Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1896 — Razing a Tall Chimney Stack. [ARTICLE]

Razing a Tall Chimney Stack.

The razing of a chimney stack is an Interesting operation, and was seen to great advantage the other day at Salford, England, where a Lancashire steeple-jack took down a chimney 270 feet high, with a circumference at the bottom of 92 feet, and estimated to weigh 4000 tons. The chimney wall was cleared for about eight feet from the ground on the southern side, nnd “uprights” of timber driven in until the greater part of the weight of the superstructure rested on the timber, which was set on lire. Fed by petroleum, the fire in a few minutes did its work. Leaning for a moment, the whole chimney suddenly fell zig-zag to the ground, exactly In the place Intended. There was little noise, but the force of the fall was sufficient to. sunder the Jointed bricks as cleanly as though they had been detached by hand.