davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

U~HE development of New Yorks
great subway system has tested
the ability of some Of New
York's engineers in an interesting way.
Recently the public learned Of the ac-
cOmplishment Of feat by the en-
gineers of the Bridge Department
which has been described as unprece-
dented. II was detail Of the work
of reconstructing the Williamsburg
Bridge so that the ponderous ten-car
steel trains of the Coney Island sub
way and the enormous twenty-ton com
mercial trucks which have come into
use in recent years could cross II with
out danger. The work was begun
three years ago, and after the expendi-
ture Of approximately $IJO,UO the
bridge will soon be in condition
to withstand the increased strain of
public and vehicular traffic and meet
the demands Of the dual subway sys-
TEN.
The unprecedented feat was that of
replacing four ten-inch pins connecting
the land spans and the towers with
the same number of thirteen-inch pins.
Two Of the pins have already been
changed for the larger and stronger
ones.
In the midst of the subway negotia-
tions between the city and the traction
companies" said Commissioner Kracke,
he hid hp
second longest in the world, was not
strong enough TO carry its capacity of
travel. on the main span the bridge
had a supporting strength of 1900
pounds linear foot. At the end spans
IL had a supporting strength of 5000
pounds linear foot. This weight is
live load, the engineering term used TO
mean anything except the dead weight
vi the bridge itself. II meant people
who wanted TO walk across the bridge,
IL meant vehicles of all sorts, il meant
trolley cars. Last and most important,
II meant elevated cars or subway
cars or trains.
Now. this is engineering talk, but
IL is simple enough if stated another
way. An elevated train or subway
trains weighs approximately LOO
pounds to the linear foot. \ surface
car weighs 1900 pounds to the linear
foot. Nehicular traffic is estimated at
lnO pounds to the square foot.
THE bridge was equipped with four
tracks for surface cars and two tracks
Cor elevated and subway cars. But II
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

side OF the main towers. The end spans
of the bridge were supported from the
towers by iron bolts or pins, I'D inches
in diameter and weighing 1000 pounds.
These have now been replaced by mon
ster nickel-steel pins, IL inches In
diameter and weighing 1,SOO pounds.
Briefly stated, the accomplishment OF
this task required the pulling out OF
the old pins and the tying of the dis
iointed end spans rigidly to the tower
while the 10-inch hole was being en-
larged sufficiently 10 admit the inser-
ton Of a pin IL inches in diameter and
30 inches long.
No similar engineering work or TINS
magnitude has ever been done befoce.
The special drilling machine used was
designed by the engineers Of the bridge
department. The gigantic drill had
boring head with seven self-hardening
steel cutters adjusted to bore out
chin Of metal one-eighth Of an inch
deeper and three-sevenths OF an inch
wider than the previous cutter at each
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

four trolleys and two elevated cars
passed any given point on the main
span at one time that point would be
supporting 10000 pounds of weight on
4 800 pounds Of strength, or o,JO
pounds a linear foot more than it
was built TO support, or I'D plus per
cent of overload. The only sal
walton of the situation was that
travel on the bridge was not excess
sively heavy and arrangements for any
extended elevated service had not been
made. But something had TO be done,
and be done quickly. So the Bridge
Department set to work.
There was no time to be lost. The
Mayor Of the city, the members of the
Board OF Estimate, the members of
the Public Service Commission and the
engineering authorities had their eyes
on the bridge. II was the northern
extremity of the Centre st. loop of the
new subway system which was to
carry downtown 10 the Municipal
Building and to the financial district
the passengers of the Brooklyn ele-
waited lines. 1t was being pointed out
as the natural outlet for the three
tracked Broadway and Myrtle av.
lines in Brooklyn. II stood between
the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges
and the proposed East River tunnels
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
THIS DEREtIcT A DEEP SEA
DIVERS JOB.

