The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-10-09
VETERANS WATCH new
ARMY BUILD A BRIDGE
Clever POntO0n Work at
Washington Barracks.

Nearly 500 veterans made the long
trip to Washington Barracks this morn
ing TO see the young engineers OF the
new army build q pontoon bridge. Fo-
100 yards alorg the rivers bank. On
both sides OF the point. where the HASH
/ j. constructed span stretched itself out
rapidly toward the opposite bank. the
men who built similar bridges during the
civil war watched with keen interest the
working out CT IKE more modern meth
eds Many were. accompanied By ladies'.
10 whom they explained the differences
between the poaS 5oa bg.dge-buiIGinE Is
it is today. and as it was done forty
years ago.
a number Of engineer officers attach
ed TO Washington Barracks stood along
the bank supervising the proceeding or
looking on or these the veterans ask
ed a sreat many questions. ard told
numerous incidents Of wartime bridge
building
Pontoon bridge building IS a pretty
thing TO watch The demonstration this
morning. while it did not include the
making Of very long bridge. was emf
nentIy satisfactory. in that it showed
clearly what can be done in an emer-
gency- A force OF geo brown-cIothed en-
listed men performed the work under
the direction G apt James McIn5os
Company L, and Capt. Charles Kuntz.
Company X
The mon now. 7f--;4-5 -.
squads. One, under Captain McIndoe.
constructed the reserve bridge. The
other under Captain Kuntz. sluEg
together the advance guard. The former
squad built the approach and the first
section Of the bridge, straight from tia
bank The latter constructed a section
OF bridge further up the bank. and when
1t was concluded rowed it to thu end Of
the reserve Pontoons. where it vas
quickly connected The resere SQUAT
built their section Of wooden scEvs. CT
Dontoons- The advance guard pontoons
we're made Of canvas and were con
structed on the bank and then shovel
into the water
IN war time the entire bridge is sup
posed TO be made OF canvas poatoons.
as thesesca be pat together IN a SHELF
cred place on the bank and placed
in position without unnecessarily en-
oanEering the men in case they are
under fire.
The reserve 2ontoon squad began its
work by leaving the bank in big pom
tcons. in whicn they carried timber
trestles- which were dropped into the
river twenty and forty feet from Tho
rank. Twenty feet beyond the farthest
trestle q pontoon was anchored parallel
20 the bank Two heavy timbers were
run 10 this from the farthest trestIe.
their ends, which were supplied with
cIeats, resting across the farthest side
Of the scow.
a saddle operated between these tim
bers and the pontoon. giving play TO the
rise and fall OF the bridge which was 20
be built 4 dozen or fifteen men quickly
scUlIed the remaining nine pontoons into
place beyond the saddle lontoon, with
intervals OF twenty feet between them.
In tide water every other pontoon is
anchored at both ends In river each
pCntoOn IS anchored from VI. stream
IN the meantime the chess" men car
~ the chess. or planking. for the bridge,
from the piles, on the bank and lay it
across the baIks. the tfmbers connecting
the pontoons. The chess men run at
fast gait from the bank to the end OF
the quickly forming bridge floor in
squads Of twelve each. Each man car
rtes one plank. As these are completed
over the bays between the pontoons the
side rails are put on These are prac-
tlcaily the same as the baIks. as they
are placed directly over the latter or
top Of the chess. TO hold the bridge firm
y together
As the side planks are laid, each over
tapping the other about three feet. the
lGsh uen-IOuT or five in number-IoI-
low with stout pieces Of rope. with which
the Daiks and the side rails are bound
together, gripping the chess firmly
While all this work has been going on
by the reserve pontooIl gang the advance
guard p0EtOons have BEN connected IN I
the same manner 4 hual span is laid
between the two divisi ms, the canvas
pontoOns are anchSred md The work is
completed This morning 1t required
just forty-five minutes TO build the
bridge, which IS an even 30G Yards long .
and across which an army could marcn
with safety The work Of taking the .
bridge TO pieces IS exactly the reverse
Of putting II together, and occupies the
same amount OF time