The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-13

THE n. r. BOOTH CO., Ithaca, n. Y.
motive construction and train haulage.
and in the reconstruction OF the bridge
they take another step forward 10 prepare
for a still further increase In the same
direction. The trains that today are
rtiIled over the tracks are longer ana
heavier than formerly. These the canti-
lever accommodates without any strain,
but the company wants large resource
In the strength of all its bridges, and
40 the Niagara cantiiever is being rebuilt.
This work of reconstruction has been
going on some time 1t Is being accom-
plished by the insertion of a center truss
In the structure and when II is completed
IL VIII be A new tie of steel between the
dominion of Canada and the United
States Piece after piece, ton after ton
of iron has been carried out on the great
bridge and placed in position in the new
work, hut only the eye OF an experienced
bridge builder could detect. by outward
appearance. where any change has been
made. This IL because all the iron Is be-
ing placed right through the center of the
bridge and is partly concealed by the
outer trusses. Still. over i,Too tons OF new
steel have been placed increasing the
carrying capacity OF the structure at least
70 per cent
A Notable Work.
Despite all the notable bridge work that
has been done at Niagara this work on
the cantiiever ranks high on the list OF
Accomplishments in that line. This great
bridge, over 800 feet long. nearly 200 feet
above the water, is having its capacity
nearly doubled without any interference
whatever with the enormous trafic that
is constantly speeding across N. and this.
too. without the eye being able 20 discern
what Is being done without a careful In
spection.
The work Of reconstruction was started
right at the waters edge on both sides OF
| the river. New large stone piers were
| erected between the old piers. and on top
| of each of the four new piers steel shoes
| weighing ten tons each were placed There
| are four of these new piers and each win
| support one OF the legs of the new col
| umns of the towers. The shoes of the old
| piers weigh six tons. but heavier shoe
/ was required for the new work. because
the iron that " being placed is about
| three times heavier than that used in the
original trusses. Up from these great shoes
\ OF the towers steel columns rs feet high
| have been erected in twenty-f1ve-fOot sec.
| lions. each section weighing twelve tons
1 When the new columns OF tower were
| in place the center piece of the bottom
A
| tween the towers, and this weighed four.
l teen tons. On each end Of this piece Of
the bottom chord there was placed a sew.
| en-ton casting TO connect the chord into
| the tower. Then on top of the castings
| SO placed leg OF steel iifty-flve feet Ions
was placed to reach up to the top chord
| OF the truss, and on top OF this leg ther'
| ~ a six-ton steel casting TO connect tn,
top chord to the leg of the tower.
Heavyweisht Supports.
When the work had progressed so IA
the next step was to lower "A section o
the bottom chord. and when this fifteen
ton piece OF steel was in place pos
| was sent down to connect the upDe
and lower chords OF the new truss Tn
weight of tho posts varies from six q
nine tons, and so as piece after piec
of the chord was lowered a post was ais
lowered TO connect them, and thus tn
new truss has been built along the in
terror of the bridge. In each OF tn
cantiiever arms OF the bridge there ar
sixteen posts. making thirty-two posts 4
the two arms.
The parts OF such "A railroad bridge ar
all massive. but in this latest Magyar
work IL was found necessary 10 cut &
two four Of the massive floor beams
Out OF each OF the floor beams a pssc
over two feet wide was taken in orsie
|
| IT. Where these cuts we're made IN
iioor beams were supported by huge tim
bers which extended down to the outa
and lower chords Of the old trusse,
The old lagerais extended IN an angf
across the bridge from one post to an
other, hut ~ the new work the lateral
! extend from the outer posts TO IN
center posts. New tie bars have bee.
put IN and they stretch from the TOP :
one post 70 the base 81 another. Will
along the top between the posts ~
chord bars. Beginning AZ the tower
these tie bars are one and a half ine h.
by ten inches IN diameter. The on,
that hold them "a place are eight inche
Ia diameter and six feet long. A. the
approach shore the suspension ties q,
crease In diemstsr ard shorten up
icnEtA
Anchored IA solid Rock.
This extensive rem0deling 81 the brsaa
has :orosd an increase y the anchorage
The cid anchorage were about tRents