The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-11
WARTIME BRIDGES.
Army Can BE Given Means to Cross a
Ravine In Three Hours.
New York Herald.

4tSW IOFk I1eTdlu.
While the War Department at Washing
ton is making inquiries of railroads as to
tneir facilities for the transportation of
troops to certain points the government Of
nclalS know that railroad tracks do not run
directly to the most convenient points for
the concentration of a large force of in
fantry Survivors of the last war can tell
or long marches through unknown country,
across bitches, ravineS and streams, where
the bridges had been destroyed before their
advance. These marches would have been
very slow and long drawn out had it not
been for the engineer corps of the army
The engineer corps is, in the first place,
Differed by men thoroughly familiar with
every detail of the several branches of en-
cheering, and the rank and file of the
corps is composed of soldiers perfectly
trained. In the event of this country need
Ing to bring laHge force together at any
given point along coast which was some
distance from railroad facilities the engin-
eer corps would quickly prove its useful
ness.
Frequently in time of war bridges must be
built in a rush. There is no time 10 waste
for surveying or for boards to decide on
engineer corps is capable of building very
seryiceable bridge in about three hours
iron. girders hauled to the scene before
hand. When the orders come for such a
bridge the timber to be used in it's construc-
ton is in the form of trees standing in the
nearest woods. The engineer soldiers quick
ly fell the trees and trim the trunks free
of branches. The limbless trees are hauled
and the actual work of construction begins
Such bridge was built at Willets Point
L. l., where the engineer corps has it's
headquarters. This bridge was eghty-two
feet long and crossed ravine thirty feet
deep: The bridge was finished by forty
members of Company c, under command of
the time the men started out in the woods
to cut the timber. The floor beams and
flooring; which is called chess" are the
and with the exception of these and the
ropes used in building the bridge, the en-
gineers are required on the march to cut
the materials for the bridges they build.
In building the bridge the men worked
with the understanding that the ravine was
water ran through the bottom of it, rem
defing it impossible to the men while at
work. Approaching the ravine on one side,
the men set several Of the spars in position
on the sloping bank. After flashing the spars
together the guy lines with which they
were held in position were slackened grad
ually, until the Spars inclined toward the
opposite bank, end then the big lines were
securely fastened to hold the spars in the
slanting position. Out to the crosspiece.
strngpieces were laid from the bank by
the soldiers, and from this frail structure
several of the men lowered a long spar 10
Over this incomplete structure half the
force of men made their way one at time
These men hastily secured spars and made
the half of the frame of the bridge the
opposite side and lowered ii in position
Timbers were quickly put in place and
dashed and the frame became rigid, and the
planks were put down, forming the plat
form over which the entire command of
forty men marched back and forth and
then gathered on the bridge and had their
picture taken.
Besides the building of rush bridges, the
engineer corps has full charge of the build
ing of pontoon bridges across rivers and
all streams of water too wide for the con-
struction of spar bridge. The pontoons are
are fiat bottomed boats which are carried
with an army supply train. The boats are
launched and padded in position and fas-
tened together. This work is very hazard
Gus in time of war, as an enemy frem the
opposite bank can shoot down the bridge
builders During the last war there was
one pontoon bridge built where the men at
work upon it were killed at about the rate
of one minute. The engineer corps is also
proficient in the construction of earthwOrkS
and fortifications Practice drills at those
branches are frequently held at Willet's
Point. Should this country become involved
in war the engineer force would have to be
greatly increased, and IL is understood that
the members of the present companies
would be distributed among the recruits
with the object of instructing them in the
different lines of work.