Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-07
Republican Headquarters.
Open Day and Evening.
MID WINTER FREsHET.
The Maine Central Railroad Bridge Par
tally Destroyed by the Ice.

E.rly last fall the Maine Central Railroad
Co. commenced to rebuild their iron bridge
across the Kennebec at this place, It not be-
ing considered strong enough. The span
nearest the Augusta shore had been completed
and work commenced on the next two spans
These spans rested entirely on trestle WORK
built 10 from the bottom OF the river, the
timbers being very close together. The Old
spans had been removed and new ones
we're being put IN But one
pa,t week the continued soft weather and rain
have greatly weakened the ice above the dam.
a. well a. raised the water, and fear. have
been entertained for the safety Of the bridge.
Mr. Booker, superinte ndent of bridges for the
railroad va. in town T -esday, but nothing
could be done Early yesterday morning II
was reported that the force Of the water had
ALREADY made an i'm preston on the trestle work,
and large number IF people c0ngregated to
watch the structure. Al about s % the ice
began 10 come over the dam, and the result
was watched eagerly by the spectators. A
nine or ten mile current was running AMI
the ice came down against the trestle work
with fearful velocity. The structure could
not withstand the shock The crashing OF
tinbers and grooming .: joints could be heard
far above the noise and din Of the grinding
swiriing ice. As the wood work demol
ished the two spans each liz feet long settl,
At first 10 the middle, and then at the two
ends, finally dropping into the water and start
ing down stream, the immense quantity of
wood work keeping part of the iron afoat
When il was found that the bridge was IN
danger the stringer which was in place had
been IN boltcd. it being thought that it could
be picked up easier. Part of this sunk near
the site Of the btidge, and part of it went
ba
of the disaster there were fiv } loaded cars on
the bridge, placed there to weigh it down.
Two Of these were attached to an engine by
a rope, and when il became evident that noth h.
ing could save the structure. they were
hauled off out of danger but the crash came
before the other. could be removed, and two
Of them went to the bottom of the river, while
the other slipped its cargo, and hoated
down river on top of the timber The two
leopardized sections were uufastened from
the rest of the bridge and the rails uncouplcd
80 that the remaining sections were not in
jured.
A the wretkage hoated down the river
men went out to 1t in boats nth rigging, and
got ready to capture it. When near South
Gardiner a rope was fastened to the shore
and part of the wrecsage captured. The
rest continued on its way to the sea, and all
hopes of saving 1t were given up. TIL, re
was upwards Of 25O, 900 feet of lumber in the
trcstle work The ice has continued run
ming all day, aud large quantities have passed
Tins city. The water has been very high
but has fallen of little. The damage is es-
timated at from $4,000 to $40, 900, and may
reach even higher figure.
How long it will take to replace the de-
stroycd sections cannot be ascertaned, "a il
may be weeks. and perhaps months before
work can be commenced In the meantime
all of the through freight and passengers
will 90 by the way of the back route and
local passengers and freight transferred in
teams across the other bridge. When the old
wooden railroad bridge WAS carried away six
teen wears ago next month"; it took seven
months to replace it by the one just destroyed.
The following is an account of the loss of
the wooden railroad bridge, which &C.
Cured Sunday Feb. 22nd, 1870, as printed in
the kennebec journal ut that time.
The Jam at lIallowell caused the water to
rise So rapidly that it became apparent that
the railroad bridge could not hold out much
longer. Large masses of ice struck the wood
work it passed under. In a few minutes
more the boards began to rip of on each 81 lie
Of the bridge, giving the structure the APP
pearance of an enormous hair-comb oCCs-
sionally large chunk of ice would strike it.
rocking ii its whole length. At five minutes
past eleven the second span at the
east side swaved and settled gently into the
water. Without being shattered that part
started on its way down river towards the
Kennebec bridge 1t was then that the i'm
mcnse crowd of people that had blocked
Cushnoc Heights the tops of buildings, and
po'' u""As u '"e .Nsr' "t,u the'r o'ea'ns'
kennnhoc hr;ayo p,,st rn rba an,,ina sao
ton of the railroad bridge struck the lower
bridge about the center of the eastern
V'aS" tha' toiu tha' the bridge was stout
-, 49,; Wv. sp'n
under without material damage to the Ken
from the crowd and confidence in the old
henneoec bridge WAS IN measure restored
N'u'' Nv "''"u'es ai,er 'his announcer span