Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-02-10
ANOTHER WRECKED BRIDGE.
The EIm-street Covered Bridge goes
Down Of its own Weight.

A FORTUNATE ESCAPE FOR SOMEBODY OR
EVERYBODY.
There was "A surprise party in Brataeboro
last Monday morning when it was aunounc
ed that the Elm street bridge across Whet
stone brook had gone down during the
night. No one knew of the wreck at the
time il occurred, but early riscrs ON Canal
street found the bridge i'm the brook and
carried the news 10 the selectmeu Mr..
Herrck was 10th TO believe IL. "forn he
said. I'VE considered that bridge one Of the
strongest in town As nearly as can be
ascertained it must have fallen about eleven
O'Clock, and so far as known Il. A. Ilough.
ton was the last man 90 cross il, being then
On his way to care for Mr. Henry Fletcher
for the night. Mr. Coolidge, the village
night Waterman, the Waterman at Smith
* Hunts and few people living near by
on Canal street, heard the noise. but they
all thought it snow falling from some roof
1t is evident that the bridge broke at the
pier in the middle, aud as it fell ia the cen
tire the two ends were dragged partly off
the abutmeuts The bridge simply settled
down, mass of broken spntered timbers
the demoraized roof covering it almost
| completely.
The bridge was 80 feet long. and though
/ supported by "A pier ia the centre it was
uullL uH u NlllElt HitlNs lit tllfliN eng con
| tinuous from end to end. The selectmen
are satisfied that the weak point was in the
chord ON the upper or west side Of the
bridge. One Of the three tmbcrs compos-
ing the chord had hycom" rotten where it
| lay ON the pier. and it was this which first
/ gave way. The cuI- Of the bridge were
sound, except that the ends of the timhcrs
toward Canal street had become u little de
cayed where they lay covered with earth,
hut not dangerously So
The bridge was built in June, 1873, by
Frederick Hawks Of Greenfield the we'll
known bridge builder. lie examined it last
fall, when engaged here on the Little River
bridge and pronounced it sound and safe,
adding that he thought it about the best
bridge he ever built His examination
was made Just before the selcctmen had the
roof slated at an expense Of S23j Of
course the slate added To- the weight Of the
bridge and there was some accumulation Of
snow ON the roof, but not enough to reach
the dauger-point if the timbers had been
sound The marvel is that the structure
fell Of its own weight and not " hen a heavy
team was crossing it. Ii is cause for
thanksgiving that its fall was not accompa
MED by some shocking disaster to human
life. This makes two deliverauces of this
kind in Brattleboro within a year, the first
one being when the bridge on the Brook
road fell of its own weight last winter.
The selectmen put force Of men at
work on the wreck at once, and It's removal
was substantially completed Wednesday
night. More than half Of the slate ON the
roof was saved and the value Of the iron
which is good for use again, is estimated at
500 The amount of travel through Elm
street is large and the ,aectmen will con.
tract at once for an iron bridge o. be erected
1t viii probably Doe OF substantially the
samc pattern rs that which crosses the
brook between Elliot street and E,teyyile
The fate Of the Elm street bridge hus
naturally raised question H~ 10 the safety
of the West River bridge. which is also Of
wood and was built ia 1861 or sG2 The
se"ctmon state that they had that bridge
examined 10y Mr.. Hawks last year. and he
pronounced it sound and safe, a, he did the
Elm street one. bBt recommended that
arches, or trusscs, be- put ia within "A year
or two, such as have been added to the
Hinslalc toll bridge The cost Of these
arches would be 500 Since Monday the
selectmen have had the snow removed from
the roof of the West River bridge. and
their present plan is 20 order spruce lumber
for the arches at once with "a view 10 hay
Ing them put in ns early next spring rs pos
sible. The irons taken from the Elm street
wreck will be good for Use there. and will
reduce the cost Of the arches to 800 or
5000. An unusual amount of heavy team
ing is being done acr1~, the West River
bridge this winter hy the Asylum. by f. NJ
Waite and others