The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-10
MOVE GIANT STACK UPRIGHT.
1T ~ NOW on A 175-FOOT JOUR-
NEY IN ORANGE VALLEY.

| WEI IN OHhNUE thAf<EIs
It ID no Feet Hsh. 3 IL Feet Through
and II weighs ~. 900 Pounds-A Guy.
Rope Man stationed In . Tree Crotch
Quits His Post and the Chimney Lrches
Almost all Of Orange Valley, N. j.. turned
| out yesterday .iternoon at r. Berg Co. g
new hat factory there TO see the steel smoke
stack. ITO feet high, moved from the site
Of the old factory. which was burned down.
last July. TO the new engine house, IFS feet
away. The gigantic metal column was.
however. taken only half the distance when
signs Of an approaching storm and fear OF a
quicksand bed in the path Of the chimney
caused the contractor to tie down the mon
ster for the night.
As far as the stack was taken. though,
the moving was a success. The only in
cident that occasioned any apprehension
at all for those who had charge Of the work
| was the failure Of a workman to stay at
his post at the end Of one Of the guys. His
post was in the crotch Of big maple tree.
He was to let out slack or take It in as re-
quired. He jumped or fell just as the big
tower was making the first stage Of its
Journey His guy rope not being let out,
II drew the stack little out Of plumb, but
the trouble wasn't serious and was remedied
In few seconds. For the spectators the
operation was thrilling enough.
The stacks average diameter is 81 feet.
but at the base 1t is ~ feet. It's weight is
"a 900 pounds, exclusive OF the heavy scat
folding that has been built up on the inside
to the top. In it's original position, the
stack was anchored on brick founda-
ton by four mammoth iron rods which
went through the solid metal base into the
masonry below.
The guy ropes and supports used in the
work yesterday were OF heavy twisted
steel. There were eight of them, four
fastened to a steel band about 80 feet
from the top Of the stack, and four to an
other band just half way up. The lower
guys went down at a very sharp angle,
two OF them being fastened to the temporary
standard upon which the stack was placed
They were the principal supports. acting
like the stays Of a mast. The upper guys
formed an angle OF about IS degrees with
the stack, and were regarded principally
as safeguards in case OF an accident.
As soon as the supports had been secured
at the lower ends to trees and anchors
sunk In the ground, the men began to knock
out part OF the brick work that supported
the base OF the stack. The heavy iron rods
which were sunk into the masonry were
pushed into the spac es that had been made
In the foundation. The preliminary work
took lot OF time, and 1t was noon before
things were ready for the actual moving.
Then Foreman Frank Camp got the crowd
back and adjusted the screw jacks under
the beams at the stacks base-four OF them.
one at each end Of each beam. The men
who were to operate the jacks took their
places and began at the word, timing their
strokes to a count. Sensitive spirit levels
showed whenever one OF them got out Of
time, and they operated the machines ac-
cordingly.
In this way the stack was raised about
inches from its foundation almost i'm
pePceptibly and with scarcely sound save
the ring Of the steel guys as they were
stretched and adjusted to the change Of
position. As soon as the proper elevation
had been secured, the standard, or cradle
upon which the "a 900 pounds rested. was
temporary base built up around the jacks.
Then the stack was ready to be pulled along
the ways. which consisted Of tracks made
of heavy beams. These beams, as well
as the bottom Of the cradle, were daubed
thickly with axle grease and soft soap,
Chains were passed around the cradle and
connected with two-arm pulley. The
power was supplied by horse and drum.
There was great creaking and stretch,
up and the rope began to run on the pulleys.
Everybody was watching the tower intently
expecting to hear the groaning OF the tim
bers as the great column slid over on the
track. But the horse suddenly came to a
stop. He could not bulge it..
Foreman Campexplainedt that the timbers
on which the stack rested were wet and
that the horse would have to have some
help. He sent two Of his men down to the
cradle with heavy sledges and when the
pulleys be gan to run again they struck
the beams with the sledges. The jar started
things, and the tower slipped forward
about inches, with a great rafting OF
wires and creaking Of timbers. To those
who looked on from a distance IL seemed
as though the tower had actually lurched
| forward several feet.
II probably seemed that way also TO
William Makepiece Hooker, who was tend
| ing the east guy rope in the maple tree
and who disappeared just about that time:
Anyway, he said that he was done thro'
with the job, and refused TO return TO
his perch. He is a oolored man
along smoothly and without hitch until
| a rainstorm came up and soaked some new
made earth that had been filled In over
auckland deposit. Then the contractor
| quit for the day.
Tomorrow the stack will be turned
its new foundation will be lifted up almost
two feet and let down In such a way that
the four iron rods which are to anchor II
will fit exactly in the holes in it's base. The
contractor fears some trouble in going
over the quicksand deposit. A sag OF
inches at the bottom means an overhang
Of many feet at the top. Guards were
stationed by the guys and supports last
night.