A Big Bridge Blown Down

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 274, 16 March 1889, Page 2

A Big Bridge Blown Down

The New York Herald gives th* following account of the destruction of the new Mapen* eion bridge at Niagara In Januarg Uai:— The upper suspension bridge, leading from Prospect Park to the Canadian shorea, was destroyed thia morning (January 10) at three o'clock. A portion of the ruin Jiee on each aide of the gorge, bnt the moat of It is at the bottom of the river, The bridge wao oct olaan from the towers, aa if chopped Off by'a gigantic cleaver. At the point where the bridge baa fallen the water in ISO feet deep, and the current is about four miles an hour, The bridge waa swept away like a ohil d‘e toy. The water is very high and the wooden build, ings at the foot of the cliffs are also in danger cf being swept away. A two atory building at Brundage's elevator haa also gone. The last person who crossed the bridge waePr J. W. Hodge. He was returning from Canada at about 12 o'clock, and although the wind was terrific he ventured on his journey. He states that after going some distance th a bridge began to shake and quiver, and :foj his own safety he was obliged to go down on his hands and knees and slowly crawl along, clinging to the woodwork aa firmly aa possible The wind suddenly increased aa he waa mov. ing slowly along. The bridge groaned and creaked, and it seemed as though it would break in the centre before he could paua that point, It was too late to retrace hft steps, however, and he was obliged to oon< tinue on his snail like journey. The Stispen. sion Bridge had just completed its twentieth birthday, It was owned by a joint company compot’d of the two corporations mentioned. In 1884 the wooden supporting towers were replaced by steel, and het year the oarrtegtway was widened, the structure •Vu thoroughly overhauled, new guys and cables were strung, and the bridge was then thought to be stronger and safer than eve* v&lue of , “ w “ not from f>75,000. The owners have all bean notified as far aa possible of the low, and * movement will be made to rebuild immediately. It U W said that the bridge out be replaced entirely ~ ip BO days, ”