The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-28
TALL STRUCTURES RAPIDLY REARED Erecting Tall Buildings in the Congested
 Streets

From the Engineering Record.
 As the tallest buildings are generally erected with the greatest rapidity and on the most crowded streets, their con- struction involves many important fea- lures beyond the direct mechanical op- erations. which in themselves are often of a difficult and elaborate nature These include on some occasions the construction of deep foundations far below the groundwater level, the safe guarding of precarious adjacent struc- lures, the hoisting to great heights and the accurate assembling there of thous- ands of tons of very heavy steel mem- bers, the building of ornamental ma sonary in sections at different levels and other structural operations besides the installation of elaborate power equipment and the execution of costly decorating. Heavy temporary plant must be installed, many thousands of men representing scores of different trades must be employed simultaneous ly on an area only 100 or 200 feet square. Often the building has an entrance on one side only, adjacent to a great thor oughfare, crowded with men and ve- hicles, and the work must be done with
 
 obstructing the narrow street or side walk or endangering life or property. Withal the work must be thoroughly done and with the greatest possible rapidity and economy. Many times se- rious delay and damage are caused sratuitously by strikes and other labor troubles, difficult or impossible to avert.
 The successful solution of the con- struction problem lies in the highly de- veloped ability and experience of the engineers and builders, the accuracy and completeness of the design for all portions of the structure and it's de- tails, thorough preparation long in ad- vance, perfected system of organ1za ton, superintendence direction and in- spection of all parts of the work in, progress, both at the site and of ma terials while being produced, the use of abundant and efficient construction plant and labor saving devices, and the careful advance sch eduling of all prin- cipal operations to work harmoniously together, preventing conflict or delay and enabling each stage of the work to be commenced and completed at predetermined date. Obviously the re- sponsibility for such work. involving several million dollars, is very great either for a general contractor or Tor an architect or engineer directing tha operations of several contractors. usu- ally the most independent and import ant classes of construction are separated and contracts for them are awarded to different people. When a general con- tract is let the contractor is likely to execute certain portions of it with his own force and to supervise the erection of special branches by sub contractors
 The importance of maintaining the different portions of the work in prop CT relative condition, avoiding mistakes or conflicts between them and provid- ing for the most economical and rapid execution of different classes of work simultaneously is so great that a suc- cessful contractor for great buildings has proposed to act solely as a com missioner between the architects, en- gineers and owners on the one side and the different contractors on the other. In other cases operations are controlled by three distinct organiza- tions working together in harmonious conference, namely, the architect, the engineer and the general contractor This is the case in the great municipal building in New York.
 This construction involves the expen- allure of over $l1,000,000 in about two years and the erection of steel and masonry structure over 700 feet nigh above the foundations. with a maximum force of more than 1900 employed simul- taneously on a very small area adja- cent or the most cOnSeSleu trdllic III tHo world. The principal operations. elab- orately complicated and interlocked, gre scheduled to day and corresponding orders for necessary material to be de- livercd in the right proportion and prop CT sequence are issued far in advance and their execution constantly checked and verified. The principal materials manufactured and delivered In advance are classified and stored within easy reach and daily brought to the site as used Scrupulous inspection and sys- tematic reports are made and recorded showing the exact progress and state of the work at all times. All materials are handled by large installation of powerful movable derricks and vertical high-speed hoists, all of them operated by electricity. Riveting and other work will be done by compressed air and sus- pended scaffolds almost automatic in their operation will appellate the prog ress on the walls.