The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-12-04
CAST IRON HOSPITAL USED IN BRIDGE
CONSTRUCTION BRINGS NEW SENSATION

VISITORS Get aSte OF Conditions
Under Which ''Sand Hogs"
Will Work in Bed of Missouri
River-Caissons at East End
Of New Bridge Are Being
Sealed
Here's something new under the
sun--a cast iron hospital.
Not many want to enter it, but it
provides sure cure, and rather in
teresting one to the newcomer.
The cast iron 'hospital' is part
Of the equipment of the Foundation
company. contractors on the Bis
marck-Mandan bridge. Hearing tha1
the caissons on pier No. | OF the biz
bridge that is to span the Missouri
were being sealed, a reporter visited
the scene.
After William West, who is IN
charge Of the sinking of the caisson5,
hla't Siio IL wv NIoltOl . dIOQilu ne 6uS-
gestcd a trip to the hospital" And
the "hospital' was
A big cast iron cylinder, air-tisht,
with benches on the inside, and pipes
through which compressed aid is shot
into it. The visitors seated them
selves, the air began to roar and Mr..
West began to explain.
Get the "BendS"
when man works down under
the river on one Of those piers he
will get the bends, he said. 1T is a
condition brought about by working
for a period under compressed air,
and the pains are worse than rheu-
matiSm.
The change from the compressed
air to the regular atmospheric pres
sure cannot be made suddenly, so
the man is brought to the hospital.
After he's been in here for sometimes.
and the pressure is gradually lessen
ed, the pains disappear and he becomes
normal"
The men who do this work under
compressed air are called sand
hogs"
And during his explanations lie re-
marked that the highest amount Of
pressure human had been known to
stand was Sc pounds. and that the
men who will work under compressed
air on the bridge piers will work un-
der a 35-pound pressure.
The air was roaring; ones ears felt
the pressure, and ,nere was some
thing uncanny about it. The pressure
must be getting about rs pounds.
How much pressure is in here
now" the smiling veteran Of bridge
work was asked through the din,
ooh, about two pounds he an
Swered
Couldn't Open Door
The door to the hospital" was not
locked, but even with two pounds
pressure one cop'd not pull i open
from the inside. The aid was Cut off,
the roaring ceased and the doors op-
ened. Except for tingling sensa-
ton in the ears everything was nor
NAL again.
The "hospitai' wasn't necessary
for the sinking Of the two caissons
which when tied together, will form
pier No. /, on the east side OF tho
river. There are two round cement
cylinders, II feet in diameter from the
outside and 8 feet from the inside.
They are doughnut shaped, the rim
being 212 feet wide. They were sunk
in sections, and now are Al feet un-
der the surface of the water. The
bottom is bevellcd, and concrete is be-
ing poured into each caisson, seal. |
ing them. After several feet Of con-
crete is poured, rocks and other mate
rials will be mixed and the cylinders |
will be sealed at the top. They will!
De joined together by concrete beams |
Work Goes On
When the breaking up of the ice in
he river swept away the temporary |
bridge it did not halt work on the /
piers on the east and west banks.
One of the cylinders which, Joined !
ogether, will make the east pier, is
absolutely dry, 40 feet under the |
'iver's surface. The end of the
cement caisson rests in hard clay.
Mr.. West, who has helped put eight
bridges across the Missouri, says |
his is the only dry caisson he has
ever seen.
Pier No. on the Mandan side is
low down about 30 feet. Pier No. 3,
n the river a little west Of the middle
If the stream, was not damaged by
he ice flow, although all of the tenn
,orary bridge around it was torn
lway. Ice and debris is now being
leaned away form the pier and work
IN it will continue.
r About 65 men now are working on
he bridge under the supervision ci
:. w. Cubbagc