Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-15
ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP LYNDON BRIDGE.


mendous explosion, believed to have been
caused by dynamite. The lamps on Lon
don bridge and in the neighboring railroad
depot were extingu. shed, but the structure
of the bridge was uninjured, and the his
torical though com paratively N udern struc-
ture stands entirely unframed. The only
damage done, as far as can be ascertained,
is the destruction of perhaps ESQ worth of
window glass in the warehouses on both
banks of the river; a number of lamp. posts
twisted into fantastic shapes and few
travellers knocked over. One pedestrian,
who was probably nearest to the explosion,
is said to have been slightly bruised by be-
ing violently thrown against the stone par
apet of the bridge. Had the outrage been
carefully planned, and had the perpetrators
intended serious mischief, which is doubted
been appalling. London Bridge is known
to De the most thronged thoroughfare i'll
the world. 1t is estimated that 10000 peo-
pie from the London, Chatham and Dover
Railway station alone pass to and fro on
the bridge daily. Four lines of vehicle
traffic are with difficulty kept moving 10y
policemen stationed within few yards Of
each other, and the sidewalks are proper
,ionately crowded for eighteen hours out Of
the twenty four. On Saturdays business
houses in the city close at an earlier hour
than on other weekdays, and toward
evening there is perceptibe diminutlon
in the crowd. To this circumstance alone
many persons urquestionably owe their es.
cade from injury. A year ago the normally
strong police patrol stationed between the
city and the southwark side was doubled in
consequence Of the threats of dynamiters,
but at the end of three months the scare died
away and the extra force was Withdrawn.
Within fifteen minutes after the explosion
and as soon as the locality of the attempt
could be ascertained, a reporter hurried to
he river at Black Friars, hired a boat and
rowed to the second arch of the bridge GU
the Southwark side, which appeared to be
the very focus of the explosion. He found
there three boatloads of policemen examin
ing the piers and buttresses and gazing
anxiously at the superstructure. His first
question, however, resulted in his arrest
and despite cards, papers of Identification
and protests, he was Immediately hurried
ashore and TO the nearest police station. A
special messenger sent toa we'll known news
bureau finally brought succor, and the su'-
peet was released.
While under the bridge and parleying
with the officers, such an examination as the
waning light permitted showed that no
damage whatever had been done. The
massive granite work of the piers had no,
even been Clipped. This fact would seem
to justify the police theory, which was freely
discussed at the station and en- route, that
the dynamite which bad been used was in
closed in a Tin case and had been thrown
from the western or upper side OF the bridge
Opinions differed as to the whether short
fuse had been used, or whether the explo-
sion had been caused by conclusion; but all
appeared 10 agree that il had occurred on or
very near the surface of the water under
the centre arch. The tide was almost at its
lowest point, and there were very few boas
near two circumstances which materially
lessened the danger to life and property.
At midnight the police had secured the
river for five miles above and as far below
The bridge without finding any clews to the
perpetrator of the attempt, aud all hope has
practically been abandoned of any ilpmedi-
ate discovery of the dynamiters.
The defamation caused by the explosion
was so distinct and startling that for time
the excitement in the crowded vicinity OF
rhrogmorton, Frnchurch and King vii
liam streets was intense, and for time
almost amounted to panic. People rushed
from tho public houses and other places Of
resort to tho vicinity of King William
statue, which faces the entrance 10 tie
bridge, in droves, and were only prevented
from crowding on to the structure itself by
Gordon of policemen, which had been
formed as soon as the threatened locality
was properly located.
On the railway bridge, short distance
above, all became confusion /; trains ceased
running for the time being and a general
decentralization, lasting ten or fifteen min
ules, reigned supreme Experts from Scot
land Yard estimate that while the damage
was slight, at least fifty pounds CT dynamite
must have been used to cause an explosion
80 great as to smash windows on both sides
of the river and put out gaslights for space
of at least quarter of mile. The are as
founded at the small damage done, and as
sert that perhaps 10 other series of clrcum:
stances than those which providentially ex-
listed at the moment could have led up to
80 trihing a catastrophe coupled with so
potent cause.
A customs officer states that after the e1.
plosion he observed q small steam launch,
carrying one mast forward, pass at high
rate of speed down the river. Strangely
enough at the time of the explosion, all in
spector and two constables were watching
the bridge from boat, a precaution which
has been adopted nightly for the past two
years. They saw nothing before the ex-
ploson to arouse their suspicious, and made
a minute search afterwards, but could dis
cover nothing of suspicious character.
Some witnesses saw the three distinct
flashes. Several horses drawing heavy
loads were thrown to the ground. Engine
drivers sitting In q shed in Cannon street
were blown from their seats.
A policeman, who, at the time of the ex-
ploson, was standing on the top of the
steps leading to the steamboat pier on the
Surrey side of the river, with his back to
the stream, says he saw binding glare
like sheet of lightning, which was follow
ed by d terrific report. He was almost
stunned, and his helmet was blown some
yards away by the conclusion. He ran To
the police station and gave the alarm, and
soon aflerward the river police were max
ing as minute examination as possible OF
the buttresses of the bridge and the wharves