Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-28
SMASH RECORDS
BUILDING TRESTLE
Burned p. R. r. Structure Re-
placed in Twelve and One
Half Days.

The new Pennsylvania and Lehigh
Valley railroad trestle across New
ark bay, from Greenville to the New
ark meadows, built to replace the old
one which was destroyed by fire on
June Is, was completed yesterday at
noon. the first train being run across
it at precisely one minute after -
o'clock.
The construction of this bridge in
twelve and a half days is said to be
the most rapidly accomplished en-
cheering feat of its kind on record,
and was made possible by the fact
that the work upon it was begun
before the old bridge had stopped
burning, that the latest labor-saving
devices were made use of and that
an exceptionally large force of men,
perfectly organized and skillfully d.
rected. was employed day and night.
All the materials for the new struc-
ture were actually on hand the morn
ing after the fire, while the larger
GLIDING the piie-drivers, marine der
ricks, ETC., arrived early in the af-
ternoon. This enabled the seven large
contracting companies, the two
wrecking companies, and others, who,
together with the forces of the Penn
sylvania and Lehigh Valley railroads.
were engaged in the undertaking, to
set to work Immediately.
The size of the equipment, which
consisted of fourteen pile drivers,
two tugboats, twenty-one scows, six
catamarans, twelve marine derricks,
four railroad derricks, three marine
ir-compressors, two air. compressor
cars, three locomotive cranes, four
shifting engines, two complete cleo
trio lighting plants, in operation, and
one held in reserve, gives some idea
of the magnitude of the enterprise;
while the fact that on an average of
1000 men, during the day, and 476, at
night, were occupied with 1t indicates
the energy with which the work was
carried out. Work was further facili-
tated by the installment of COM
plete telephone system throughout
the entire structure.
The new bridge, which is 3.415 feet
in length, is composed of two single
track trestles, whereas the old one
consisted of two double-track trestles.
In constructing the bridge the piles
of the old one having burned down
to the waters edge. were sawed off
at the low tide~mark. after which
they were capped" Chat is. stout
timbers were spiked across them in
the manner of railroad ties), and
then upon these timbers were erected
the trestle DENTS" or supports, of
which there are 1858 in the bridge. To
build the structure about 100000 feet
Of board timber was required.
Among the special features of the
undertaking were the provision of
sanitary arrangements and of medi-
cal attendance, day and. night, but
for the latter there was little need,
since the construction was attended
by no serious accidents to life or limb
"a remarkable circumstance In con-
nection with this sort of work
A train of six cars, including an
Office, a dinner car two sleepers.
storage car and AN extra car have
been on the ground day and night
during the course of the work For
the Pennsylvania Railroad the work
has been in charge of c. 1. Leiper.
Of Newark. the principal assistant
engineer of the Philadelphia, Balti-
more and Washington Railroad. As
sisting Mr.. Leiper were F. w. Smith,
jr.. Of Newark. and J. A. Harris, d.
vision engineer of the Manhattan d.
vision of the Pennsylvania Railroad.