The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-06-21
A MAMMOTH STRUCTURE.
The Wonderful Accomplishment Of
Mechanical Science.
How the Great Building for Manufactures
and Liberal Arts at the Worlds Fair
Was Plunned-A Monster
Derrick.

II Is in its present stage of construc-
ton that the mammoth building for the
manufactures and liberal arts at the
worlds fair is most plrious and inter
esting, says Harpers Weekly. They
are now at work on the big derrick, or
traveller" as it is called, and the dimen-
sions of this engine are suggestive of the
tremendous proportions the building
itself will assume as 1t nears compile
ton. The great Eads bridge at St.
Louis is a remarkable structure, and
one would fancy that a building con-
tanning more iron and steel than that
embraced in its mighty arches must be
a rare building indeed. In the manu-
features building will be used 400 tons
more of metal than the amount used by
Mr. Eads' engineers. New Workers
know what Brooklyn bridge looks like.
With the metal to be used In the liberal
arts building two such bridges could be
built, and there would still remain as
much as 2,400 tons unused. To be more
exact, upwards of 100000 pounds of
steel and iron will be consumed by the
constructionists in the work of putting
the liberal arts hall together.
The plans for this the most extensive
building ever attempted by man were
prepared by Mr.. George B. Post, Of
New York. The trusses that will sup
port the roof are the largest in the
world. There win be a clear span of
$50 feet from pillar to pillar. When
the New Yorker stated that span of
this proportion would be used, archi-
tects and builders generally laughed at
the idea, and said that this was ideal
construction. But the enterprise was
not submitted solely to builders of
houses. 1t was a point that was not all
included in the studies of architecture.
1t more nearly approaches bridge en-
gineering. This is true of more than
one building planned for the Columbian
exposition. The bridge engineers were
consulted, made their calculations looked
wise, closed their eyes as if in deep
thought, and then pronounced: 'It can
be DONE but it will cost a great fortune
in dollars"
MIR. Post was indicated, and the
worlds fair treasurer undertook to do
the rest The contracts were let to a
| Pittsburgh company, and now they are
demonstrating the accuracy of the
mathematics by literally doing the work
But there was another problem land
not q small one) TO be solved before the
iron and steel were made ready, Given
the plans and the material, how could
this 6,0OO tons of metal be lifted into
position? There are 26 main trusses,
each weighing 200 tons, and these are
to form the bases for the roof spans.
To lift a mass of material weighing 200
tons, and to handle Il with the pre-
cision and accuracy necessary for the
niceties of Mr.. Posts plans, require no
common enginery. And no common
enginery is brought into play here. II
was month ago that the builders be-
gan the work of constructing the engine
which was to carry these immense
masses of metal as easily as an athlete
swings dumb-bell 1t was now almost
finished--a derrick 255 feet in height,
and 1858 feet in length. 1t Is built with
four uprights at the corners, that are
jointed at sections of 40 feet by heavy
cross beams, making the skeleton. Foi
the stays are used as ropes of steel that
are strung diagonally. Then there are
v trusses that, being bolted anc
mortised to the cross beams, insure the
strength of the structure.
|. The traveller rests on a foundation
as stable and as solid as may be.
strip of the great floor was torn up, anC
piles in three rows were driven in alonl
the line of the track which the derricl
Is to follow. Caps of timber 12 inches
square, on which are placed 1OO-pounC
: steel rails, make track. Purchase will
be had in the great cranes that will b,
: rugged on the top of the traveller.
The heaviest tackle obtainable will bC
used in the working of these cranes. !
stationary engine will be used to NOV
the derrick along the track.
: Now that this great derrick is ready
1t is expected that the building itsel
will grow rapidly. In this case the prep
Rration for the work is almost as grea
an undertaking as the work itself.
IREL AND AT THE FAIR