tion of the great bridge with the changes of temperature.

The two 'skeleton towers' on the north and south sides of the river are
not so wide as the one on Inchgarvie, because their shoreward
cantilevers are supported on strong stone buttresses, whereas the
Inchgarvie cantilevers are both stretched out to the connecting girders
only. The broader base helps to prevent the bridge see-sawing when a
heavy train goes over it, and it is further assisted by the landward
ends of the other two cantilevers being heavily loaded. This prevents
them 'tipping up' when the train has crossed the first tower on its way
across the river.

It is easy to understand that such a mighty work was not accomplished
without great danger, and it is surely a wonder that the knowledge of
this danger did not make the workmen careful. Yet frequent accidents
occurred entirely through their indifference to peril.

On one occasion a company of riveters were working on a platform which
was being slowly raised to the summit of one of those lofty towers.
Suddenly the winch at the top, by which they were being hoisted, refused
to act, and instead of looking down to ascertain the cause, the men
continued to force the handle of the winch round till the toothed wheel
broke. Down went the platform with its gang of workers, crashing from
girder to girder, and striking other men headlong into the air, to be
killed or wounded among the network of girders far below. This terrible
accident caused the death of three people. A constant source of mishap
was the thoughtless dropping of tools from great heights, and no appeals
would induce the men to lay their implements down instead of throwing
them from them as soon as done with. The authorities themselves did all
they could to preserve the health of their men. Warm clothing was
supplied to them, and even warm food and shelter were to be found on the
summits of those windy towers, and out on the ends of the cantilevers
over the icy river. Portable stoves in small kitchens were built in the
most precarious positions, and a man could dine there as comfortably on
a stormy day as in his own home.

Those who are fond of figures will be interested to learn that this
enormous structure weighs fifty-one thousand tons, and is held together
by nearly seven million rivets. It cost three million pounds, almost
enough, one would think, to cast the stepping stones on which it rests
in solid gold.

THE GIANT OF THE TREASUR