The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-21
Western Montana News

ing in all of the construction of the
bridge. When the cars containing the
steel are received at the bridge. they
are set out on a side track running
into the material yard at the end of
the bridge. The heavy steel sections
could not be handled by men as there
could not be enough men gotten around
them to lift them. They are easily and
quickly handled, however, by a large
derrick that is run by a hosting en-
CINE. and by the same derrick swung
over to the proper place in the material
yard.
On a heavy fiat car. a portable der
rick is constructed and with II Is a
bridge rsisers' engine, which has six
drums, called "niggerheads," any one
or all of which can be run at the same
time A rope is stretched along the
main track, extending over the bridge
and across the material yard to the
siding, This rope is nicknamed the
Trolley" and is picked up and run
around one of the drums, wherever Ii
happens to stand. by running the en-
CINE one way or the other. the car is
pulled back and forth to and from the
material yard and the bridge and also
to the siding whenever a train Is due.
In this manner the heavy sections
are quickly handled and transferred TO
the part of the bridge where the super
structure is being raised Another der
rick, called by the men the Traveller"
is supported on a temporary track To-
Gated outside the main track on the
false work, on which 1t is moved back
as the new superstructure is built
ahead. This traveller has two legs
built so that one comes down on either
side of the track, with a cross framing
of timber connecting the two. high
enough so that trains can pass be-
meath. Derricks are attached to this
that are used to pick up the pieces
brought out by the trolley and to place
and hold them till enough bolts can
be inserted to hold till the riveting Is
done.
The riveting, which follows, requires
expert workmen, as they are Obliged
to work in all sorts of positions from
standing on their heads to swinging in
midair on a bit of plank. They do
work in places where 1t seems impos-
sible for a man to remain. A rivet-
ing crew consists of four men-two
drivers. an assistant and a heater.
The heating of the rivets is done in a
portable forge that is placed as near
the place where the rivets are being
driven as possible. Often Ii Is not
possible to get the forge anywhere near
the place where the rivets are needed
and I'm this case the men handle the
hot rivets in a manner that is fascinat-
ms. 1t is necessary for the rivets to
reach the driver at a white heat and
this is done by the heater throwing
them with tongs to the men who are
in the air, high above him. The men
above catch the hot bits of iron in an
old nail key and in an instant they
are driven home. 1t is a process that
requires no little practice. but the men
hardly ever miss one of the rivets.
After the spans are all riveted, 1t re-
mains to put into place the new ties
and the guard rail. Then the track Is
completed and the spans are painted.
The painters are now at work on the
Perma bridge. AS soon as possible, the
false work is removed, as ii Is safe only
at low water. The work at Perma has
been pushed as rapidly as possible to
get IL finished before the water raised,
but all danger of this sort is now over
and the false work will be out of the
way In a few days. The men who
have been in charge of the erection OF
the supersturcture, Atkinson * Kelly
of Chicago, have swung a span week
since they started, a very remarkable
record These men are the ones that
put up the truss in the machinery
building and the dome of the horticul-
tural building at the worlds fair and
built the Ferris wheel
The general supervision of the con-
struction of the bridge has been in the
hands of ]. A. Weed, superintendent
of bridges and buildings of this divis-
ion, and Foreman Dillingham; had
charge of the false work. Foreman
Flemming is attending to taking down
the false work and as soon as he Is
done, Roadmaster Hartman will fll in
the timber approaches to the bridge so
that there will be no woodwork left.
Then the bridge will be as good as any
on any road in the country.