The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-24
Takes Workmen Only
z Hours to Push Half
of the Big Structure
Up the River
TRAINS KEEP
ON RUNNING
No Interference With Schedules While
Pennsylvania Steel Company Force
Shifts Ten Iron Spans to Make
Room for Concrete Viaduct

Half a mile of the steel bridge of
the Cumberland Valley railroad, from
Mulberry street, Harrisburg, to the is
land, was placed on rollers atop of ten
stone piers and moved northward a.
distance of eight feet, six inches. in
seven hours yesterday. This was ac-
complished without a mishap and with
out disturbing the train schedule, al
though during the morning the bridge
structure was temporarily raised nine
inches to permit the rollers to be placed
under it.
That part of the bridge between
the island and Cumberland county
shore will be moved as soon as the
weather permits. When the entire
bridge has been moved northward ev-
erything will be in readiness for be-
ginning the construction of half of the
concrete double-track structure which is
to replace the present track steel
bridge. j. B. Fraim has charge of this
moving work for the Pennsylvania
steel Company, which will provide the
steel that Will be used in the concrete
structure. The contract for the con-
crete work has not yet been awarded,
but the award will be made on March
IL, bids having already been received.
Trains Run as Usual
The spans of the steel structure were
Jacked up on the piers and two 10
pound rails with N-inch steel rollers
were placed on the top of each pier.
When this was completed heavy wood
en- beams to provide leverage for large
capacity jacks were put in place on
each pier. This preliminary work re-
CURED two weeks. Just before 10
0 clock yesterday morning everything
was ready for the moving and the
signal was given to the three men on
each pier Power was applied and
slowly the bridge was moved sideways
on the rollers.
This work was halted at times as
trains ran over the structure, but, de-
spite such interruptions, the steel
structure ON this side of the island was
moved to where the contractors wanted
it in just seven hours. The moving of
the western stretch of the bridge will
be done as soon as weather permits.
The plan is then to construct the
southern side of the new concrete arch
bridge clear across the river. When
that is completed trains will be run
over that half, the present steel struc-
ture will be removed and the construc-
tion of the upper half of the concrete
bridge started. Workmen could give
no estimate as to the time it will re-
uuire tn comnlete the now str,,ctura
To Use Present Piers
The present piers will be part of
the new bridge. They, with the excep-
tion of concrete facing, were made
ready for this work before the winter
set in, a competent inspector having
passed ON their stability. The piers
have been in use for many years and
the new structure will be the third
bridge for them to support. The first
was wooden arch viaduct similar to
the old camelback that formerly
spanned the river from Market street.
The trains ran on top of the box-like
structure. Once it was destroyed by
fire and subsequently rebuilt.
Twenty-nine years ago the present
one-track steel bridge was placed on
the piers. Traffic has grown so that
a double-track structure is now required
and it will be made of reinforced con-
crete.
This bridge will be part of the gen
eral improvement plan of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad and its subsidiary, the
Cumberland Valley railroad in South
Harrisburg, where huge freight re-
ceiving station is now being built.