II was a deep sea divers job. Ana
when the conditions away down in that
tangled mass of rigging were reported
II was no TO the ordnance officer OF me
Mohawk.
The Mohawk had the ordinary diving
outfit. and her gunner, Larson IS hcr
diver. But Larson knew Of the latest
diving dress that European divers USE
one that needed no air pump, life line
or pine. He had never used it, so the
captain Of the cutter secured e. H.
Stllson. deep sea diver of the United
States navy, and his assistant, ;. D.
Dellishak, to go with the Mohawk and
use the emergency suit. Stilison's rec
ord is 253 feet and Dellishak's 2i6.
The former is the worlds record, az
,omplished by enduring pressure OF
ll3 pounds 10 the square inch.
The self-contained diving dress used
by these divers on the Mohawk was re-
inforced by attaching to it special air
cylinder used to initiate the suit. In
place Of back weights, cylinders OF air
and oxygen (J0-J0) compressed TO 10
atmosphere are annexed, and also a
box jacketed with air to prevent loss
OF heat and containing cartridges OF
caustic soda. The graduated soda is
arranged in trays so that the air cur
rent passes over each tray. The oXy-
gen mixture escapes through a reducing
valve at five litres a minute, and then
through an injector apparatus set on
The inlet tube leading into the helmet.
The force of the oxygen acting on the
injector sucks the air from the helmet
through the outlet pipe and soda car
tridges. and so frees the air from the
eXhalcd coz The supply Of manu-
featured air is intended TO last from
thirty minutes to an hour. The oxy-
gen mixture is safe to breathe down 20
depth Of from 20 10 100 feet. Pure
oxygen would bring about oxygen poi
soning. so the 30 per cent mixture is
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

revolution. The steel-cutting knives
were driven by lO0-horsepower motor
which was fed by current from the
third rail. It cost 5000 to construct
this machine.
"The machine, as finally worked out,
looks something like a rapid-hre gun
OF the type that projected from the
barbettes Of the old-style battleships.'
said the Bridge Commissioner. 1T had
a long barrel-like cylinder, which was
fitted into the 10-inch hole after the
old pin was removed. Back of this
came the cutting head. There were
seven teeth in this. They lay back Of
one another in such a way as to bite
at an angle The depth to which they
bit into the steel could be regulated.
A feature OF the machine is that it is
made Of a specially prepared steel
which tempers itself as it heats from
friction so that the blades do not lose
their cutting edge.
1.-THE actual operation OF collapsing
each Of the 10-inch pins and substitute
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

that he had made the cord fast at the
base OF the mast. Come up slowly
sang out the assistant. Careful, now.
careful: don't come up too fast"
It is the decomposition that kills. 1t
is the decomposition that brings on
that terror Of all compressed air work.
ers. the bends the caisson disease.
The diver, away down on the decks
of the Orellana, inflated his suit slow
", and without any help from the Ten
in the boat, save their careful guiding
OF his telephone cable, came up like a
slowly rising bubble. There he comes"
shouts son of Norway. The seamen
in the boats risk their necks by lean
ing clear over the gunwales to eaten
sight OF the CHASTITY garb Of the man
who went to the bottom Of the sea. Ii
is the work of a moment TO grab him
as the monster helmet hobs up at the
very stern OF the boat. The unnatural
figure is dragged in quickly. so that
the casque may be removed. in a jiffy
the diver is gaspng in the ozone that
is as free above as it was scarce be-
low.
1t takes a real man TO be a deep-sea
diver. II he has any organic weak
nesses, if his heart is weak, if he has
the kitten breath, II his arteries are a
bit infexible, II his eustachian tube
from mouth and nose to ear is swollen
or choked, he has small chance. The
self-contained diving dress. with its
oxygen treatment, is sure cure for
catarrh If you have nothing else the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

The air in his suit displaced so much
water that he fairly floated down at
his ease. The officers and seamen
watched the monstrosity sink through
the clear, dark ocean under their boats
until II looked like a light green
wrath and disappeared in the deeps
lower down. It was like slipping a
friend into a bottomless grave. The
only satisfaction left to those above
was the constant dialogue distinctly
heard
Can you sec much?"
Fine. fine
Where are you?"
AT the head OF the davits."
Sing out If you want anything"
Take in a little bit Of slack for me,
so that ] can feel 1t. Hold that, now.
That's better. That's better. That's
fine"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

