Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-03-31
BRIDGE ASTRONG ONE,
Crescent Latest of Large Struc-
lures TO Be Built Across
Mississippi.
PROTECTED AGAINST THE ICE.

| entinc american turnisheu Dy u
Lowetb. Supervising Engineer w. Ii.
KImbaM New Roadmaster OF Peoria
Other Railway News.
The March mum Der of the Scientific
American contains lengthy article,
| accompanied by two excellent illus
| trations, relative to the Crescent
bridge. The article says that the
| structure is the latest of the large
| bridges to be constructed across the
Mississippi river and then goes on to
| describe its beautiful appearance.
The bridge is comprised of seven
| fixed spans, with draw span over
| the main channel It's total length is
300 feet, while the total length of
| the viaduct approaches is $50 feet.
The structure was built by the Phe-
| nix Bridge company.
Ever since the ice first began to
| move in the river on the 18th day of
March many people have been won
dering if the new bridge could stand
the pressure of the ice. The ice gorged
above the structure, and it was thought
by some that the strain upon it would
endanger its safety. AT one time it
| was even reported that section of
was no foundation for such opinions
concerning the new bridge, which is
strongly built.
The following article taken from the
Scientific American tells how the
bridge is protected against drift wood
| { 7 ice:
LAS the pivot pier of the draw span
is exposed to floods and to 4 heavy
| flow of ice it is protected by a fender
pier on the upstream side. This pier
is continuous timber crib 20 feet in
width, $50 feet long and % feet in
height, the water at this point being
| seven feet deep at it's lowest stage.
The crib is strengthened by four in
| terror longitudinal walls and by Sc
ries of transverse walls spaced eight
| feet, center to center. The nose of
the crib at it's upstream end is formed
wi h an angle of 80 degrees.
Ito protect the cutting edge at the
nose from heavy floating driftwood
and the action of ice, it was at first
/ proposed to cover the inclined sur
faces with fencing of heavy steel
plates; but owing to the difficulty in
fastening and holding the same and
| providing the necessary backing, it
was decided to sheath the nose with
protection of old rails. The rails,
which are 65 pounds to the yard,
were laid upon the face of the slope
in 2S-foot lengths. They were spaced
| live inches apart. center to center,
and were fastened with ordinary
| railroad spikes to each horizon
tai course of cribwork. They
were also secured by drift bolts which
passed through holes in each side of
the flanges, and were secured by nuts
on the inner side of the timbers of the
cribwork. After the rails were all in
place, the intervening spaces were
filled up with cement mortar so as to
afford practically smooth surface
and avoid any roughness which would
tend to cause Judgement of drift
wood or ice against the nose. The
whole of this important work was de-
signed and carried out by G.. Z. Low
eth, Nj. Am. Soc. c. F., to whose
courtesy we are indebted for the par
ticulars."
Kimbsn Appointed X. I. & p. ROadmaster.
w. II. Kimball of Davenport, son
of A. Kim ball, has been appointed
roadmaster for the Rock Island &
Peoria road. succeeding j. E. Brock
inridge, who held the Office for %
consecutive years, and who retired
finally because of advanced age. Mr..
Kim ball is n natural born railroad
man. schooled in the practical side of
railroad life, and is fully equipped
therefor to succeed so thoroughly
a capable man as Mr.. Breckinridge.
which is really all that need be said of
him.
Railroad Notes.
Thomas Quinn is now a brakeman
on the Peoria.
Frank McGinty is firing extra on
the Rock Island.
w. J. Coyne, fireman on the Rock
Island, is sick.
c. S. Moe is braking on passenger
on. the Rock Island.
Gus Peterson, of the Peoria freight
house. has resigned.
Conductor John Martell. of the
Rock Island. has malarial fever.
Engineer j. II. Ulrich. of the Rock
Island. is laid up with sore hand.
o. c. MOI ton is back firing on the
Rock Island after visit in Colona.
Fireman Frank Heffernan is back on
the Peoria local on the c., K. 1. & p
Fireman john Kneidle, of Blue ISL
and, is running on engine No. AS on
the Rock Island.
Engine No. $50. from the Texas di-
vision of the Rock island, is being re-
paired in Davenport.
David Wilson was taken sic k on his
run Thursday on the Rock Island. He
was removed home TO LaSalIe.
Conductor Edward McMullen has
been running in Conductor Thomas
Kane's place on the Rock Island
Thomas Small. express agent at the
Rock Island depot, has been laid up
since Tuesday with rheumatism
The new time card to have been is
sued by the D., r. l. & y. w. tomor-