The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-08-02
Big THING IN PAINT.
What it Costs TO Coat the
P. R. R. Train Shed
With Water
proof.
JERSEY CITY SCORES A POINT.
Some of These Days the Great Iron
Shell Win Be Deeked in
Gaudy Hues.
JERSEY CITY SCORES A POINT.

Almost every one who has had occasion
to pass through the great train shed.
which the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany has just completed in this city. has
stopped to gaze at the white robed paint
ers at work upon the interior OF the shed.
The men. as they move about among the
heavy trusses and slender, but powerful
braces, look like spiders moving about In
vast web. Il has been a most difficult
task to paint the large struct ure both in-
side and out and apply the thousands
and thousands Of gallons OF paint, which
has been required to do the work, and at
the same time carry on the Immense
traffic which passes through the station
daily. In ORDER 10 protect Its patrons
from the annoyance and damage which
would arise from the paint which would
be sure to drop down upon them while
the interior OF the shed was being painted,
the railroad company had large pieces OF
canvas slung under the portions upon
which the painters were at work to catch
The dripping oil and paint.
A MASSIVE LADDER.
One circumstance which struck those
who have watched the painters az work
has been the absence OF all ladders. and
RtVk&C w IAC VIVA A4Gtti4 ~ " OAAGE tkQM
the men reached the giddy height at
which they were seen painting away rs
unconcernedly as though they were on
solid ground. Those who have been
about the depot when the noon whistle
has blown or when the shri blast of the
one o'clock whistle has called the men
back to work, have never wondered at
the absence of ladders.
The trusses and the braces which
strengthen them form strong and sure
ladder. At short intervals the trusses are
Joined together In manner which makes
q sort of platform slipping upward at an
acute angle. 1t would be impossible for
q man to walk upright GU these platforms,
but by grasptng With the hands the places
where they are Joined together, the men
run up and down them az nimbly as a
sailor goes through the rigging Of his
ship.
The work of painting the shed is about
completed and but comparatively small
force of men are now at work. When
the painting was commenced and until
the three coats were placed upon the
structure large force Of men, which
often numbered as high as 30, was em-
ployed. The amount of paint which has
been used in this work is something mar
vellous. Two million pounds of iron was
used in the construction of the depot.
each pound of which has been treated
with three coats OF oxide of iron paint,
which, together with the cost of the
labor of applying, it represents an outlay
of SIC, 900. The color of the interior OF
the shed ia bright red, while the exte-
rior will be painted that duh white tint
which is known as Pennsylvania standard
color and is the color which the ferry
houses and all frame depots and other
buildings of the company are painted.
JERSEY CITY PAINT THE BEST
The elevated structure from the Hill to
Henderson street will also be painted,
and the work and material will cost
$4,000 This will be dull color, and the
paint used differs materially from that
used on the depot. AS the elevated struc.
ture is .entirely out of doors and ex-
posed to all conditions Of weather, and
as the salt air OF this vicinity is very de-
structive TO Iron, the Pennsylvania Com
pany experimental some time in order to
obtain paint which would protect the
iron from the destructive corrosion of the
salt air. 1t fnally decided upon a paint
manufactured by the Dixon Graphite
Company of this city. This paint is diff
fereDt in color and body from the other,
being mixture of graphite ground in
linseed OIL The entire painting is bein 2
done by A. W. Weber of Philadelphia.
It is not the intention of the Pennsyl-
vania Company, in painting the new
shed to attain any striking effect. but
merely, to obtain means of protecting
the iron from the destructive atmosphere
of the seaboard. In few years, how
ever, the company will paint the various
portions of the structure in different coll
ors with view of producing an artistic
and attractive effect.