Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-18
OMEHAN BUILDS BIG
BRIDGE AT YUMA
J. W. Towls Brings Unique Idea
Into Play, Floating Structure
Into Place.
GIGANTIC TASK SUCCESSFUL

b. A. Mccain, Superintendent.
United States Indian Department. Cato
Sells. Commissioner; l.. L. Odel. Agent.
The foregoing is copy Of the inscrip-
ton that appears. on each Of two bronze
tablets. one Of which Is at either end of
a steel bridge over the Colorado river at
Yuma Ariz.. 1850 miles from Omaha. The
bridge connects California and Arizona,
was erected at cost OF approximately
$1,000 and yesterday was completed. work
having been in progress since September
], 1914.
Built by Omaha Man.
In the construction of this bridge an
Omaha man, John w. Towie, president OF
the Omaha Structural Steel works. has
successfully performed a feat that had
never before been accomplished. Bodily
he has carried a, steel bridge complete.
weighing Snore than 500 tons. for dis
lance of 40 feet over chasm more than
100 feet deep This gigantic undertaking
was accomplished in little more than an
hour and the ends Of the bridge came
into place with such exact precision that
when the anchor bolts were pub in place
the holes through which they went lacked
hut -one- sixteenth Of an inch of being
true. with the measurements made months
before.
Early in 1914 the government CON,
cluded to erect a steel wagon bridge
over the Colorado river at Yuma, Ariz.
There were numerous bidders. but the
Omaha Structural Steel works of this
city was the successful competitor and
was awarded the contract President
Towle Immediately assembled his forces
at the steel works here and after making
a careful survey and getting the detailed
plans. commenced getting out the mate
rial at the Omaha plant
While the work has progressed rapidly.
there have been numerous delays on ac-
count of high. water and difficulty in
securing competent labor. The double
track wagon bridge. consisting of
single SPAN. $50 feet long, suspended 100
feet above theN waters OF the Colorado
river. was completed last week and Sat-
urday turned over to the government.
On Santa Fe Trail.
The first vehicle to passover the bridge
was Ford automobiles but from now
on there will be many Of them. as the
structure is on the Ocean-to- Ocean high
way, what in the past was known as the
Santa Fe trail. -
The Yuma bridge which is the only
a distance of 1900 mites UP and down
the stream. starts from Penitenuary
hill on the Arizona side and has its other
end on the Indian hill in. California.
During construction the bridge work
was carried on under the direction OF
President TowIe, who, with Mrs. Towle,
spent the greater portion of his time at
Yuma Upon its completion last week
he uyau oil Il :.
holiday in Yuma. The stores, closed dur
ing the afternoon and the public schools
were dismissed. The entire city turned
, out to the parade and everybody marched
TO the bridge. the east end of which IS
right at the foot Of the principal business
street. There the band played. after
which d delegation of Arizona people
marched to the center OF the structure.
where they met delegation of Califor-
mans and the-compliments OF the season
we're exchanged.
In the construction ofthe Yuma bridge
500 tons OF structural steel was used.
The strength OF the structure may be
seen from the fact that the steel CROSS
beams are thirty-six inches deep. with
twelve inch steel joists. The Individual
members in the top cord form a box two
by three feet and weigh 1900 pounds. It
Is estimated that the bridge is so strong
that without endangering it, it would
safely carry two continuous professions
of the heaviest traction engines passing
one another
First Plans Go Wrong.
! The construction Of the bridge over the
Colorado river has been something never
before attempted In bridge building In
the United States and has been in ac-
eordance with the original ideas OF Presi-
dent Towle. First an attempt was made
TO drive piles and build the superstfuc-
= ture on these Floods came along and
washed them out several times and then
the idea was abandoned
BE it known What the lower part Of the
Colorado river isa peculiar stream. At
Yuma 1T, runs through a gorge OF solid
rock. This gorge is some 40 feet wide
and from the tops of the hills on either
side 1t is 100 feet TO The water. The water
is anywhere from seventy to ninety feet
deep and growing deeper. for measure
ments indicate that with the sllt and
gravel that is coming down from the
upper country the bottom OF the stream
rapidly cutting Itself TO sea level 1t is
figured that this viii not be many CEN
turtles. for at this time. at Yuma. the
country is but ll6 feet above the level OF
the Pacific ocean. III
Pushed Out ON Boats
In building the bridge when the piling
idea was abandoned. President Towle
T. conceived the idea of constructing 1t on
Wand and then pushing 1t across the
stream. Other engineers said it could not
DO done. for they knew thing Of this
kind Had never been tried.
In his vocabulary. President Towle had
no such word as fail" so he started
work. He firstShui an immense barge,
which he moOred to the Arizona side OF
the river and at the point where, the east
approach OF the bridge was to rest. On
TINS he built false work TO the height of
what would be the base of the bridge.
Then he began the construction OF the
superstueture. running 1t back on the
hIll. Thus in time. out on the Arizona side
OF the Colorado river he had a completes
steel bridge. Then the question 3f how to
throw it over the stream was the next
problem that had TO be confronted Here
President Towle brought his ideas into
play and he concluded that the great
mass OF steel.Oa completed bridge. could
be pulled across the river and the west
end attached 10 the California shore.