Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-07-15
GREATEST
BUILDING
IN WORLD

ANNAI W biS EillCi AOW1lp tlO hOW
Woolworth building in New York is
the tallest structure ever reared to
the skies by the hand of man. This
skyscraper will be fifty-five stories
high, totaling 75O feet, and will be
head and shoulders above the Singer
and Metropolitan towers.
To erect this wonderful building
powerful electric motors must raise
more than $4,000 tons of steel, brick,
stone, etc, some of it to the roof.
Without electricity it would be diff
ficult, if not impossible, to build and
maintain such a mighty building,
When completed it will be a small
city within itself, fully connected
with local and express elevators,
telephones, electric lights and dozen
other things from huge ventilating
fans to push buttons, operated by
electricity.
Electricity, the master mechanic,
is practically building this enormous
structure. To hoist the steel and set
it in place are six dcrricks driven by
eighty horse power moters, -Four Of
these followed the course of con-
struction to the twenty-siXth floor,
the limit Of the building proper, after
which two proceed with the tower
work as far as the fortieth floor,
from which one of the derricks keeps
pace with the work. The hoisting
engines and motors are seldom NOV
ed They remain several floors be-
low the working level, the cables,
of course, running through the struc-
ture from the drums TO the block and
tackle on the lifting apparatus itself.
A telephone system supplemented by
pull-bell, for the motorman of the
derrick acts entirely on signal, just
as the engineer Of an ocean liner
drives his ship entirely by the bells
from the bridge. Only, in the erec-
tion of a modern skyscraper the bridge
is seldom more than a plank extend
ing over the edge of the floor while
the lookout, instead of being in the
crows nest at the masthead, rides
through space on the girder The
work Of the hoist is by no meanf
completed with the safe delivery oi
the steel at the top floor; it must all
be fitted together, and so skilled
have the workers become, and so ex
pert are they with their signals, tina
the beams are guided into their plac,
with little friction and loss Of ener
Igy.
Although steel-hoisting is thrilling
and to a certain degree picturesque
as It is watched daily by thousandl
from the City Hall Park and tht
pOst-office, It is far from being tn,
heaviest part Of the work. Seven
teen million brick, weighing 1850
tens, and $500 tons Of terra-cotta ar,
also used, but they are carried Il
the brick layers in prosaic wheel
barrows, and on everyday hot
hoists. Six Of the hoists are operat
ed by 4O-horse power motors.
Cement and concrete are mixed II
the basement, the machines, four II
number, being operated by 15-hors,
power motors. A plumbing system
is necessary, and temporary pipei
lead to hydrants and two 15-hors,
power motors keeping the water II
circulation. Another motor Of so
horse power pumps rain-water ant
leakage out Of the basement.
There are two compressor plants
on the work, one for the steam rivet
crs and drills and the other fol
shooting cement seventy-hve horse
power are required for the riveters
and all day long their gattlinggur
fusilade is heard. The electrical in,
stallation amounts to about 1,20(
horse power in motors, 200 arc
lights, and about 1000 incandescent
lamps. A force of six electricians II
kept busy looking after the wiring.