The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-10-05
WHEELER BRIDGE 70 BE
COMPLETED NEXT YEAR

Battlefield Hiwav convention held at
Sioux Falls last week. For weeks
everybody has been anxiousl y await
ing information on the subiect-for
weeks the papers have been daily
scanned for some authentic informa-
ton relative thereto But it seems
that State Bridge Engineer kirkham
considered the time of this convention
the most opportune time to impart
this information, having attended this
meeting expressly for this purpose.
The Missouri river bridge at
Chamberlain will cost inthe neighbor-
hood of $350.0O0. or about l5 per cent
more than the original estimates and
the structure will be completed early
in 1925, according to statement
made by State Bridge Engineer Kirk
ham. The other bridges, Mr.. Kirk
ham said, will cost as follows: Pierre,
100000; Forest City, 100000;
Wheeler, $4,000; Mobmdge, $780,
coo. They will be completed as fol-
lows: Wheeler. November l, 1924;
Mobridge, December /, 1924; Cham
berlain early in 1925. Mr.. kirkham
explained that the cost Of the bridge
at Chamberlain would be higher be-
cause it had been found that the river
bottom was gravel in some places IN
stead of rock as was at first thought
and this would necessitate the sink
ing of piles to the lower stratum OF
rock for safety.
Discussing his recent difficulties
with the engineers Of the bureau OF
public roads, Mr. Kirkham said:
"The bureau, which supervises fed
eral aid projects. wanted us to have
3OO-foot spans Mr.. Kirkham con-
tinued. q showed them, however.
that they had permitted 2OO-foot
spans in other places and convinced
them that 300 feet was excessive, with
a consequent added burden on the tax
payers So they finally compromised
and the spans will be made 265 feet
quite ample for the passage Of boats
in. case the river is ever used for
traffic.
"And, after these engineers have
painted a picture of grain elvators
stationed all along the river, with
bargcs busilv plying back and forth
between st. Louis and South Dakota
cities. YOU have to admit that they
have some talking points.
Don't worry about tho safety OF
these bridges. They have been 8,
designed that everv point on which
there will be stress. will be able to
withstand four times the load which
we ever expect will be brought to bear
against it.
A 15-ton tractor is the heaviest load
that is found on the highways OF
South Dakota today. the sneaker told
the Hiwav deleoates. and explained
that each span of the bridges could
hold Is of these 15-ton tractors with
out feeling the strain. Eighteen 20
ten tractors could be safely carried
by overstressing 15 per cent and this
could not be the least dangerous, ac-
cording to Mr.. Kirkham, for it must
be remembered that provision has
been made for a factor of safety Of
four. or a load four times that ex-
pected.
"When a bridge is constructed, we
must figure not only en- the live load,
or that from wagons and other traf-
fic and the dead load, of that from
the floor and so forth, but we must
take into account the strain from ice
and wind,'. Mr.. Kirkham went on ,r
say.
"The strain caused bv wind and ice
has been studied for many years and
we now are able to figure on these
two points as accurately as on other
stresses. The piers will be built so
strong that the crashing of ice against
them and the blowing of the wind
against the superstructure will be only
one-fourth that which can be easily
withstOOd.'
Mr.. Kirkham remarked that he had
been asked whether there needed to
be a guard at these bridges.
"Why should there be?" he asked.
"There will be no movable spans, as
the bridges will be high enough and
wide enough to permit the passage
of traffic. There will be no upkeep
except painting about every 10 years
and the applying of additional tarvia
every few years. hTe bridges will
be heavy enough so that they probably
won't be stolen by anyone and we
don't figure on anyone blowing them
M. ."-Chamberlai Register.