The San Francisco call., 1910-06-24
eleven TON BEAM
BOLTED IN PLACE
WOrkmen on Pythian Castle
Successfully Complete a
Gigantic Task

From the Golden Gate iron works.
The largest beam girder made in the
west" is the inscription in white let
ters on steel beam that was placed in
position yesterday afternoon at the
Pythian castle, corner of Valencia and
Herman streets.
There have been larger beams, but
they were in leigths, assembled and
riveted, but this one is composed of two
flanges SO feet long, 80 inches deep and
weigh $50 pounds to the running foot,
riveted to solid fve-eighths inch steel
plate 4S inches wide, and the whole
weighs within 500 pounds of IL tons.
The two 1anges, each a solid piece made
at the Bethlehem, Pa, steel works, are
said to be the most perfect girders
turned out from any works in the coun
try 1t is part of the structure on which
the floor of the auditorium will be laid
and the base is 80 feet above the main
floor.
This monster piece of steel was placed
on the steel pillars 10 inches square set
in the brick wall by force of men in
the employ of the California steel con-
struction company, under the supervi-
sion of George A. Hochbaun of the gem
eral contractors. c.. S. Hoffman is in
charge of the iron work and E. l.. Will
hanson is superintendent of construc-
ton. These, previous to the raising of
the immense beam, made a careful ex
animation of the underpinning upon
which rested pair of shears so feet in
height from which dangled cables and
great pulleys, this to make sure that no
accident should occur. The riggers,
after fixing the guy ropes, took the ad-
ditional precaution of running steel
guy from the top of the shears to the
base of the chimney of the old railroad
power house, and when all was in read
mess the heavy beam had to be turned,
which was accomplished by means of
tackle connected with two windlasses
worked by horse power. After this the
beam was encircled with several wind
ings of steel cable, to which the heavy
blocks were attached, and the calcula-
tions as to the center were SO close
that on a test raising it required but
800 pounds of nails to bring it to a true
balance.
The windlasses were finally started
and the II tons of steel moved upward
slowly but surely upward. When three
feet from the floor there was a creak-
ing of the timbers forming the shears
the cables were drawn taut to the ut
most tension, then all was still, save
the call of the men at the windlasses to
urge the horses on their even circular
inch until height of Is feet was
reached, when there was halt and all
the men at work stood on the girder
while their picture was taken. The
upward movement was then continued
until the great beam was raised a half
foot above the top of the pillars
Men holding guy ropes at each end
swung it till its ends were just above
the place on which they should rest.
Then came the exciting part of the
work. The Sky rats, as the men who
place the steel where it belongs and do
the boiling are called, clambered M
the pillars and hung on to the ends of
the beam, while the big steel guy was
slackened until the bolt holes above
were true with those below, then the
windlasses were slowly slackened, the
II tons weight descended easily to po-
sition, bolts were shot in place and
screwed up and the work was DONE
The many who watched the operation
held their breath while the men on the
beam ends were at work in the face of
a stiff breeze expecting that at any
moment some one would fall, but it
was successful raising of a heavy
weight and when the workmen, who
did not seem to be in the least dis
turbed, raised their hats, the crowd
heaved a sigh of relief and Superintend-
ent Williamson, as he wiped the per-
spiration from his forehead. said
THANK God it's up without accident
Today another beam weighing 10 tons
will be put in position.
The cornerstone of the castle will be
laid July II by the governor of the
state, assisted by Grand Chancellor
John l.. Childs, superior Judge of Del
Norte county. and all the grand officers
1t will be a gala day with a procession
of the local lodges and the uniform
rank of the order.