Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-07
IS ALL DOWN NOW
Last of Iron Work Of Old Tween.
ty-fourth Street Bridge is Re-
moved by Workmen.
GOOD PROGRESS IS MADE
Men in Charge Expect to Have New
Structure Completed by the Last
of the Present Month.

The work of the last week on the
new bridge at Twenty-fourth street
has materially advanced the structure.
The last trace of the old bridge was
removed the early part of the week
when the few remaining parts of the
first span from the island were torn
down and towed to land. The work is
progressing well in every portion of
the bridge construction and the men
ished structure by the end of the
month.
This morning the. last girder was
hoisted and the twS girders for the
last span at the island end of the
bridge are set on carriages ready to
be transferred to their permanent
place. Five sets of the Orders are
placed and fastened, two more are sup
ported over their respective piers ready
to be lowered into position and secur-
i ed, and when the remaining set is
hauled across the bridge there will be
lconnection once more between the city
and the island at that point.
Orders Easily Handled.
Each of the big Orders weighs about
10000 pounds. When they are strewn
about the approach of the bridge the
work of transferring them to their
places out over the water appears to
the by-stander a big tasty indeed. The
massive beams are easily handled,
however. A stationary engine gives
the power for moving the Orders, and
| is run on small rails to any point de.
sired on the bridge Near it a big der
rick is secured. A tackle consisting
of a one-inch steel cable run through
, big double blocks, the lower end OF
which is equipped with big iron jaws
for gripping the Orders, is used. With
this equipment the heavy beams are
transferred to a favorable point fol-
gtes to the top of the bridge and plac
ed on carriages ready to be pulled tC
their permanent position.
An Attractive Approach.
|
has advanced to point where it car
be seen that it will be far more attrac
tive than the former approach. Con
crete curbings two feet in height hav,
been made ON each side of the roadwa,
in a graceful curve to the bridge foo
level. Paving brick has been laid 70
each sidewalk instead of the concret,
which was intended at first for tn
sidewalk material. The walk is nearl,
all laid on the approach, and in da.
or two the paving of the roadway will
be started.
Wood Floor is Down.
On the bridge proper between tn,
Orders SO far permanently secure,
the wood floor laid over the iron SUP
ports as bed for the brick paving i
all down and ready for the concret,
and sand on which the brick will b
laid. Between the first two sets o
girders over the railroad tracks out t
the first abutment the concrete is plaC
ed, with the street car tracks alread
Embedded in it.
, Iron columns 90 feet in height ar
being placed along the sides of tn
bridge at each pier. as supports for tn
, trolley wire and for electric lights.
r One thing which mars the otherwis
attractive appearance of the ne,
5 structure is the varying heights of tn
piers, every one of which is differen
in size and appearance. Some of tn
old piers were built up and some low
) cred as required, without any effoi
i for uniformity.