The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-07
FIRST STEEL BALLOON HOUSE.


government Erects Immense Skele-
ton Of Steel at Fort Omaha.
From the Omaha world-Herald.
Omaha has the first steel balloon
house ever erected. 1t Is being built
by the United States Government In
order that balloon experiments may
be carried on extensively at Fort
Omaha. which Is strictly a signal sta
ton.
This monster building is going to
cost the Government $4,000. II Is
erected by Minneapolis company,
and as II Is the first steel balloon
house ever built Is something In the
the nature Of an experiment, there be-
Ing absolutely no predecent to follow.
1t Is entirely OF steel. Not an atom
Of wood is In the building. Even the
window castings are OF steel. There
are nearly 500 tons Of steel In the
monster balloon house. which is 200
feet long. 80 feet wide and IS fee,
high. Being altogether a new style y,
architecture and the first Of the kind
ever erected II Is something of a
responsibility.
II Is what Is known as the "Church
truss" building. having an angular top,
with circular lower cord. From the
spring line Of the lower cord to tho
ridge of the truss is q feet. One Of
the special features Of the balloon
house is the size Of the doors. There
10 but one entrance. facing the north.
The doors to the entrance are man.
moth affairs. being IS feet high and
weighing II tons. Yet SO delicately
balanced are they that one man can
move them. They are to be opened
and shut by means Of a lever, which
can be operated by one hand. These
doors follow the trusts slides In
shape.
The stoel was brought to the fort In
sections, held together by $4,000 steel
rivets. The skeleton Of the building
is to be covered with sheets Of cor
rusated iron. which have a new mode
OF fastening. The usual method Is
that Of purlin nails; but the Omaha
building Is put together by means of
10000 Norway iron rivets.
The men who catch the rivets have
a hazardous Job. Far aioft one Of the
workmen heats these rivets to a white
heat IN forge on a platform. When
1t Ii heated he shouts to the riveting
crew and seixing the hot rivet In A
pair Of tongs. sends It hurting through
the air all the way from 10 to 20 feet
One OF the riveting crew catches It In
bucket To catch q white-hot rivet
10 not exactly like catching baseball.
II the catcher misses II means a se.
we're burn for someone.
The method Of construction makes
Il practically impossible for the
building to be torn loose. Even the
window cases are to be OF steel and
the entire AFFAIR II fire-proof. There
10 . continuous anchorage from the
concrete piers. which 60 feet below
grade. to the spring lire Of the lower
cord Of roof trusses. The anchorae.s
are II feet apart on either side of the
building. The rear Of the building Is
anchored similarly.
On either side OF the front Ia a high
tower. which carries the doors. These
towers are 81 feet high. The total
weight Of the building Is s25 tons.
There are three parts Of the building
the central part which Is to hold
big balloons. which have already ar
rived at the fort. and a shed on each
side for storage purposes.
The hydrogen gas house Is at the
right Of the balloon house and will not
be ready for work until September
when the experiments with the bal
loon will really begin. There will BE-
at least two ballons. The Government
intends to spend any amount Of mon
ey on these experiments. this being the
first steel balloon house owned by tho
Goyernment