Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1894 — TO BEAT EIFFEL TOWER [ARTICLE]

TO BEAT EIFFEL TOWER

A STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE 1,150 FEET HIGH. It Is Bains Erected In a Park Near Landon Undar the Auspices of aa English Baronet. A tower designed to attain a height 150 feet greater than that of the celebrated Eiffel Tower of Paris is in course of construction at Wembly Park, near London. The foundation of the tower has been completed and the superstructure has attained a height of sixty-two feet. The tower is erected under the auspices of Sir Edward Watkin. Tha plan of the tower was the result of an advertisement three years ago in which architects were invited to send in designs in competition for substantial prizes. The first prize was awarded to Mr. A. D. Stewart. His design was, however, subsequently modified to a considerable extent. His plan provided for eight groups of four legs each for the main supports of the tower. It was decided that the construction would be much simpler with four groups of legs, as in the Eiffel tower, which the structure when completed will greatly resemble. The foot of each of these legs rests on a solid concrete block. The location of the tower is on top of a slight eminence, in the highest part of Wembly Park. It is surrounded by lofty trees. The material used in the structural work of the tower is mild steel throughout. The sixteen base pieces at the foot of each of the legs weigh ten tons each. They stand on sole plates, 9x7 feet six inches by | inches; seven 12-lnch by 6} by | inch joists are riveted to the plate, and on these is anot her plate of the same dimensions. Joists have been let into the concrete on which the bases rest, so that, if necessary, they may be moved slightly for the purposes of adjustment, and on the bottom of the lower sole plate a 4| inch by 4| inch by j Inch angle has been riveted, to prevent the leg from slipping bodily forward during erection. Tlie extreme width of the tower, from the outside to outside of the legs, on the ground line, is 406 feet. The material used in building the tower is brought to the site by special lines of railway, branches of which run to each of the four legs. The heaviest pieces to be erected will be the main girders at the first floor level, 146 feet from the ground. They weigh 40 tons, are 140 feet long, and will be lifted in one piece. The diagonal ties which cross the whole structure, 76 feet inches from the ground, will not be placed In their proper positions till the main deck girdershave been fixed. They will be Inverted and used as struts, their lower ends resting against 200-ton hydraulic jacks, which will only be removed when the main girders are in place. The estimated total weight of the tower is 7,000 tons, and the contractors hope to finish it within a year. The arrangement of the elevators for ascending the tower will be different from that of the Eiffel tower. At Wembly there is not the same necessity to have the space under the tower clear as existed at Paris. The elevators will accordingly ascend a vertical elevator shaft in the centre of'the space between the four legs, instead of travelling up one of the legs, as the elevators of the Eiffel tower do. The total number of the elevators ot the new tower will be four. Two will ascend only to a height of 150 feet and two will go up to a platform 900 feet above the ground. Each elevator will be independent of the others and will be driven by a separate engine. The girders of the elevator shaft will be utilized in strengthening and stiffening the structure, and in supporting the platforms, thus enabling lighter girders to be used. A large building is to be built in the centre of the space between the legs from which the elevators will start. * An enclosed platform will be erected at a height of 150 feet, which may be utilized as a museum. At a height of 500 feet a second enclosed platform will be placed and at 900 feet a third. From the last a flight of steps will enable those who wish to climb up to the highest platform, 1,100 feet above the ground.