New-York tribune., 1884-11-29
INSPECTION or THE RLEVATED ROADS
GUARDING AGAINST DErERIORATION-CoNsr
TESTING OF MATERIALS.

GUARDING AGAINST DETERIORATION-CoNsTA
TESTING OF MATERIALS.
1t will be reassuring to those who are obliged
to spend daily from half an hour to an hour In the
OF the elevated raro to know that the condition OF
the elevated structures object Of continual inspec
tion the slightest flaw deterioration In tho
materials or construction Is be pro npty dis
covered and renedied. TRIBUNE reporter called lately
upon Colonel r. X. Ham, the general manager OF the ele
vated roads, and obtained from him complete account
Of the methods OF inspection One Of tho departments
under supervision Of the chief engineer Of the com
pany ia specially devoted to the proper mainte-
nance Of rosd-bcds and structures. In this de-
p.rtment there arc two general supervisors one
responsible for the Eastern Division. including the
Third and second aves anu the Oher ior tne
a,e, Under thc-o general supervisors are patrolmen
each of whom deyotes his whole no and attention
to daily examination OF limited section OF the road
bed These sections generally about mile long: In
making his daily examination, is the duty or the
pai runan To inspect the condition OF the rss and
ont to for defective rivets and loose nuts
word to satisfy himself of the perfect strength and re-
lie Is t. io%eser, rsspon the ;oty Of the
% IN, : .S rers S inn S,
ally occupied in testing he capacity OF the structure TO
support tho strain to which il !. suboctod He bssln' at
ono end the limo and passes to the other, gong
back to tho starting point as soon as the rsps'pn np ion
'1s'ls9 ThshsP SSS'' s"y aw %ss Developed
material Of the supports and whether tho ryes which
ton n ihr iron /, crckcd or has in any way become
detective the mperecon can ut once be dctectcd ~
car OF the S0nnd wnich tho
iron gives when struck with hammer In thls respect
the that applied to car whecis 10 deter
mine their soundncSs . ,, A.,
rives wear away Standing on one of the elevatcu
platforms train approaches or leaves tit station
yibratory movemrnt Of the whole STRUCTURE IL uisunc
felt Th. movement causes the plates to rub against one
another and gradually saws away tse rVets ny "hch
hey held together. simple strain has no aestruo
the structure, but lnovcnr it ayns
the parts sop4 renders them altogether useless inc
work of the inspectors therefore, consists prn"pay III
tapping ryet aud nut to see ~hsher II mas peoono
loosened In Its setting ana III fepaclhS tnVNo
which found defective. Bosles This general Inspection
which goss continually different parts OF the roads
from timo to time subeoicd 10 sp"ciai tesa o"
duci -d by expert rngineers Last year. Tor example
section Of one of the braces was taken from Pont o
the Third Avenue road where the traffic is heaviest ana
tested determine whether the material ma unherSohc
any drtcriuraon The result Of the experiment showed
the had lost only an niinltesha por'oh VI '
resisting power. - A., It'll, .,
scemnply FRA potiDl the structure, Tor instance
the grsat at andtcnthstr askeu 'he
eporler, ,-.. .,. a., o,i,.r ror
tlons of the rDal naw In the structure ~ thN pot
would occur In tho same manner ~ eiseWnere, aiu v
sninc methods would reveal ~. VI coui'c' ,no
height that portion uf the road tel w the use '" w
Scne prrcnuilon IN its construction AMI " Is more
sirunrly brncrl than other portions onr nsprv.",' '
climb up the columns and examine the ie7 'noie W
/. thr,r any possibility ~ your trains hhing nyst
cru vlrd beyond the capacity Of the atririue I" 'e" wv
No tho rn,d IL constructed "a 10 he capibe o shs
ttnina weight many tlnei greater thln ton' "! MY
possibility he roertf o. once ~ sns's 'sssI, a,e
rtnuily a. anc ~ those which run nearly empty III Oe
middle ~ ihe hnt" ...,,.. ... -,
saeF az that n IA imnns,hla thai any hpret nh'e wv
tuvptel, shobh ,emiin Iona nhitm'l'e'