Putnam patriot., 1916-11-03
THE PUTNAM PATRIOT November !, l9,6

tted plpe>- the n1Glt shift had been roused from sleep. and every available man was busted in relieving the pres sure. Pile drivers hammered long tim bers into the river bed above the threatened point. hydraulic jacks were put in place, and steel cables were run to drum and pulley. The men worked sometimes knee deep in ice water. but they did not walk; they ran. In an incredibly short time the preparations were completed. strain was put upon the tackle, and when night came the massive false work had been pulled back into line and the traveller was once more swinging steel into place. IL was magnificent feat, yet not one of those concerned in it could feel con fident that the work had not been done in vain. for the time was growing ter rihly short and. although the ice seem ed solid, it was rotting fast.
 After the southern half of the span had been completed the warmth in creased rapidly Therefore the steel crew heightened it's hours The men worked from o'clock in the morning until II o'clock at night
 On the 18th. without warning of any sort, Garfield glacier began moving for ward. It had lain inactive even during the midwinter thaw which had started it's smaller brother. but that warm spell had evidently had its effect upon the giant for now he shook off his lethargy and awoke He stirred. grad. ually at first and without sound. as if bent upon surprising the interlopers; then his speed increased As the gla- cier advanced it thrust the nine foot blanket of lake ice ahead of 1t. and this in turn crowded the river Ice down upon the bridge The movement at the camp site on the first day was only two inches. but that was sufi- ciently serious.
 The onset of Garfield at this time was, of course. unexpected. for no for ward motion had ever been reported prior to the spring breakup The ac- tion of the ice heretofore had been alarming. but now consternation spread. A panic swept the ranks of the builders. for this was no short lived phenomenon. This was the an nual march of the glacier itself. which promised to continue indefinitely. A tremendous cutting edge. nine feet In thickness. like the blade of carpen- ter's plane. was being driven against the bridge by an irresistible force.
 Once again the endless thawing and ehopping and gouging of ice began. but the more rapidly the eneroaching edge was cut away the more swiftly did f bear down. The huge mass began to rumble; it "calyed,' it split. it detonat- cd, and, having finally l0oSened itself from it's bed. 1t acquired increased mo mentum. As the men with chisels and steampoints became exhausted others took their places but the structural gang clung to it's perch above, aug menting the din of riveters and the grooming of blocks and tackle Among the ablebodied men sleep now was out of the question. for the ice gained in spite of every effort. It was too late to remove the steel in the uncomplet- ed span to a place of safety. for that would have required more time than to bridge the remaining gap.
 Filing began to buckle aaa bend be- fore that irresistible push. The whole nicely balanced mass of metal was in danger of being unseated. Mellen cursed the heavens in a black fury; Parker smiled through white lips: O'Neil ground his teeth and spurred his men on.
 This feverish haste brought its pen atty. On the evening of the 14th, when the span was more than three quarters finished, lower chord section fouled as it was lifted, and two load ing beams at the top of the traveller snapped.
 On that day victory had been in sight. The driving of the last bolt had been but a question of hours, q race with the sliding ice. But with the hoistlng apparatus out of use work halted. Swiftly, desperately, without loss of moments time, repairs began. No regrets were voiced. no effort was made to place the blame. for that would have caused delay. and every minute counted Eleven hours later the broken besms were replaced and erection had recommended.
 But now fer those above there was danger to life and limb. During the pause the ice had gained, and no effort could relieve the false work of its strain. All knew that If 1t gave way the workmen would be caught in chaos of collapsing wood and steel
 From the morning of May 14 until midnight of the 10th the ironworkers clung to their tasks. They dropped their tools and ran to their meals; they gulped their food and fled back to their posts. The weaker ones gave out and staggered away, cursed and taunt- kd by their companions. They were rough fellows and In their deep throat ed profanity was prayer.
 no s3e Continued.D