Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05

garding this railroad bridge Architect d
W. Burnham stated that "a stone-pier
steel-arch bridge is not possible where q
draw is introduced. The bascule princi-
pie might indeed be introduced for the
draw, but this form is deemed by the engi-
neers to be unsafe for heavy railroad traf-
nc. Apart from the bascule for the draw
KNOW OF no truss that would not project
above the line Of the steel arches, thus in
Producing the very element Of design that
should be avoided"
The "Bascule" in Railroad Use.
The names of 1.-THE engineers who II Is
stated deem the bascule bridge unsafe for
heaVy railway traffic are not mentioned by
MI Burnham, but the chief engineers of
other railroads have for a number OF years
been replacing swing bridges with baseule
bridges, largely on account of the superior
safety Of the bascule bridges over the
swing bridge. For instance the N Y, N
h and III. Fl. r. has had in operation for a
number Of Years Six-track bascule bridge
at the entrance to the south terminal sta
ton, Boston, Mass. 1t being the widest and
the most important movable bridge on the
lines of that railroad. On account of the
safety and satisfactory operation Of this
bridge, they are removing a swing bridge
at bridgeport, Conn, and replacing the
same with a four-track bascule bridge.
Inc most important movable bridge at
cleveland, Ohio, crossed by the main lines
ana used by the fast and heavy trains of
the G, c., c. & ST L. railway, the L. s. &
M S. railway and the Erie railroad is n
pascule bridge and replaced a swing bridge
largely because of the superior safety of
Inc bascule bridge for railroad traffic
bascule bridge has replaced the swing
prldge at the entrance Of the Grand Central
station at Chicago This bridge is used by
the main lines of the B. & o. railroad, Chi
cago Great Western railroad and c. T T
railroad and other railroads and Is cousid-
cred by engineers much safer for railway
an INC hrf,l
pennsylvania lines west OF Pittsburg have
selected a bascule bridge in preference to a
swing bridge for their crossing over the
ma main drainage and ship canal at Chicago.
Inns Is the eight-track bridge, of which four
tracks are used by the P. c. c. & St L.
railway, two tracks by the c. T. T railroad
and two tracks by the c. ]. railroad The
engineers of all of these railroads and their
consulting engineers selected a bascule
bridge, in preference to the swing bridge.
largely because of the superior safety of
the bascule bridge for extremely heavy
railroad traffic. This bridge frequently car
ries thousand heavy railroad trains in a
Gay. Among the aforementioned bridges
are the three largest, strongest safest and
most ef1cient movable railroad bridges in
the world.
The Swing" Bridge Condemned.
That the commission, whose only desire
IS that the design which it has submitted to
Congress may be complete thing and not
marred in one Of its most vital parts, prac-
ucaiiy condemns any form Of swing bridge
is indicated by the expression of Mr. Burn
ham. Its chairman, in a recent address on
the subject Of the commissions plans, In
which he said that 1t was not possible to
construct a stone bridge, because stone
bridge must be Of one solid construction
from bank to bank, and that there
must be a passageway for vessels in
any form of bridge used here; that the
bridge must therefore be of steel with
some form of bascule for the draw" Thus,
any form of swing bridge is condemned by
the very highest authority, fact that can
not be overlooked by either railroad COM
pany or Congress, private interests or ma
tional.
In view Of this opinion, some Of the most
valuable, both artistic and practical. points
In regard to the most well-known success
tui and thoroughly tested lift or bascule
bridge will be Of interest In its special re-
iatlon to these bridges at Washington