hydraulic jacks
They found the young man calmly talk
ing to a young giri. and experimenting the
men who were driving wedges into the
narrow space between the bridge and the
blocks put in the day before
What are You doing, men ?" said ,he
manager
Moving the bridge, sir. What with
the sun and the rain, we moved her an
inch yesterday, and IL il holds ho, fcr few
days more vel have her in place
The reward stood there when it all hap
pened. Farmer Chase was there, and the
Lawsons, and many Of the neighbors.
They all said they knew Thomas lawson
would be a credit to the town Ii was
quite proper that the bridge company
should take him back on good salary.
Anybody could move bridge in that way.
II was as easy as having Even the man
sgsr said he could do It in that way-if h.
had thought Of IT,
"Jes' 80, jes' 50, said Farmer Chase;
"but my son-in-law did think Of ii, and
that makes the difference. - Harperis
Weekly.