The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-12-21

heavy sections We're laid in place. The
riyoterS began their metallic song.
The towering three bent Traveller ran
smoothly on its track. and under 1t
grew n Network OF metal. braced and
REINFORCED TO withstand. IN addition to
ordinary strains. the pressure of a hun
drcd mile an hour wind. To those who
looked III the structure appeared TO
build itself. like some dream ediice.
1t seemed a miracle that human hands
could work that stubborn metal SO
swiftly and with so little effort. But
every piece had been cut and fitted
carefully, then checked and placed
where ii was accessible.
Now that winter had broken spring
came with Il rush. The SHOWS began
to shrink and the drifts to settle. The
air grew balmier with every day; the
drip from was answered by the
gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
Here and there the boldcst mountain
sides began 10 show. and the tops of
alder thickcts thrust themselves into
sight. Where wood or metal caught
the sun rays the SNOW rctreated. Pools
Of ice water began to form at noo
The days We're long, too, and no
frozen winds charged out of the north.
AS the daylight heightened 50 did the
working hours of TIE ~t0ilers.
On April IS the span was completed
In thirteen days Mellen's crew had
laid 400 feet OF the heaviest steel ever
used in n bridge of this type. But
there was no halt. The material for
the second section had been assembled
meanwhile, and the traveller began to
swing it into place.
The din was unceasing. The clash of
riveters. the creak and rattle of hoiSts.
the shouts of men. mingled in Il per
s%istent. eur splitting clamor, and foot
by foot the Orders reached out toward
the second monolith which rose from
the river bed. The we'll adjusted hu-
man machine vas running smoothly.
Every man knew his place and the du
ties that went with it: the hands Of
each worker were capable and skilled.
But now the hillSideS were growing
bare, rills gashed the sloping snow
fields. the upper gullies began to rum
bic to acknowledgements of the
process that would strip the earth of
snow ana ice aud free the river in all
its fury. In six days 800 feet more Of
steel had been b0lted fast to the com
plete section, and span No. . was in
place. But the surface of the Salmon
was no longer white ana pure; it was
dirty ana diScolored now, for the de
briS which had collected during the
past winter was exposing itself. The
icy covering was partially inundated
also. Shallow ponds formed upon it
and were rippled by the south breeze.
Running waters on every side sang Il
menace to the workers.
Then progress ceased abruptly. 1t
became known that a part of the mate
rial for the third span had gone astray
in its long journey across the cont
nent. There had been Il delay at the
Pittsburgh mills, then a blockade in
the Sierras; O'Neil was in Omar ut the
end OF the cable straiuing every nerve
to have the shipment rushed through.
Mellen brooded over his uncomplctcd
work; Parker studied the dripping hills
and measured the melting SHOWS lie
still smiled, bat he showed his anxiety
in a constant nervous unrest, and he
could not sleep.
At length news came that Johnny
Brennan had the steel aboard his ship
and had sailed. \ record run was pre-
- -. aI;l, .I, cAt,tb y+in1
brought havoc on It's breath. The sun
shone holly into the valley of the Sal
mon, and instead Of warmth it brought
a chill to the hearts Of those who
watched and waited.
Twelve endless, idle days crawled by.
Winter no longer gave battle; she was
routed and lii her mad retreat she
threatened to overwhelm ONei's for
tunes.
On May 6 the needed bridge mem
bers were assembled, and the erection
Of span 3 began. The original plan
had been to build this section on the
cantilever principle, so as to gain In
dependence Of the river ice. but to do
so would have meant slow work n
much delay-an expenditure OF time
which the terms Of the option made
impossible. Arrangements had been
made, therefore, to lay 1t on false
work, as the other spans had e
laid, risking everything upon the
weather.
AS a matter Of precaution the south
ern half Of the span was connected to
the completed portion, but before the
connection could be fully made the re-
mainder Of the jam in front Of Jack
son glacier. which had caused SO much
trouble heretofore. went out suddenly.
and the river ice moved downstream
about a foot, carrying with 1t the
whole intricate system Of supporting
timbers beneath the uncomrleted span.
Hasty measurements showed that the