The record-union., 1893-01-23
Krupp'S Big Gun.

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
has under construction at the Altoona
shops two freight cars by which the
Krupp exhibit for the Worlds Fair will
be transported to Chicago. This exhibit,
says the Baltimore Sun, will be landed
from steamer at Sparrow's Point about
the first of the year. The exhibit will
consist of the largest gun in the world,
now being cast at the works of the Krupp
Gun Company, Essen, Germany, several
pieces of smaller ordnance and an i'm
mense armor-plate. The cars Will be the
largest ever built III the world, and will
be as unique as the mammoth gun, weigh
ing l24 tons, which they will take to Chi
cago. Negotiations between the Krupp
representatives and the Pennsylvania
Railroad officials for the construction of
these cars were pending long time. Ac-
cording to the terms of the contract the
railroad company agreed to have the cars
ready by January l, 1893.
One of the cars will be about the length
of the largest trucks now in use. com
monty termed the ''Scnlly truck, ;" but it
will be much wider and built almost en-
tirely of iron. 1t will be a flat truck.
placed on thlrty-two unusually large and
strong wheels. This will be used for
transporting one piece of freight--the 1874
ton cannon-the heaviest single article
that will ever have been handled. The
smaller pieces or ordnance, the Joint
weight of which will be 65 tons, and one
piece Of steel armor-plate 80 feet in length
and IL feet wide. The car will really con-
sist of two cars with thirty-two wheels
each, joined by an iron bridge, represent
ing the appearance of one long car with
siXty-four wheels. Both cars will be fin
ished in December, when they will be
sent to Sparrow's Point to await the COM
ing of their frefpht
The Maryland Steel Company is now
making ready for hosting the freight out
OF the steamer by means of the immense
shear legs at the marine department.. The
hydraulic mechanism by which the
shears are TO be worked is being hurried
to completion. New trestle work is be-
ing put under the bridge of the Baltimore
and Sparrow's Point Railroad across
Bear Creek at this time to give the struc-
ture greater strength for supporting the
great weight of the big gun. Sparrow's
Point is the only place on the Atlantic
seaboard of the United States that pos
sesses shears of sufficient lifting power
to handle the great piece of ordnance.
The hrupp representatives spent consid-
cradle time last summer about different
ports of debarkation to find place where
the gun could be safely handled. Until
Sparrow's Point was visited the search
was unsuccessful, and the Maryland
steel company undertook the contract
1t is said that the big gun will cost
nearly 100000, and it is being cast at the
express wish of the Emperor of Germany.
Its length, said to be 81 feet, is almost
twice that OF the biggest gun owned in
this country, which is Is feet long. 1t is
claimed that if fired at the Lake Front at
Chicago the concussion would be so great
that it would shatter nearly ali the
window-glass in Chicago. The gun will
carry ball fifteen or sixteen miles from
the Lake Front and over the housetops of
Evanston. The proiectile's initial velo-
city is 1900 feet second.