The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-23
!. J. Inoiesby stops In keokuk on
Tour Of Inspection Work Under
Way by strobeI construo.
ton Company.
F1N1sH WORK AUGUST /
II River Subsidies, Il May hs Possible
70 Got Through soonsr-Mueh
Unforeseen Trouble Has
Delayed Completion.

I. ]. 1nglesby, superintendent of
construction OF the Strobel Steel Con.
struction company, the firm erecting
the new bridge across the MISSISSIPPI
pl, arrived In Keokuk yesterday. He
Is On tour of inspection of differ.
ent JOBS his company is engaged In,
and stopped to view the work here.
MT. mglesby said this morning
that satisfactory progress had been
made, considering all the unforeseen
difficulties which have confronted the
engineers. It has been difficult to get
all the parts here on account of the
rush on the steel mills In the east
Then, when the steel was on the
ground. the old Father of Waters be-
gan to stir up trouble on his own ac-
count.
When soundings were made two
years ago this summer, it was found
that the depth Of the water under
span three was from two to FIVE feet.
Today there are Is feet Of water un-
der the span, and instead Of the gen.
tie current found two years ago. the
water now rushes through between
the piers, az through millrace.
The capers cut by the river have
made It . difficult task to get the
falsework in place. Saturday tho last
falsowork was set under span threa
Had It not been for this unforeseen
trouble, the work would have been
finished some time ago, and the struc-
turo would now be in the hands OF
tho local bridge company. AS 1t 81
several weeks VIII be needed to I'M
fish the work.
The last few days work has got
ten we'll under way in wrecking the
old structure. The rivets are cut
with big cold chisels. The connect
ing rods and smaller girder pieces
are cut with an acetylene blow torch.
This instrument developes such tre-
mendous heat that it is possible to
melt break through three inch
solid steel rod In about six minutes
Two minutes suffice for the smaller
rods. The heavy Orders are then
lifted into flat cars with q derrick.
The old iron Is sent to South Chica-
go. Indiana, where it is used by the
largo steel mills there.
Lsave Faisesvork In Place.
re has been necessary to leave the
under span two, although
this span was finished weeks ago.
When the old spans are wrecked. tho
piers are cut down several feet and
concrete caps put on Pier number
three could not be altered until span
three was removed, and the east end
OF span two could not be anchored
until the pier was altered and the
new cap finished With the wrecking
of the old span, the worknen have
been enabled to get to work on the
pier. In few days, span two can be
finished, and the falsework removed
from underneath.
It will be about two weeks before
span three Is finished. Superintend.
ent Inglesby said that the work on
the upper deck would be rushed, so
that vehicles and foot traffic could be
carried there In short time. The
lower deck will then be rebuilt. New
ties and rails will be put in. No
flooring will be- installed, 80 that 1t
will be impossible to use this deck for
traffic. Signs will be put up warning
foot passengers to keep Off In case
any disregard the signs and are In
dured the bridge company can not be
held liable.
Mr.. Inglesby sets August 1, as the
date on which the structure will be
turned over to the Keokuk and Ham
ilton Bridge company. He thinks 1t
lnrobable that the work will be ready
much sooner. Mr.. Inglesby leaves for
Chicago this evening.