The Florida star., 1900-10-12
TRANSVERSE SECTION SHOWING BAsCULE,
PIER AND TOWER.


PIER AND TOWER.
last session and that like resolution
only lacked a very few votes OF pass
ing the house. The matter. however.
was agitated i'm the closing days OF
congress. when there was not sufficient
time or opportunity To bring before all
members OF the house either the pro-
priety OF erecting suitable memorial
10 American patriotism at the national
capital. the necessity of such IL struc-
ture or the adaptability of the pro-
posed plans. The effort To secure the
appropriation was therefore lost by a
very narrow majority. and IL was then
understood that favorable action was
delayed only until the recOnvening OF
congress in December.
Some changes have been made in the
plans recommended and approved by
the chief engineers of the United States
army and by the secretary Of war. The
width OF the bridge has been made 81
feet. thus providing IA roadway ~ feet
wide and promenades OIL either side
each II feet in width. There has also
bascule span. between the memorial
towers. which furnishes the movable
part or the structure for the accommO-
datiOn of navigation. This baScule
opening is placed i'm the center of the
river. the channel naturally and neces-
sarily taken by vessels passing either
way across the line of the bridge. IL
consists of two parts formed by divid-
ing that portion OF the structure be-
tween the memorial towers ut the cen
ter of the span. Each leaf Of the bas-
cule is hinged OH Il large horizontal
shaft ut the base Of the memorial tow
or and is Il rs concealed in the mason
~. but is 80 placed that each half of
the bascule may ut any time be raised
I'm n vertical position alongside the face
OF the tower. There is no other device
OF forming movable portion Of
bridge for the accommodation Of navi-
cation with results So graceful or salts
factory as the baSculc. The ordinary
draw span or swinging span rcvolves
i'm IL horizontal plane about vertical
axis. Ii not only occupies large
amount of horizontal area. hut is al
ways inartiStic. however carefully IL
may be- designed. Ii is therefore graf
flying that the beauty Of the structure
will not be married 10y the ordinary
drawbridgc.
In the revised plans the lower chords
or lower lines of the basculc opening
are made curved. closely resembling an
ar.h 'rbfs .ur,-at1,rn althnu1h Snmn-
what similar To that Of the arches. is
Vet made of different degree 50 as To
involve the element of truth that the
baScule iS. strictly speaking. not an
arch but the treatment iS such us 10
give an agreeable and harmonious ef-
feet I'm its relation 10 the entire Struc-
turc.
Speaking of the location of the me-
mortal towers and haScule. Engineer
Burr Of The board Of award says: 1t
has been suggested in some quarters
that il would have been more appropri-
ate and advisable 10 place the memo
rial towers. the most prominent fea-
lures OF the entire work. ut either
end of the structure. This suggestion.
however. arises from very serious II
not complete miScOnceptiOn rs Ia the
character and purposes OF the work.
The baScule. or movable part OF the
bridge. is hy the imperative necessity
OF the situation distinct and pro
nOunced structural feature. having ~
own functions radically different from
those OF the adjoining spans, and aris-
ing from the necessary demands -!
navigation. Ii would therefore be I
violation, both OF the structural ele-