The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-24

The Man Who Took a Stove on the
Bridge and Perished.
MISHAPS TO VESSELS.
Recollections OF Henry Ward
Beecher's Passage Over.
FORMER ICE BLOCKADES.

FORMER ICE BLOCKADES.
The East River was at last bridged over yester.
hay morning. 1t was done without the sanction
OF the Legislature at Albany. No bonds were
Issued for the purpose. The Common Councils Of
New York and Brooklyn had nothing to DO with 1t.
Their wishes were not even once consulted. The
taxpayers will never be called on to pay a cent
for the enterprise. 1t was done without Drag or
buster and With exemplary promptitude. 1t IS
true IL was but the work OF day, yet IN its day
and generation it was useful and had strange
charm that few other bridges possess. 1t
was made OF ice and stretched with
out solitary pier or abutment or sus.
pension cable from Brooklyn TO New York;
white and level as handicapped table. 1t ac-
commodated several thousand persons in an In
sercnange OF visits between the two cities. It
gave Infinite excitement TO the minds and mus
Giles of a host Of men and boys. 1t tried the met
tie Of whole swarm OF tugs and ferryboats and
was altogether lively and Interesting phenome-
non. No accidents Of serious character were
reported. Considering the recklessness of many
SounR lads who seemed TO think the bridge came
to stay, and was laid by ordtnace ofthe Com
mon Council, 1t is amazing no lives were lost in
the breakup at noon.
WHERE THE ICE CANE FROM.
The vast quantity OF ice that contributed 70
build the slippery causeway was wonder and de-
light to the multitude OF eyes that looked upon It,
Where did it come from? Neither He'll Gate nor
Harlem conld have sent down great q mass.
The North River evidently had a hand in IL. The
eccentric currents that point Tor the East River at
each returning tide laid hold of the vagrant ice
bergs discharged from the Hudson and swept
them In one great noe into the overburdened
waters OF the East River. The strong tide press.
ing upward through the early morning welded the
countless fragments into o solid widespreading
neld. and thus the neck OF the river was choked
and bridge accomplished. The harbor presented
astngular appearance. When the tide had ebbed
Governors. Davld's and Bedoe's islands were
united BY an Ice DRIFT which at a distance looked
IKE a long line OF breakers suddenly petrined.
ships were hemmsd 10. and Tar as the eye could
esacn the waters Of the bay seemed to be In com.
plete subsection to the autocrat Of winter.
A CLEAN AND LEvxL BRIDGE.
There have been ice bridges before this win ter,
but none 80 clean and level as the one OF yester.
day. A slight sprtnkdng OF snow, ike
sugar shaken on plate Of buckwheas
cakes. helped to tone the slippery surface
and permit OF easy walking The details
Of the event viii be read with interest. An ice
bridge, unlike Christmas, comes not once year,
and therefore is 1t that people who do not live In
OSOOAJu kNc ~ 81 HUGH welcome ana attention.
THE SUGGESTIVE FEAT OF Mr.. BEEcHER.
Once there was an Ice bridge some years ago
that BORROWED ustre in history from the fact that
Henry Ward Beecner, with party Of ladies, was
the nrst VINO had the daring to venture over 1t.
With ais characteristic impulse he put confidence
In the precarious thing; yet 1t did not prove
treacnerous. 1t pore him safely over and justified
his sangutne faith. That bridge was an uneven
structure. The ice appeared to have been thrown
up in series OF violent spasms In the river from
beneath. 1t was full OF pitfalls, peious to the
anwary and the awkward. Blocks OF ice
we're piled In confusion here and there
Ike the ruins OF O palace built OF crystal.
Unlike the bridge OF yesterday, 1t was Impossible
to see the exact condition OF the surface yards
ahead Across this per!lous causeway MIR.
Beecher. with the ladies, seated In sleigh,
passed from Brooklyn to New York. A hundred
thousand people stood looking on in GREATNESS
suspense. Everybody seemed to see o hole into
which he must inevitably fall and perish. GOD
In midstream lay directly In his course. He was
nearing 1t rapidly. The crowd shouted, HE
Is ruined" He Is gonelr He was called
foolhardy and oyerconddent, and many
said IL would serve him right to get
drowned but quite q number standing
on the Brooklyn oank cheered him on, cried
"bravo" and bet freely ne would pass across IN
the edge OF the. gaping chasm. Intense anxiety
marked every face. The suspense seemed n life.
time, though It lasted but moment. The chasm
was crossed. The sleigh was safe. Shouts rent
the air from the Brooklyn side. The dangerous
passage was accomplished, yet there are people to
this day who cannot account for how the thing
was done.
BUSINESS AND Fun ON THE ICE.
Yesterdays bridge was free nom excrescences,
level as prairie and hard granite. over 90 900
persons crossed II. Boys on skates gave 1t trial.
hundred characters made 1t place Ior eccentric
exhibitions. One man started q bar with
demjohn OF wniskey, bootblacks piled
their vocation IA on terra frma. venaers
OF peanuts and roas, cnestnuts stationed them.
selves on very brief lease, In the direct path
rom New YORK 10 Brooklyn. Rumors were given
out that man who brought stove on tho Ice TO
cook coffee and cakes fell asleep, upset the stove.
hal hole burned In the ice large enough TO ad.
nit OF bis easy passage 10 the regions below. and
that he passed away ana made no sign and let
no token. one man, who charged a cen. head for
every person VINO used his ladder LOT descending
on the Toe. MADE q rria,us !orturo. IA for the
Terry sips iney were entirely biocgaaed ter con-
tiosrsbie part OF the day. several ooa,s wsra !n'
jufsd, and. a. evening draw on, the great oody Of
zoe with the rstuynlas ,,ds began 20 set In 10 the
eewn town Terry slips oHce more.
now THE BRIDGE BEGAN.
II was an hoar or 80 before midnigas an friday
that huge cakes OF Ice. ten iSe6sa sAick, cane
arIftins down the North River. aud as sas casa2s
OF tide, bstwson eve and six o'clvc. Yesterday
morning, It was arven IRON the pay w the East
aver styend tue Pa,ten Jerry ny elgh, o'euss
bs 10 IeIa had iornse natural oriaas between
~ SMo dltieA isan skeyS ptsk sAp 90 "a 10 tbN