Evening star., 1897-06-12
of it could move except in conjunction with
the whole.
Moving n Hotel.

OF 1t could move except in conjunction with
the whole.
Moving Hotel.
The great problem was the uniform ap-
plication Of motive power to all points of
contact with the hotel. 1t was accom-
plished by an elaborate system of falls and
sheave blocks. The rope, weighing in the
aggregate about two tons, formed, with
the thirty-four sheave blocks twelve six
fold purchases, the main block of each pur
chase being attached to the car, while the
opposite block was fastened by powerful
chain sings to the track on which the car
rested and about 100 feet distant from the
building. Six locomotives, ready to do the
pulling, stood on two tracks and coupled
together. After passing the blocks last re-
ferred to. the ropes, twelve in number,
converged In two sets of six each to each
Of the tracks on which stood line Of three
locomotives. Thus, six ropes were hitched
to each of the two locomotives standing
nearest to the hotel. The scientific feature
of this arrangement was the calculation Of
the strain and stretch on every rope, the
gain Of the tackle, the direction in which
power should be applied and the difference
in resistance between the cars that would
be hauled by nearly straight ropes and
those that would be hauled by ropes more
or less transverse in their course.
The total weight to be moved was H.
2O4. 600 pounds, divided into 100000 pounds
Of hotel, 100000 pounds of cars, 100000
POUNDS of beams, and 4,OO0 pounds of rope.
Altogether, something of load. However,
all the calculations proved to be correct.
At the given signal, the hawsers frightened
and the engineers attempted to move for
ward. For a moment the wheels "whrled"
on the tracks, the ropes and pulleys sang"
and-the big hotel started off on its rail-
read trip. 1t moved about as fast as the
second hand of watch. or, as one specta-
tor graphically put it. "at the rate of a
mile in two weeks" but 1t moved When
six feet had been accomplished, men went
into the building and examined 1t. 1t had
not I,.Nay e<-n 10
pane of glass was cracked. 1t was then
moved forward "a feet; and later in the day
20 feet more In the course of three days
the whole distance. sos feet. was accom-
21O feet wide and is covered with towers,
which make the distribution of the weight
very unequal, the feat can be said to have
been truly gigantic. and worthy to rank
among the great engineering feats OF the
world. The moving cost $4,000.
How u House is Raised.
The process of raising a house Is inter-
esting. II it is frame house, the Chin
neys are given special attention. Two
holes are cut through the base Of each
chimney. and beams are pushed through
and allowed to extend all the way across
the house and in such a position that the
cellar ceiling joists will cross them Enough
beams are put through in this manner to
thoroughly support the toists. Then two
heavy timbers are crossed under the beams
SO as to catch up the ends. Under these
again more timbers are crossed, and the
latter again are made to rest on long,
straight tfmbers, which are to be used for
tracks; all this If the house Is at the proper
level If not, tackscrews must be employed
to raise or lower it. The screws generally
rest on platforms. which are made by tax
ing short lengths of timbers and piling
them in pairs crosswise on one another un-
til the desired height is reached. Two tim
bers are then set close together and a hole
n haY 10 tod To hn n,d 80
The other end of the screw bears up
against the joists of the building. Thus, IL
the bearing Of the screw is not great
enough, 1t Is only necessary to add more
cross timbers underneath. Now, to raise
the building. Screws will lift, say, ten tens
each, and will be placed at distances of five
feet apart all around the building. Each
screw carries a slow thread, and has two
holes in it near the top. crossing each 9TH
er. Into these are to be inserted the crow
bars which turn the screws. When all is
ready men station themselves at every 9TH
er screw, and, inserting their crowbars, give
the screw quarter turn. Each man then
passes on to the screw next ahead Of him
and gives that quarter turn. They keep
on doing this. working around and around
the building and raising or lowering 1t
gradually until 1t is on the required level
The timbers are then inserted as explained
above and the house made ready to move
forward.
Floating a House.
A4AS AuUTIC<1ul ScueTdlly uSeQ Dy mouse
movers Is common soap. It contains the
best kind Of grease for the purpose. The
wooden tracks are thoroughly rubbed with
it. and. as it squeezes its way into the
girders. resting on the tracks, and does not
easily evaporate, it makes a very slippery
path. In moving frame houses q single
horse Is used to pull 1t along, not as he
would pull wagon exactly, but by means
Of a windlass. AS has been pointed out.
the RirOarS which ho
not even chained together; the weight of
the building holds them sufficiently rigid
TO one OF them pulley with several
tached to the track fifty feet or more
ahead OF the house, and through these q
rope extends to wlndlass. The horse
simply winds up the rope, and the house
being on runners, becomes for time a
floating or wandering palace. One house
was actually fioated to a new destination
II originally rested opposite Hollands sta
from its foundations and fioated a mile
down the shore. and now rests on piling in
front OF Hammelrs station. One house
mover In upper New York state attempted
to move q house across lake, but with
disastrous results. The lake was frozen
over, and the design was to take advantage
ciently strong to bear the structure in
course Of. transit. All went well until the
middle OF the lake was reached. Then
night came on, and q rest was taken until
morning. At daylight. however, the house
was found to be resting on the bottom of
the lake. The lake was not very deep, 50
that the greater part Of the house was still
above the surface. But thaw took place
during the day, AMI the house, careening to
one Side. began to hcat In earnest II was
afterward hoated to the destination al first
designed for it. but q new house might
have been built at less expense.
Moving the Pyramids.
The house mover who declares he could
move a skyscraper provided he could keep
It level says there IL nothing very extra
ordinary In the building ef The pyramids.