you are going down hne. old man.
Now, I'm clear to the rail (seventy-
two feeD Hang on TO me. Now I'm
standing on the manyard."
How are you? Are you going to DC
bile to get clear down."
Yes, I'm down now. I'm at the cap
stan, 'midship. Her deck is covered
with an awful lot Of junk. Let me
have more line"
I'VE can't give you any more. It's
i'm Light here now. It's the tide pull
ing 1t on you. Can you get to the main
mast?"
Yes, soon as | get clear Of all this
junk here"
And so the talk went on. 1t was UNI
canny The man had disappeared into
the depths. The men in the boats
heard only his voice.
How much air have You got leitY'
Fifteen, yet"
And by that all knew that six
seventies of the 10j atmospheres with
which the oxygen cylinder was charged
had been used up. The diver had only
one seventh Of this thirty or forty min
utes to live.
BE careful, now, that you can get
back"
Lower away" was the answer.
Say when" said the man N the
hoat as the line was told off.
20. X. Let me have more slack
Haul in now. Lower away again. i
want to go across the deck"
After that came the announcement
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
How Larson, of the
Revenue Cutter
Mohawk Removed
Ocean Peril.

n Sunday, May II. when all Nor
n way was rocking with Joy bells
~ at the centennial of Norwegian
,denendence, the sailors Of the United
s,,tes revenue cutter Mohawk were
n,oving TO pieces the good Norwegian
TX Orellana, that had sunk last
,onth in seventeen fathoms of water.
,,.ontv miles off Barnegat, out in the
Atlantic.
Tho bark's topgallant masts were all
hat showed above tho hundred feet
sea Shipmasters shivered as they
~,,zod by this uncharted danger to
air boats. The United states Light
aopso Service sent out a buoy to mark
AZ. dsv and a light by night the nasty
,o,ace Even after that was done
o., excited mariner reported wreck
With A light flashing red near it. skip
ners grew nervous. 1t was a disturb
;,o element on the ocean highway. The
nix of the wreck was deep enough,
,.,t the masts might puncture the bot
.on Of many a ship pitching and roll
inc on the seas.
The Mohawk. Captain Van BoskcrcH
.,,,,roandinS. was detailed by the Rev
cnue Cutter Service TO remove tins 3D.
s,ruction to navigation. And as the
Mohawk, like the other coast police
.hins attracts to itself the lads from
scandinavia, that is why Norway S
century of freedom was celebrated by
Norwegian Americans firing Guncotton
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
THE WRECKED SHIP A GHosTLY
SIGHT.

II was a ghostly sight 10 peer down
into the dark, green water from the
bobbing boats and see the shrouds and
stays and spars of this full rugged ship
reaching into depths that human
beings had not explored. 1t was even
more ghostly, out there on the wild
seas to watch the diver. clad in his
uncanny looking helmet and armored
plates. with his cylinders OF chemicals
attached, shod in leaden SHOES. being
helped by his mates off the stern of the
little launch, down the short, swaying
ladder into the sea. His assistant
stood in the boat, with telephone re-
ceiver at his ear and transmtter at his
lips. talking 10 the entombed diver as
he went down.
The telephone is of little avail with
the ordinary diving suit that depends
upon air pumped from above in deep
sea work. The noises in the helmet
soon preclude his hearing any message
from above. He must depend on his
signal cord. Less than a dozen signs
with il are possible. But with the mod
ern apparatus, making his own atmos-
phere, purifying his own air. regulating
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
AFTER THE MINES HAVE BEEN
EXPLODED.

And these deep-sea shots didn't. A
spar or two jabbed its way TO the sur
face A splitting. a boiling and
churning went on for many SECONDS
over the wreck. 1t would have been
an unhealthy place for the Mohawk's
boats at the moment. But a Hacken-
sack skiff could have easily ridden nifty
feet away without danger of capsizing'
Not so with the later shots, for the
old Norway bark refused to let go its
steel masts. They had to be torn out
by degrees. Her rigging was not
shoddy stuff. The stays were the best
of cable. The ratlines and shrouds
were knit for service, so that the mines
that we're placed higher on her masts
later in the day not only tore them OF,
but made waterspouts of beauty.
Back to the wreck flew the boats as
soon as the swirlIng and whipping sea
became normal. When the mizzen-
mast went down the main topgallant
mast was attacked. Then the fore
mast had to succumb. Her bowsprit
could not be seen and soundings failed
later in the day not only tore them off
by the Peter Crowell when she rammed
the bark that April night.
And after the explosions. often many
minutes after, the sea was speckled
with the cleaning bellies Of rock cod
and bake, sea trout and bass, stunned
at the bottom Of the ocean and suf-
fering from the bends as they were
subjected to rapid decomposition
by being forced quickly from the deeps
to the surface.
The Lighthouse Service has brought
in it's buoy flashing red" The hydro
graphic office has rubbed off Of the
Atlantic charts the temporary sign
of the wreck OF the Norwegian bark,
for the Revenue Cutter Service has re-
ported that that obstruction to navi-
cation is removed.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31

