The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-17

To those who have never watched the
construction of a building like the new
Germania Bank and who have often
wondered how preparations are
made in the foundation for the support
of such massive weight, as we'll as to
those who have not had the opportun-
ity to closely observe the preparatory
work, the laying of the foundation of
the building, which will begin in a
few days, will be an interesting OBJ
ject lesson. The thirty-five foundation
piers upon which the thirty-five steel
columns will rest and which extend to
the top of the building, will be built,
from feet square to 10 to Is feet
square, of concrete and steel "I' beams
$50 called because of the shape of the
letter u. II and Is inches high and 3
and inches broad, in the steel grill
lage" methodist method by which
only few foundations have been built
in this section of the country, and none
in the city.
start Deep Under Ground.
Beginning 16 feet below the ground
floor level. Is inches of concrete is laid
over the area to be covered by the pier;
upon that and extending the length of
the pier, one way, row of steel II
beams is laid, the space between them
filled in with concrete, then another
row upon top of the others, laid at
right angles and the spaces filled with
concrete. Upon top of that very solid
pillow the cast base, from II to Is feet
fha hot from RI 4 feet
on top and from to IL feet high, upon
which the steel columns stand, is plac-
ed. From the cast base to the top OF
the building the columns extends per-
pendicularly, being erected in two
story sections. 1t will be seen from the
preparation how substantial a support
the columns has, holding together the
ten-story edifice. When it is conSid-
cred that thirty-f1ve of those columns
extend to the top of the building in
vertical paths selected to equally dis
tribute the weight it will be more read
lily realized how structures of that
hight, and higher, may be built. At
the ground floor and at the other nine
floors, steel floor beams connect those
columns, making a powerful frame
work. s....- .s
Extends Under Sidewalks.
The entire foundation will cover an
area 10Qx65 feet. The lot is 90x60 feet
and the foundation will extend five feet
beyond the lot line on Congress, Bull
and the lane, sides, or in other words
under the side walk. 1t is necessary In
buildings of that hight to extend the
foundation beyond the building line
10 acquire stability for the structure
and support for the heavy walls by the
leverage thus secured. Because of that
necessary leverage and because the
western wall of the building win abutt
the building on it's west, which renders
the extension of the foundation, be-
yond the building line, impracticable,
on that side, a system of leverage,
known as the "cantf1ever" system,
will have to be employed in the con-
struction of the western foundation
abutting the ajoining building.
CantiIcver system.
The cantilever system is very in
teresting and is a demonstration OF the
difficulties architects and contra ctors
have to overcome in undertakings of
that character and of the neat manner,
by use of physical laws, in which they
surmount those obstacles. The lever
age there is secured by running "I'
beams from the outside piers on that
side to the next piers on the interior.
the r. beams acting as the levers and