The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-02-11
Big Guns For Chicago.

Herr Gillhausen. chief engineer Of the
Krupp gun works, with Richard Abe, ar
rived last week at Chicago to open Krupps
monster display at the fair The advance
section from the celebrated gun works
at Essen reached Baltimore some time
ago. and was started to Chicago Jan. 26.
The removal Of Krupps exhibit from
freight cars to the building especially
constructed for 1t is the most difficult
problem presented to the bureau of in
stallation. The sensational feature of the
exhibit is a cannon weighing l24 tons-the
heaviest single article ever offered to n
railroad for transportation. There are
other heavy ordnance pieces, but in COM
parison with the leviathan they are light
weights. Several pieces weigh sixty-five
tons each. Herr Gilhausen Will discuss
the plans for handling these exhibits With
Mr. Holcomb Chief Engineer Shanlsland
and other officials of the park.
The Krupp exhibits are coming to Chi
cago over the Pennsylvania road. They
are due in the park now and have been
expected every day this week. For q
time it seemed that the display would
be abandoned, because none Of the rail-
roads were willing to undertake to bring
the guns to Chicago. Engineers of sew
ernl roads said the load would wreck
every bridge between Baltimore and Chi
cago. Much difficulty was also expert
enced in persuading any OF the ocean
lines to put their vessels to the test OF
carrying the guns Krupp's engineers
kept at work, however, as Emperor Will
lam had specially requested that a great
showing be made by the Essen works
After contracts were made for ocean
transportation the next thing was to
secure a place to unload. After long
search the German engineers selected
Sparrows Point as the only place along
the Atlantic seaboard having shears Of
sufficient lifting power to unload the
exhibit. The Maryland Steel company
undertook that part of the work. The
Pennsylvania Railroad company made a
contract to deliver the goods in Chicago
II is the biggest job ever undertaken by
the engineers OF that company.
In order to bring the guns to Chicago
The Pennsylvania company built cars
almost entirely Of iron and steel especi
ally for the purpose These cars are in
the form Of wide fiat trucks. placed on
thlrty-two exceptionally strong and
heavy wheels, made for the occasion.
one car is to be used In bringing the
big gun. The other car, TO be used in
bringing smaller ordnance pieces, is
really In the form OF two cars, Joined by
an iron bridge. 1t presents the appear
anee of one long car with sixty-four
wheels. Herr Glllhausen is confident that
the exhibit will reach Chicago safely. He
has inspected the cars and says they
appear to be amply strong to hold the
load.
Krupp' big gun cannot fail to prove
one OF the attractions of the fair. 1t is
almost twice the length Of the largest
ordnance piece owned In the United
States, The gun is 81 feet long, the big
gest one In this country being 45 feet.
1t viii throw proJectile 1915 inches in
inches In diameter sixteen miles, the in
itial velocity being $500 feet second
the gun viii not be fired during the expo
sition. The engineer says 1t would shat
ter every pane Of glass for miles around
the park.