necessary. -Four hours out from the
Ambrose Channel, in the open ocean,
with not a sail in sight. the cutter cast
anchor near the buoy flashing red and
/ the gaunt topgallant masts that
marked where the bark from Norway
| lay on the bottom, weighed down with
/ its potter's clay that had come all the
way from Boulogne.
/ A ships launch. manned by the Mo-
hawks sailors, carried Ordnance Officer
| Ryan, Gunner Larson and Diver Still
son and his mate, Dellishak, over the
wreck. Making fast to the mizzen top
mast, they cast the lead. 1t showed
| II fathoms TO the poop deck, IL to the
/ main and - TO the fore deck Of the
buried bark. The divers could see
! hard work before them, as even the
lead had difficulty in reaching the deck
of the unlucky three master, so afoul
Of shrouds and floating wreckage did il
get.
! Early the following morning, before
clerks and milionaires were awake,
two boatloads of revenue cutter tars
were on the job, rising up and down on
the Atlantic's swells 10 feet above the
Orellana's decks. The Mohawk moved
away from her anchorage of the night
I before. Guncotton and decorators in
| large amounts on board might be I'M
/ duly Jared by the blasts that must be
fired to loosen the bark's steel masts.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-31
4 PLUNGE INTO SEAS DEPTHS TO SKATER WRECK
A Hundred Feet Be-
low Surface With
out Life Line or
Air Pump.

matter with you IL is a SAFE FISK.
And now the ordnance officer gives
his orders. Two mines are connected
TO the insulated cable on reel In the
launch. The mines are dropped care
fully into the water. noosed TO the cord
that now extends from the launch
straight down to the heel OF the mast
where the deep-sea diver placed H.
AS the mines slip away down on ther
deadly mission the insulated wire is
paid off the reel until the ordnance
officer feels that the shots are at the
deck. The launches pull away. the one
having the ordnance officer and the
reel paving off its cable as the sailors
bend to the oars.
Several hundred feet away from the
wreck the boats take their position.
Malt mile away rides the Monawk'
The ordnance officer stands up in his
launch and waves his cap. Then comes
an ear-splitting crack, ripping spli''
lust as when bolt of lightning strikes
an old oak tree. With it comes
smothered crash and jar. The boats
SILVER from the conclusion that de-
tonates like 12-inch gun. 1t doesn't
send geyser into the air. NO
deep-sea shots do that When you
sec a geyser of water rising like
Niagara into the air depend on 1t that
the shot was close to the surface or
else was a whole magazine of explo-
sives. No single mine difty-six pounds
can force seventy feet OF water-solid
ocean water-very far into the air.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-22

hostiIities. but the details Of all move
ments were known only 10 the general
stats until the movements nAq peen
definitely written into history by the
fact Of victory.
On February 10. 1903. the first i'm
portant naval battle Of the war was re-
ported in New York. It had occurred
on February z. Tie Japanese rect 11u
wrecked five Russian Warsnlps OUTSIDE
Of Port Arthur
The first news of an engagement on
land arrived on the day after IL oc-
CURED. that is. February H. But this
eDnTaeeruent as in the case OF those
already reported from the theaters OF
var in FuroDe. was merely a clash be-
tween scouting patrols 1t occurred on
the border line Of Korea and Man
churia-
During the following months OF the
conflict the western world got lne re-
ports Of most Of the battles from two
to three or four days after they nao
occurred -..r- - e.
strurpIe. between the two fleets In the
Korean strait was anticipated IN news
DISPATCHES a week before u was over
Actual conflict between the Warsnlps
commenced a couple Of days aLler lne
civilized world was warned 70 De on the
On Nav %. 1905. the Toxic govern
r7ent cave formal announcement OF the
examination Of the Russian fleet which
had been completed earlier on the same
dsv. New York awOke on May 30 to
learn that the cars battles1ips had
been beaten and that peace was finally
within hailing distance
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-22

