286 



THE WORLD'S ADVANCE 



A cork bark-covered flower pot is 

 shown in the seventh view. In truth this 

 holder is simply a plain, round wooden 

 box, to the outside of which these strips 

 of bark have been tacked, resulting in a 

 pretty and unusual flower container. 



An unusual porch flower box may be 



seen in the first illustration. This runs 

 entirely along one side of the porch. It 

 is a foot square and about twelve feet 

 in length and is made of common one- 

 inch boards. Flowers and ferns grown 

 on the ground beneath this b'ox add to its 

 attractiveness. 



A RAILROAD BRIDGE CARRIED 

 ON A BOAT 



One of the notable features of a rail- 

 road bridge over the Miami Canal at 

 Mebase, Ohio, is that the rotating end is 

 carried on a float or pontoon when the 

 bridge is swung. 



With the canal gradually falling into 

 disuse, a bridge was needed at this point 

 which would be a fixed span from the 

 standpoint of the railroad, yet capable of 

 being converted into a drawbridge on 

 short notice and opened to allow boats 

 to pass. 



It takes one man about half an hour 

 to open and close the bridge, which is in- 

 terlocked with electric signals to indi- 

 cate to approaching trains the position 



of the draw. Half an hour seems a long 

 time to hold up railroad traffic, but boats 

 are so infrequent that the total delay to 

 trains is more than offset by having a 

 bridge over which trains can pass at full 

 speed. 



In opening the bridge, which is ac- 

 complished by hand, the bridge tender 

 goes about it as follows : the rail locks, 

 which make the rail on the bridge to all 

 intents continuous with the rails on land, 

 are opened. The beginning of this move- 

 ment sets the electric signals to danger, 

 or "block," as railroad men call it. The 

 lock bars extending into recesses in the 

 concrete abutments are pulled clear. The 

 gate valve, which admits water into the 

 float, is then closed. The float is un- 

 watered by the diaphragm pump until 



A Drawbridge Which is So Constructed That Trains May Pass Over it at Full Speed. 

 One Man About Half an Hour to Open and Close the Bridge. 



It Requires 



