The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-26
WRECKED BY EIHoTRIoITx.
How an Antiquated Bridge Was Got Rid
OF Easily and in q Hurry.
From the CHICAGO Inter Ocean.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean
When tho old wooden bridge over the Wabash
River at Clinton Ind, fell with crash last week
a use was demonstrated for electricity.
novel experiment had boon tried and proven 70
markedly successful. 1t was wrecking bridge
by electric current
The old bridge at Clinton was built in 1883.
and was frame structure supported on stone
piers 1t consisted OF three spans. with a total
length OF 735 feet Originally, the bridge be-
longed TO a stock company and enjoyed the dis
tincton Of being the only toll bridge in the State
OF Indiana. But lately II had passed into the
control OF one man, and became rather unsafe
for use.
When with the progress Of time tho old bridge
became antiauated II was decided 70 replace it
with ono Of more modern design and Of durable
construction. The county authorities purchased
the approaches piers and Abutments and
entered into contract for new steel superstruct
ure to DO erected on the existing piers and
abutments which wero Of ample strength and
in good condition.
The owner OF the old bridge agreed 10 remove
the frame structure within thirty days He found
however that this was no easy accomplishment
He travelled about consulted bridge and house
wreckers wrote letters, and sent kilograms, but
all TO no purpose No company or individual
timbers leaving tho masonry intact In tho time
available The thirty days passed. and the old
bridge still stood.
The owner succeeded In getting an ex tension
OF a week, but he was at his wits end. The struc-
turo could be blown up with dynamite. but the
explosion would destroy tho piers also. 1t could
be set on FIRE, but that would crack or njure the
masonry Several other plans were suggested
but the only sure way seemed to be the erection
of false work. and that method was out of the
question, owing TO the shorness OF time allotted
for the work
Az this iuncture. Fl. N. Mills, an electrician
living in Clinton, suggested the Of electricity.
He agreed TO wreck the wooden bridge structure
without iniuring the piers Although tho un
dertakng a novel one, Mr. Mills was con
and he was right His offer was gladly accepted.
The method adopted was perfectly simple and
this Is the way il was put into execution:
Each span Of the bridge was composed of nine
chords each consisting OF three timbers There
fore II these twenty seven stills were cut stimuli
taneousy the span would drop between tho piers
to the river beneath. This was what was actually
done the cutting being accomplished by burning
through the wood by loops Of iron resistance
wire made red hot by the passage OF an electric
current and weighted down by sash weights.
The timbers were OF yellow poplar and nine inches
square Each one was burned simultaneously
in two places Thus the mass OF tmbcrs dropped
well inside the piers without iniuring them. 1t
took one hour and forty minutes to wreck each
span
Examination after the fall OF the bridge showed
that all tho stills were burned by the wire loops
in exactly the Same manner-fve inches deep
from the top and three inches deep the sides.
When this depth was reached the weight Of the
span fractured tho remaining wood Tho cut
made by the hot wire was quite sharp and clean,
and the wood was not charred more than an inch
| from the place Of fracture.
The plan was successful in every particular
| and Mr.. Mills was the recipient of many con,
gratulatons The current was first turned on
| about o'clock in the morning on tho day OF the
| wreckinG, and at o'clock in the afternoon
the last span crashed to the river bed and great
| shout Of admiration went up from the throats
of about 1000 spectators who witnessed the feat
| This is the latest and most novel of the many
uses of electricity.