Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-20
THE SPAN BEING BROUGHT INTO POSITION.

in the work was not alone aware of what
was required of him, but knew how to do it.
Mr.. George Buchan had active charge of
the work, and he went about it in such a
way as left no doubt as to his ability to
handle such undertakings. Mr.. Strobel
exercised a watchful eye over everything
during the whole day, and M. j. Becker,
Chief Engineer of the Southwest system,
had word of suggestion to offer now and
then. Captain John A. Wood remained all
day on the barges, and only left when the
work was done.
WHERE CREDIT Is DUE.
The whole OF this work was designed and
executed by the Keystone Bridge Company,
the only part the railroad officials played in
the matter being that of censors, who saw
that certain requirements they demanded
were complied with. The work was offered
in competition, and the design of the Key
stone Bridge Company selected.
What is most remarkable about this en-
gineering feat is that it is the first time a
span of such length and weight has been
raised to such a height by the means
adopted yesterday. The principle followed
is not new. Bridges have before now been
erected on pontoons and foated to their
positions, but in every previous case they
have been of much narrower spans, and at
less height. Bridges on this plan have
been constructed across the Hawkersbury
river, in New South Wales, and IN Florida.
In the methods adopted by Mr.. Strobel
and his colleagues, while the general princi-
pie of building the bridge on false work and
afterward carrying it to its position has been
followed, a new method was resorted to.
This was. as fully described in yesterdays
DISPATCH, instead of building the false
work directly on the pontoons, of
erecting it on piles at such a
height as to admit Of introducing
barges under the work to sustain it, and
subsequently float it to where required. The
plan has been demonstrated to be so success
full that it will probably be. extensively
adopted in cases where spans cross rivers Of
large traffic.
The gross weight of the whole structure
yesterday moved was about 800 tons,
equally divided between the span itself, and
the false work and barges.
ANOTHER ONE TO PLACE.
The southern channel span will be pro-
ceeded with at once but the system en-
ployei yesterday will not be used. Piles
will be driven between the piers, and the
span will be erected from false work directly
into its permanent position.
Much satisfaction was expressed by the
engineers present at the success of the plan.
Among those present during the day were:
W. L. Abbott and John G. Leishman,
chaIrmen respectively of Carnegie, Phipps
& Co., and Carnegie Bros. g. Co.; G. w. G.
Ferris Henry S. Morse, of the Edgemoor
Bridge Company; A. B. Starr, Captain
Batchelor, H. C. Frick, Captain A. E.
Hunt David McCargo, William Met
calf, Calvin Wells, Captain r.
w. Rodgers, William Mullins, William
McCreary; Superintendent Turner, of the
Panhandle; William Thsw. Joseph Wood,
George D. McMurtrie, Len Morris, Lucien
Scaife, A. B. Neeld, County Engineer
Davis, Thomas Rodd, f. Slotope. E. P.
Ballar, of New York; Richard North, M.
Discher, w. P. Rice, of Cleveland; M.
Winkopp, William Schuzer, William
Given, John II. Richetson, Edward Fer
guson, Edgar Watt, of Cumberland Gap;
c. E. Pugh, E. B. Walton, f. G. Darling
ton, Charles B. Price, Joseph Wood, and
d. M. Snyder, of Altoona.