Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-26

gantic structure was in travail. An in
slant after the end slipped. it moved and
crept over the abutment nearly half an
inch.
1t was O great triumph for the young
man. He had harnessed the sun to do
more than many men and engines. He
had moved the bridge and all for loves
sake.
cit will reach its full expansion about
three O'Clock. You had best go 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 move the bridge to its right
place IN three days
Old Jimmy Walsh said he had heard of
such things, but he had never rightly I'M
derstood them til now, and ventured the
opinion that it would take a power of
chains and rivets to hold her back when
she began to cool down.
The sun shone clear all the morning,
at one O'Clock it was hot and sultry. The
people round about gathered to see science
toiling for love, and the little meeting
house was quite deserted. The good man
preached mild reproof against the
worldly people at work on the bridge, but
the entirecongregation, even the women in
their hearts said that the young man was
doing just right. The bridge travelled
again at two O'Clock, and advanced an
other inch. If now it could be held
there, if it could be prevented from re-
turning to its old position, the gain would
be permanent, and the bridge would be
moved without hands.
With blazing FORCES and resounding
hammers, the men worked on in a sort Of
frantic haste. Iron bars were riveted to
the bridge and clamped to the stones of
the abutment. Even chains were bound
around the ends of the bridge, and an
chored to the ties and tracks of the rail-
road. 1t was now half-past two. The
temperature would soon be at its highest,
and then it would gradually fall, and
keep falling through the night until the
next morning. As the air cooled the
bridge would contract Would it return
to its old position, or remain in Its new
place? Would the anchored end remain
fast and the contraction pull the other
end forward? So eager were the people
gathered near to watch the work that they
did not observe the west till sudden
peal of thunder startled them
First the sun was obscured, and then
the hot and sultry air was stirred by
fitful breeze. The people sought shelter
in the neighboring houses, but the work
men only redoubled their exertions The
rain would cool the heated bridge quick
ly, and it would contract suddenly-per-
haps tear all their work to pieces. Either
the bridge must contract as whole, and
the free end move, or the fastenings would
be torn apart. s.
The rain came down in flood The
temperature fell twenty degrees in few
moments, and they all ran over the slip
perry and dripping bridge. The young
man sprang down on the ledge of the
abutment. There was clear space be-
tween the bridge and the wedges they
had driven in that morning.
"The bridge has moved"
At nine O'Clock the next day an engine
came up, bringing the manager of the
company and number of carpenters and
laborers. The scaffolding must be re-
built, and the bridge lifted on rollers,
and forced over into its place by hydrau-
lie jacks.
They found the young man calmly
talking to a young girl, and superintend-
ing 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 the
manager.
Moving the bridge, sir. What with
the sun and the rain, we moved her an
inch yesterday, and if it holds hot for a
few days more, we'll have her in place."
The Reward stood there when it all
happened Farmer Chase was there, and
the Lawsons, and many of the neighbors.
They all said they knew Thomas Lawson
would be credit to the town. 1t was
quite proper that the bridge company
should take him back ON good salary.
Anybody could move bridge in that
way. 1t was as easy as having. Even
the manager said he could do it in that
way-if he had thought of it.
"Jes' so, jes' So" said Farmer Chase;
"but my lin law did think of it. and
that makes the difference