The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-07-14
The Fatal Bridge.

the trnth of the mary rumors that
were afloat in reference to tie condi-
ton of the bridge at the wreck on
the Nashville and Northwestern
railroad, the Union and 1merjcGn
sent orc of their reporters TO the
scene of the disaster, and after a
careful examination, he made the fol-
lowing report:
The wooden supcrstructure was
built by the United States military
authorizes in the summer of 1864, and
is, consequently, about seven years
old. The timber used, except the
oss.ties on the track, was white
pine, brought from Cleveland or
Chicago. The eastern span was en-
tirely destroyed by the recent acct
dent at the place, while the western
span still remains and is in proper
line, with the Gambler or arch perfect.
In the ordinary wear Of such q
bride, the invariable indication of
giving way or decay is manifested in
the sinking of the Gambler or arch,
resulting from the weakness or decay
of the chords, which are the strong
est timbers, and support the rest OF
the superstructure. The timbers OF
this standing span showed no out
ward sign of decay, except in one
brace and lennon, which were unim-
portant. We examined it critically,
cutting and probing, which disclosed
a perfectly sound exterior.
On reaching the point where the
eastern span broke from the western,
we found the timbers thus broken,
though externally sound, were in
some cases filled with a rotten core.
This observation applies also to ali
| the large timbers of the broken span
which we saw and examined. Not
one of them but was rotten in the
interior, yet they have a sound shell
of from one TO two inches in thick
ness on the outside. We account for
this singular phenomenon upon the
| supposition that The timber was cut in
the spring when the sap was up and
while the outside dried aud seasoned,
the inner sap soured and caused the
rapid and premature rotten within.
! This is sustained by the fact that all
the small timbers used for bracing,
with the exception mentioned above,
were sound. That the decay was
premature and rapid in this case, we
have the fact that the ordinary life of
time upon which timber is free from
dangerous rot, is-in white pine, 10
years; yellow pine, II years, and oak
S years. This bridge, therefore,
being but Z years old, had, in the Or
binary course of things, three years
of reliable service.
But this was not really the case.
The bridge tiGbcrs proved to be rot
ten as we have described, and did
actually break and urecipitate a
precious cargo of life 20 destruction.
II turned out 10 be as the Coroner
jury stated" that the timbcfs COM
posing said bridge were so rotten as
to be unfit for the passage OF an or
binary passenger train"
Yet, while this is undoubtedly the
fact, We Observation-Disclosures n care
full and. patient examination, having
bored with an augcr into timbCrs ap-
pearing sound on the outside and
proving rotten within-and which
gave no indication Of unsoundness
by percussion-acQuit the officers of
the road of all blame. They dis
charged, in our opinion, their whole
duty, and used every diligence and
precaution required, by ordinary. care
and prudence to preserve the road
| against this cJlamitOus accident.
| Less than three weeks ago Maj. Ian
dis, general agent; Mr., Smith super
intendent Of bridges, an expert who
has spent his life in the bridge bust
ness, and Jos. Z. Kelly, supervisor of
the road, went over and inspected
carefully every bridge and trestle
from Chattanooga to Hickman. Il.
@. 1Forri-, recidant onginocr, n gen
tleman of large experience and high
character in his profession, having
been in charge % railroads for more
than twenty years, passed over the
road about one month since, and
says he "oXamincd carefully all The
bridges construed of white Pine and
found them III SOOu shape. super
added to this, Supervisor Kelly
travels over his division of the road,
from Nashville to JohnsOnville,
twice each week, and who has spent
twenty yaars in the business, careful
ly examined this bridge on Saturday
last, and found no stretch of chords,
and the Gambler or arch perfect. The
defect was a hidden one and not sus-
pected. The bridge bad sustained
every strain that had been put upon
it up to the fatal moment OF the catas-
trcphc which has brought mourning
and sadness to so many heal Is. Only
a few hours previously it had safely
passed loaded freight train with
thirty-fivC-ton locomotive, and was
to the officers of the road who look
after such things, above suspicion.