- Title: UNITED STATES: COMPLETION OF 630-FEET "GATEWAY ARCH" -- NATION'S TALLEST MEMORIAL
- Date: 29th October 1965
- Summary: 1. LV THE ARCH 0.05 2. GV ANGLE TILT PAN OF ARCH 0.18 3. SV TRAVEL SHOT UP ELEVATOR CAGE ON ARCH 0.22 4. SV ANOTHER ANGLE ABOVE 0.26 5. GV TRAVELLING TOWARDS BREAK IN ARCH 0.31 6. GV BUILDINGS, BELOW 0.35 7. AIR VIEW - ARCH WITH GAP - 0.40 8. AIR VIEW FINAL SECTION ALMOST IN GAP 0.47 9. CV WORKMAN TIGHTEN BOLT
- Embargoed: 13th November 1965 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ST. LOUIS, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA4UUPFZFWNIAOVC4CSPFTPZWW4
- Story Text: THE TALLEST MEMORIAL IN THE UNITED STATES -- THE 630-FOOT HIGH "GATEWAY ARCH", AT ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, WAS "TOPPED OFF" YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AFTER THREE YEARS' CONSTRUCTION.
A TEN-TON TRIANGULAR KEYSTONE SECTION WAS RAISED INTO PLACE ATOP TWO CURVING, STAINLESS-STEEL LEGS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERFRONT. THE ARCH IS A SYMBOL OF ST LOUIS' ROLE AS "GATEWAY TO THE WEST". IT WAS IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND COST 11 1/2-MILLION TO BUILD.
A CROWD ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 10,000 WATCHED FROM THE RIVERFRONT AND NEARBY OFFICE BUILDINGS AS THE KEYSTONE SECTION WAS RAISED BY CABLE MORE THAN 30 MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. FLYING AT THE HEAD OF THE SECTION WAS THE AMERICAN FLAG.
THE SOARING LEGS OF THE ARCH WERE HELD APART UNDER 450 TONS PRESSURE AS THE FINAL SECTION WAS FITTED IN WITH THREE INCHES TO SPARE ON EITHER SIDE. 15 IRONWORKERS EASED IT INTO PLACE AS FIRE-HOSES WERE RUN TO THE TOP OF THE SOUTHERN LEG TO COOL IT DOWN. THE WATER, AND THE EARLY START, PREVENTED THE STEEL LEG FROM EXPANDING TOO MUCH UNDER THE SUN'S HEAT AND SPOILING THE JOIN.
THE OPERATION WAS WITNESSED BY MRS ALINE SAARINEN, WIDOW OF ARCHITECT, EERO SAARINEN, WHO DESIGNED THE ARCH BUT DIED IN 1961 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
THE ARCH IS THE LARGEST STRUCTURE OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD AND THE MAYOR OF ST LOUIS, MR A. CERVANTES, ESTIMATES THAT SIX MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR WILL COME TO SEE IT.
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