The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-24
CLEVER ENGINEERING.
Chimney 1872 Feet High and Four
Feet Out of Plumb Made Straight.

Providence OR. ID Journal.
An interesting piece of engineering at the
Narragansett Brewery in Cranston was
completed last week. The chimney, 1872 feet
high, built few months ago. was brought
back TO perpendicular position, and the en-
gineer who planned the work is confident
that there will be no further settling. The
safety of an 5000 chimney seems to be as
sured, and the necessity of moving a new
boiler house TO another location is obviated
Last winter when the foundations were
laid 1t was supposed that the ground was
solid. The site of the chimney is near
Tongue pond, which flows into Spectacle
pond, and Ii is probable that the action of
the water weakened the east side of the
foundation. When the chimney was partly
built there were signs of settling and soon
after the laying of the last brick the tall
column leaned toward the east a distance
OF nearly four feet. No instrument was
needed to show that the chimney was badly
ouI of plumb, and it was obvious that in
time 1t would fall. as the soil was clearly
incapable of carrying the load. The COM
pany which erected the chimney had no de-
sire to take the responsibility of straight
ening 1T, and Mr.. Joseph H. Gerhard, civil
engineer, of this city, announced his will
ingness to take the chances of failure The
plan devised by MIR. Gerhard was simple,
but patience and judgment were required
10 carry it TO completion and the results
are very creditable to all engaged in the
delicate undertaking.
One course of bricks, three-fourths of the
way through the chimney, was removed
from the west side. Wedges of oak were
driven into the space occupied by the bricks
On the east side a bed of concrete eight feet
thick and having an area of 10x25 feet was
laid against the foundation. When the earth
was removed strong spring was tapped;
the flow of water was at the rate of ten
thousand gallons hour, and the pumps
available at short notice were insufficient
to keep the excavation dry. Apprehending
that the flow of water might further under
mine the concrete supporting the chimney,
the engineer discontinued effort to divert
the flow and proceeded TO bury the spring
under concrete. This departure from APP
proved methods of concrete construction ap-
of concrete showed no sign of settling, and
was at once utilized in the work of tipping
the chimney westward.
Two holes were cut into the east side of
the chimney, and in these holes Pinch
steel beams twenty-five feet long were in
serted, the outer ends of the beams resting
on the concrete. Twenty jackscrews were
was sufficient to tip the chimney toward
the west, as the wooden wedges were grad
ually burned out by a gas flame, driven into
the oak by compressed air. The chimney,
as the wood was burned away, gradually
approached perpendicular line, the move
ment averaging about six inches a day.
When the chimney was straight concrete
was filled into the space occupied by the
brick and the steel beams were buried in
concrete after the removal of the jackscrews
to protect the metal from corrosion.
The chimney, which has an inside Diane
ter of eight feet at the top, is similar in
construction to the new chimney at the
fitting operation its use was not inter-
rupted.