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382 Several lifts had been made and the operation was proceeding as smoothly as if it were a daily occurrence. Re- marks were facetiously made that the thing was getting monotonous, and_ off the bridge, the sight-seeing crowd had largely dispersed. A locomotive crane lowered three men in a bucket about 100 feet to untie some cables attached to the hanger chains. So smoothly was the span being lifted that, in idle curi- osity, we leaned over the edge of the bridge to watch these men at work. About 10:45, in company with two friends, I started to leave. We had been on a temporary platform four or five steps above the bridge floor. One of my companions had already walked down these steps, I was on the steps, and my other companion was still on the platform. Suddenly something happened indicating serious structural failure. There were noises much like a heavy train rushing through a tunnel. I was thrown violently to the floor, fortunately only sustaining a bruised knee. The men in front of me started running as fast as they could toward the shore and I followed as soon as I sould regain my feet. The men upon F YOU are planning to come to a single: anchor in a swift tideway where it would be dangerous to swing on a big radius at the change of tide, make sure that you heave short as the water slackens and pay out again when swung. This prevents slack cable from fouling the anchor, and lessens the chance of grounding by the heel. Should a vessel ride widely in a tideway and constantly break her sheer, first, try to tame her with the helm. With the tide velocity up to 4 miles an hour give her a little helm on. the side she is - fondest of, and that may keep her quiet. If that fails and your stay at anchor is only a matter of a few. hours, the quartermaster had better stand his watch and steer her as if under way. Where that is out of the question, heave in two shackles of chain, that is, 30 fathoms, break vessel sheer away from anchor and drop the second hook. Helm amid- ships again and give her a little scope on this chain. It is not safe to put much rudder angle on where the tide is strong as she will run abreast of her anchor and bring it home or perhaps strain the windlass. When riding with two head anchors down, the question of turns in the cables has to be considered. The first tide that swings you puts a cross in the chain, and if you keep going in the same direction, full turns will appear. By THE MARINE REVIEW the platform afterwards told me that they had difficulty in moving at all for | several seconds and some of - them jumped to a nearby locomotive crane and from there to the bridge: floor. Some of the workmen either jumped or were thrown from the cantilevers, fall- ing 150 feet into the river. When I had run perhaps 50 feet the swaying was so violent, that I was convinced the cantilever was falling and I planned to jump in an attempt to clear the steel work if I saw it begin to buckle. After I had gone 300 or 400 feet, the vibra- tions became reassuringly smaller and 1 then wondered if I had been unduly alarmed, thinking perhaps that one of the locomotive cranes had tipped over. I stopped to look back when someone in the rear yelled to run hard and that the end of the bridge was crumpling. After this warning I did not stop until I reached shore, and it was only then, upon inquiry, that I learned that the center span had fallen into the river. Gathering together all available evi- dence, it is probable that the center span fell and broke in the following sequence: First, the southwest corner fell, elevating the northeast corner, the j i iseussion of Anchor By Capt. Geo. S. Laing coaxing with the helm at slack water and getting the vessel to swing in alternate directions a clear hawse may be maintained. Relieving Twists in Cables Where one or two turns have un- avoidably crept in, hang off the chain you are not riding to with a wire rope or a close lashing round both cables, then unshackle the loose cable and dip it around the other one till a clear hawse is secured. You cannot take a cross or half turn out—just heave in your under- neath chain first if in that predicament. The importance of having an off-shore head anchor out while loading or dis- charging at a dock in a swift, all-ebb river was demonstrated to the writer a few years ago in Tampico, Mexico. We were unloading coke from Balti- more and had three or four clam-buck- ets at work, when suddenly the head lines carried away, and in a second our steamer was looking across the river. In a case like this the first thing to do is to run aft and let rip all stern moot- ings and allow your craft to get in a true line with her anchor. She will break them in any case, but if you are quick enough you at. least save one whole set of moorings. Where vessels have to be shifted short distances in rivers, Say up to five miles, it is frequently unsafe to actually November, 1916 span being carried entirely at this ae by the chains at its southeast and north. west corners; second, the west truss began to buckle and the span Started to turn over toward the west; third, the span broke from the chains at its south- east corner and fell back: again on the chains at the northeast corner; fourth the span, now buckling badly, fell inks the river sidewise and endwise, prob- ably tearing away from the chains at the northeast corner last. Within fiye seconds the center span had disappeared completely in 250 feet of water. Tim- bers from the cantilevers and the span floated on the river and boats rushed to rescue men who were struggling to keep afloat. Something failed despite the wonder- ful precautions which had been taken, It would be unwise for me to hazard opinions as to the cause of the failure. Many different theories have been ad- vanced and no doubt this point will be settled with convincing certainty by a very careful investigation. A new span will be rebuilt at once, and I have not the slightest doubt that the next and third attempt to span the St. Lawrence river, will be successful. Maneuvers sail or steam with head in same direc- tion as the water is running, as your steering is greatly impaired. A good plan is to drift on the ebb or flood, whichever it may be, with the anchor tripping on the bottom, thus proceeding stern first, but being able at any moment to bring her up by the nose. With her head looking towards the oncoming tide you should never lose control. If she makes a feint for either bank of the river, pay out a few fathoms of chain, give her a kick ahead and coax her with the windlass broke till she straightens up. Then heave in chain till the anchor trips and come astern again and so on. If you are riding to a bow anchor in an open roadstead where lighterage is. the means of loading and unloading, it frequently happens that a ground swell a choppy sea endangers the maneuver- ing of derricks or causes the vessel to roll and carry away the barge moorings. This can be greatly relieved by making a lee side for the barges on the stormy days. Secure a good hawser on to the bower chain and when the bight is loose on the water, take a good turn to the niggerheads in the forewell deck. manila rope is used, parcel it with ol canvas in the nip of the pipe, if wire rope is used, lubricate with black lead Now ease your windlass a few fathoms till the bridle and tallow in the pipe. NOS aE CSE NTIS ey Re =O Tee