The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-06-02
A MAMMOTH STRUCTURE.
The Wonderful Accomplishment OF
Mechanical Science.
How the Great Building for Manufactures
and Liberal Arts at the Worlds Fair
Was Plsnned--A Monster


Derr.~k
III Is In It's present stage of construc-
Ion that the mammoth building for the
manufactures and liberal arts at the
Horld's fair is most curious and inter-
sting, says Harper's Weekly. They
are now at work on the big derrick, or
''traveler," as it Is called. and the dimen-
sions of this engine are suggestive of the
tremendous proportions the building
ttself will assume as it nears compile
ion. The great Eads bridge at st.
louis is remarkable structure, and
one would fepcy hat q building con-
taining more iron and steel than TINT
embraced in its mighty arches must be
arare building indeed. In the manu-
factures building will be used 400 tons
more of metal than the amount used by
Mr.. Eads' engineers. New Workers
know what Brook. m bridge looks like.
With the metal to be used in the liberal
erts building two such bridges could be
bnilt, and there would stin 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 will be clear span of
ss8 feet from pillar to pillar. When
the New Yorker stated that span of
this proport on 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 q point that was not all
included in the studies of architecture.
II more nearly approaches bridge en-
cheering. This is true of more than
one building planned for the Columbian
exposition. The bridge engineers were
consulted, made their ircalculations, looked
wise, closed their eyes as if in deep
Thought. and then pronounced: SIT can
be done, but 1t will cost great fortune
In dollars"
Mr.. Post was vindicated. 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 small one) to be solved before the
ron and steel were made ready. Given
the plans and the material, how could
this 6,000 tons of metal be lifted into
position? There are 20 main trusses,
each weighing 200 tons, and these are
70 form the bases for the roof spans.
10 lift mass of material weighing 200
tons, and to handle it with the pre-
cision and accuracy necessary for the
niceties of Mr.. Posts plans, require no
common enginery. And 10 common
engincry is brought into play here. It
was a 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
nnlshed-a derrick 255 feet in heiQht,
and 36s fret in length. 1t is built with
four uprghts at the corners. that are
Jointed at sections Of 40 feet by heavy
cross beams, making the skeleton. For
the stays are used as ropes of steel that
are strung diagonally. Then there are
V trusses that, being bolted and
mortised to the cross beams, insure the
strength of the structure.
The traveller rests on foundation
as stable and as solid as may be. A
strip OF the great floor was torn up, and
plles In three rows were driven in along
the line OF the track which the derrick
is to follow. Caps of timber 10 inches
square, on which are placed 1OO-pound
steel rails, make track. Purchase will
be had in the great cranes that will be
rugged on the top of the traveller"
The heaviest tackle obtainable will be
used In the working of these cranes. A
stationary engine will be used to move
the derrick along the track.
Now that this great derrick is ready,
1t is expected that the building itself
Will grow rapidly. In this cnse the prep
aration for the work Is alnlcst as great
an undertal;irr as the work itself.