The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-10

towers was that of placing the immense
saddles and roller beds as supports
for the cables, the last pair having been
hoisted into position on the 18th Of De-
cember- As each saddle weighed near
ly 80 tons, and together with its roller
bed So tons. their implacement called
for engineering skill of the highest or
der. Upon the summit Of each twin
tower, $50 feet above the river. huge
derrick Of selected and seasoned tin-
Der was erected, each stick Of timber be-
in IA inches square, and the uprights
being set into steel sockets to prevent
splitting under the strain
A 10 strand wire rope 5000 feet long,
rove through two four wheeled blocks.
was passed over the drum Of a station
airy engine at the foot OF the towers.
and up went the huge forgings without
hitch. So perfectly had every detail
been planned that when one Of the
immense saddles, 10 feet long. 3 feet
broad and 4 feet thick, had been hook
ed on it was raised steadily to its lofty
position in the short space of q min
utes. In this manner the capstone, as
it might be called. was placed upon this
mighty monument where it is hoped and
expected it viii remain for centuries to
come.
The work next succeeding. the string
ing of the cables, has already been be-
gun, the first installnent of wire for the
same having arrived on the ground the
last week of 1900. Although 1t was orig
inally intended that the cable work for
the suspended span and approaches
should go on mainly during the warmer
months of the year DEMONSTRATING, as IL
does, a great deal of exposure), still
there will be no great delay on account
of the season, and it will proceed as
fast as the material is received The
a.
from the Brooklyn side on tugboats
traffic for the moment being suspended,
and there made fast to the anchorage,
after which it viii be hoisted to its des-
tined position on the submits Of the
towers After this initial cable has been
strung others will speedily follow. and
the temporary fOotbridge constructed
for use by the worlxmen in projecting
the suspended span, which is to be
hung at a height of 1s5 feet above the
river in the center and III feet at each
pier head on shore. The enormous ca
bles supporting this aerial roadway win
be composed Of 81 strands of Isl wires
each, or 10,3S7 wires in all, and capable
of resisting a strain Of some 100000
pounds per square inch.
The estimated pun of the bridge and
its load upon the cables and anchorages
is 10000 tons. which it will be able cas-
lily to ..hstand. During the process
of the work more than 500 buildings
will have been demolished for the cree
ton of the bridge. its approaches and a
plaza at either terminal
Great credit is due Chief Engineer
Lefferts Buck and his assistant engi-
neer, o. F. Nicholson. for the continu-
ance of the work in spite of almost in
superable obstacles and a steady prog
ress toward completion. They viii
have the honor of having erected the
longest bridge of its class in the world
up to the end of the nineteenth century,
the next longest being its sister struc-
ture, the Brooklyn.
While it is said that China had sus-
pension bridges nearly ]. 900 years ago.
yet this country. which began bridge
building centuries later, holds the rec
ord for the largest of this class that
ever spanned a river.
TRUMAN L. ELTON.