Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-28
STEEL BRIDGE
IS COMPLETED.
Last Pin in cantilever Structure
Over Copper River Driven
Home Christmas Day.
TRUNK LINE OF NORTHWEST
Steam Heat Necessary TO Keep Tools
From Freezing UI,-Formcr Snlt
Lake Men In Enterprise.
(Speclal Correspondence.l

r
Seattle. Dec, 26.-On Christmas day
the last pin in the great cantilever
steel bridge over the Kuskulann river
in Alaska was driven home. And with
It's final adjustment was completed one
Of the remarkable engineering features
of tho. Copper River 4 Northwestern,
the new trunk line of the northwest
territory. that will open up a vast
treasure houseof mineral to the pros
pectors OF this country.
Trains started to run over the bridge
Dec. 81. ns tho tunnel ut mile 13l was
finished simultaneously. Now track
laying can he pushed to Kcnnccott,
about 80. miles away on the already
completed grGic,
10 finish this bridge In winter has
been an undertaking worthy of note.
All the bridge gang and steel workers
were sent in from Seattle, the struc-
tural steel was made by the American
Bridge company and shipped to Seattle.
where it was loaded In vessels OF the
Alaska steamship company to be trans
ported TO Cordora, the seaport and
point of commencement of the railroad
Owing to some delay in receiving the
material the work of construction was
not commenced until November, and it
was important to rush it through to
completion to enable ,tracklaying to
proceed from that point to 1tenneCott.
The men worked in regular shifts. but
each day, from II to la hours We're put
in by the different shifts. To accom-
plish this electric lights We're used and
the dreary Alaskan winter night was
turned into day in the region of this
wonderful gorge
The bridge with its approaches is SEQ
feet long. The steel structure proper
consists Of two l50-foot pn-connected
spans and one 225-foot span. The four
piers are of solid concrete set on the
sides OF the chasm and the height from
the river to the top of the rail in the
center of the main span is 225.25 feet.
STEAM HEAT NECESSARY.
At times, during construction in the
early part of December, the thcrmome-
ter fell to 40 aud 50 degrees below and
a stiff breeze was blowing. The rivets
were all driven By pneumatic tools and
during the excessively cold days it was
found that the tools would not work. so
u steam pipe connection was attached
and the tools kept from freezing up"
by means Of constant stream of
steam. However. the weather for the
last two weeks was comparatively mild
so that quick progress could be made.
Next summer. when tourists begin to
90 over Americas now scenic line II
told of the weather conditions of De-
.
of this bridge. viii have difficult time
rcconciling the statement when they
enjoy the ideal weather of that portion
of Alaska during the summer months.
Early last summer steel bridge was
constructed across the Copper river
near the Miles and Childs glaciers. and
here. too. the highest class of steel
bridge construction was the feature.
This bridge was made the subject for a
special illustrated article in the Rail
way and Engineering Review.
Now that the bridge is finished work
of tiHcklnying beyond To the great
copper mines will be pushed and to ac-
cclcrate tho work electric lights will he
strung along the grade from I<uskulana
to Ecnnecott 50 that tho long dark
nights Will not hinder the trackaycrs
from making n mile ana a half a day.
In this the enthusiasm Of the American
workmen will be an aid to the builders
Of the road and it is confidently cX-
pectcd that by March ] tho terminus
Will be reached, thus completing the
first road of any great length in Alas
ka and demonstrating again tho IN
domitabic energy and great faith IN
the country of those who arc aiding in
the development of the vast territory
of the northwest and of which Seattle
is the natural gateway.
FORMER SALT LAKE MEN.
The work OF building the steel bridge
was under the direction of Chief Eng
ncer T.. C.. Hawkins, Bridge Engineer
a. G. O'Nccl and Foreman Chas. Dryer
Many of the steel workers left Seattle
to work upon this contract.
Tho Copper River & Northwestern is
the railroad of which S, w. f,ccies is
president, J. II. Young. vice president:
j. X. MacGCwan. purchasing agent; Il.
w. Hills, comptroller; William b.
Sprague. assistant purchasing. and
Kenneth c. Kerr, industrial agent. six
former Salt Lake railroad men.