Ih 5-ll' are considerably more varied ana ana
1ess simple. The maneuvers OF lhe
y ellen Commander depend largely VI
ne ne formation Of the enemy VI 80.
~ - IS laid on finding out the e1acl
lls position of his troops before 1oIIlu-
"a ing the battle plans. and the OLL. -
~ command retains his troops suDJeCN
70 ms control throughout the engage
ule1L While frontal attacks are ao ADMIT
teuiy dangerous, the French theories
provide for their use in certain cohtih.
sencles, and the commander Is not led
o CiSls, 10 the use Of flanking movements
exclusively.
Inen too the rules lay down elaoor-
ATE formations Of Outposts' ADVANCE
guards supports and reserves tor pro-
tecuon against surprise. Inc only
CIlllclsm made by Col de GIahuItlalsoh
IS lnat the system. while theoretically
perfect has become so elaborate as to
pc somewhat difficult 10 handle IN the
IleId, and that the officer who follows
their spirit to the logical limit will be
tlkely to find his troops so dispersed
In small parties as to be scattered over
as large a front as the Germans. an
extreme tendency which is somewhat
to be depiored in the light Of the les
sons Of the RussO-Japanese war in
which engagement after engagement
was won by both the Russians and the
japanese, traceable directly to the en-
ployment Of desperate frontal attack
and bayOnet charge, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the terrific efficiency OF fire OF the
modern rifle.
French Tactical Rules.
The strongest criticism that can be
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-22

- nee more the arms OF Germany
and France are clashing on the
- field of battle. once more mill
tary tacticians throughout the world
are closely watching the outcome, for
the results should settle for some time
10 come, conflicting principles Of STRAIT
sgy which at present are somewhat
Df q puzzle. As in the Franco-P russian
Hvaf in 1870 the tactics Of the Two arm
les are entirely different Little fault
can be found this time with the pre-
paredness on either side The German
forces outnumber the French, but this
can easily be overcome by a slight
superiority in maneuvering the huge
army corps. and little greater ability
TO have chem in the right place at the
right time. In fact there is only one
element capable Of confusing the is
sue namely. the totally different ra-
cial characteristics and temperamentS-
German Organization the Older
Ehe German organization IS the Oder
Its present system is built on the foun-
dations supplied by the victorious
armies Of the Franco-Prussian war
In discipline, training, mobilization and
principles Of moving large Dodles OF
troops. II is the logical successor that
one would expect to find, making al
lowances for the development Of mod
ern weapons, transportation facilities
and equipment.
kaiser's organization is more perfect
" disciplined and drilled than is the
army Of France. These observations,
however, are based on knowledge Sc
cured from the handling Of troops in
maneuvers-
Whether actual wartime conditions
will bear them out is a question which
time may answer differently and even
the most radical pro-German enthus-
lasts admit that the Gallo military
organization IS not by any means to be
classed as second rate or slipshOd- We
hear a great deal in this country Of
the constant battle practice and train
ing Of the Germans
News Of the immense annual maneu-
vers is printed in our daily press. The
fact that the same publicity is not
given to the military activities Of
France is conductive to the holding OF
a false impression on this score. For
years past the French army has been
carrying on large instructive opera
tons. The news Of them has not
reached US.
Air Forces Compared
Both nations have efficient aviation
CORDS Germany has the advantage
in the number Of dirigibles while
France has some $50 aerOpIanes al
ready in commission, against about
400 Of the Germans. Aeronauucal
authorities differ on the efficiency OF
the aeroplane divisions Of the two
powers There is probably no phase
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-22
Military Schools Are In Fatal Clash;
German and French Systems Different
Allow" individuality watching Results

that no word save humiliation viii de-
scribe the wreck. .
Prone to Weaken Their Fron'1'
An understanding Of this unde Il,s, ne
principle of German tactics VII el- --iIi
one to appreciate why German NJ NJ
tary commanders are so prone 70 49,. ~
extend and weaken their fronts, reiyin5
on the effectiveness Of the modern l-; Ei5
power rifle to protect their Wloely
Scattered line from successful frontal
attack. with virtually no provision OF
reserves to back it up in case OF eiiisi .
ency.
Another common practice is the neg
lect to protect the wings agal L.s--
counter attack This is on the tneoIy
that if the attack is properly pusned
home the enemy viii be SO busy ue-
Tending himself that he viii nave no
time to plan 4 counter offence, ana no
time to carry il out providing ne GOES
plan it All troops are thrown Up mo I,-o
as wide a firing line as possioIe IN me
attempt to envelop the enemy in a con-
verging attack
French school Of Taeties-
The French tactics on the other