Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-10
SCIENCE AND SKILL.
ExempIified in Rebuilding the
Rock Island Bridge.
NO DANGER IN TEMPORARY WORK

Disturbing It-BeIief That the Draw Span
win be Completed In Two Weeks Tims
"A Glance 1t tho Operations.
Many as have been the expressions
of fear or of dread on the part of peo-
pie crossing the Rock Island bridge
in its present partially dismantled
state consequent upon the process
Of reconstruction. there is probably
as little actual danger involved as
there was before work was COM
menced. The apprehension which
has been felt by those entrusted with
the undertaking has not for an in
slant been that the temporary struc-
ture sustaining the draw span would
not successfully sustain any ordinary
test. but the occasion for anxiety
has been in the uncertainties attend
ing the breathing up Of the icc- The
forces Of nature are always incalcula-
BILE in effect, and are beyond the
power Of man to effectHally contend
against. Taking this view of the
situation, the bridge, in all that per-
tains to it. is today. as far as it lies
within the scope of human precau-
ton, ingenuity and effort to provide,
safe. During the past few days
Supt. Taylor has had the ice cut
about the outer arm and great por-
ton of the solid field removed. thus
opening a channel such as is calcu-
lated to divert the broken mass
from the trestle, supporting the
tracks over the draw span, when it
moves, and to avoid a direct pressure
on the work. Beyond this to pro-
vide against any possible contin-
gency. the great traveller which looms
up over the center of the span, aud
which is the most expensive part Of
the temporary construction. has
been made fast, so that if
the worst comes and the tres
tie is moved or damaged.
the traveller will be saved and the ia SIX
of reconstruction will consequently
be expedited. But none of those en-
gagged on the work now has any an
ticipation that any disaster whatever
will occur. Watchmen are kept con-
stantly on the lookout and the effect
Of any movement will be counter
acted to the fullest extent. Aside
from the uncertainties Of the ice,
however, the crossing from the ISL
and to the bridge is sound, and those
who entertain forebodings lost sight OF
several things-that in the first place
that Uncle Sam is overlooking the
work and he takes no chances on the
safety of his subjects; that in the
second place the Phoenix Bridge
company has its reputation at stake.
and in the third place the Rock ISL
and road, aside from all humane con-
siderations, is not apt to invite the
consequences Of q catastrophe at
least possible at any point on its
great system. With these three
agencies working together. the pub
lie ought to feel comparatively safe,
as far as immediate emergencies are
concerned.
A Glance ut the Work.
The rebuilding of such a massive
structure as the Rock Island bridge
is not an every day job, yet an AR.
GUS representative who took a hur.
ried survey of the work yesterday
found that the average being has lit
tie comprehension of all that is es.
sential to the task in magnitude and
| detail.
The new bridge is to be entirely
different from the old one in appear
| ance, as well as in size. In the lat.
ter, as is known, the end posts on the
different spans are plumb, the effect
being q continuous uninterrupted
stretch of steel. while in the structure
to be erected the corner posts above
the railroad deck are at q batter OF
IS degrees. In the matter of dimen-
sions the total height of the new
bridge from center to center Of the
chord pins is to be SO feet; the old one
was 50 feet. The draw structure is
OF course to be higher, the two posts
in the center being 62 feet high. In
width the old one from center to
center of the trusses was l9A feet,
giving the lower deck. including the
walks. . width of SO feet. The new
one is to have an expansion from
center to center of the trusses of 29
feet with total lower deck, including
walks, q width of AZ feet. On the
upper or railroad deck there are to
be two railroad tracks, instead of
one as now, and with seven feet be-
tween tracks, and the CARRYING ca
pacity of the structure will be suffi-
cient for two trains each pulled by
engines Of SIS high as 120 tons each
to pass on the bridge. While the
lower deck is to be q great deal
wider than the old. the difference be-
| tween the double street car tracks
will not be SO great. being four-and-
a-half feet instead of three feet, two
inches. 1t was originally proposed
to put the tracks farther apart and
thus admit Of more space between
for wheelmen. but it has been deter
mined to divide the space, and to
have it on either side Of the tracks.
as well as in the center, and by hav-
Ing four or five feet outside OF the
outer rails. obviate the danger OF
people meeting with disaster by
leaning out OF the car windows. The