Note: In the context of the sentence, "false work" refers to temporary structures, such as scaffolding, frameworks, or supports, that are used during the construction of a bridge to hold up parts of the structure until they are able to support themselves. For the Milanville bridge mentioned in the text, "false work" would have been necessary to support the timber or other materials while the permanent bridge components were being constructed or assembled. Eli Keesler's drowning is tied to the transport of these materials, likely floating the timber downriver from the Milanville site to Pond Eddy, where another bridge project by the Owego Bridge Company was underway.
