New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-11
a NIAGARA BRIDGE WRECKED.
ONLY THE CABLES AND GUY ROPES SWING
ING IN THE WIND
THE END OF STRUCTURE BUILT TWENTY
YEARS Aeo-eREAT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
IN BUFTALo-TwENTY FAMILIES
HOMELESS.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TnrBusRl

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE THrBUrRl
Buffalo, N. Y, Jan. 1o.-The upper Suspension
Bridge at Niagara Falls was destroyed by the
hurricane at o'clock this morning. 1t was
cut of clean between the towers. Not an inch
Of the bridge proper remains. A portion lies
on either slope Of the bank, while the greater
part is at the bottom OF the river. From tower
to tower there stretch the cables, from which
hang the short guys which sustained the bridge.
This bridge was completed on January A, 500.
The loss is 500, 900. The majority of the stock
In the bridge is owned by the Delos De Wolf
estate Of Oswego, and by the o. II. Smythe
estate Of Clinton n. Y. 1t is probable that
temporary bridge Will be swung from the cables
at once
The last person who crossed the bridge was
DR.. j. w. Hodge He was returning from Canada
about midnight lie states that after passing
some distance the bridge swayed violently and
for his own safety, he was obliged to go down
on his hands and knees and slowly crawl along,
clingng to the woodwork as firmly as possible.
The wind had suddenly increased as he was NOV
ing slowly along and the buttons were torn
from his coat The bridge howled and craolkled,
and It seemed as though it would break in the
centre before he could pass that point It was
too late to retreat, and the doctor continued his
more dead than alive when he reached the shore
At Brundages Elevator, on the Canadian side, at
tho Rapids, two-story building was swept away
through the rapids At Buttery Elevator, the
American side, the buildings occupied by Dit
trick the photographer have gone into the whirl
pool The lower portion Of MaDning's Elevator
has been swept away, and the lower part Of
the Rapids View Elevator Is gone The tin roof
a.. uotn roIt oS in
ball In Main-st. Several buildings on the Reser-
walton have been blown down. 1t is feared that
the bridges to Goat Island and the Sister Islands
are damaged.
The storm played havoc with docks and lumber
piles at Tonawanda Peter Hittle. while asleep
in bed was struck by flying board which crashed
through a window He suffered fracture OF
the collar bone and shoulder blado
The storm reached Buffalo late. IL was at Its
height at o'clock this morning when the wind
was blowing seventy-four miles an hour. Twenty
families along the waterfront are homeless. and
et least one life was lost. Destruction reigned
along the sea-wall eat the foot OF Michigan-st
Six houses at the east end on the lake 'front.' were
washed awav and seven others are partially
wrecked. The home less people are poor. and ow-
ing 10 tho cold. euf cred terribly. The low lands
along tie waterfront were flooded number
Of canal boats wtre found resting on the tow path
Two propellers in the dry docks and tfn Jewet'
aud the Nebraska were sunk. The people living
In the houses near the beach at the foot OF Porter
ave suffered terribly About o'clock the water
flooded the railroad tracks. and tegan TO pour
down into the low lands into the little cottages,
and the people made n hurried toilet and ned-
.Ianv were scantilv sttired. Tho people waded
| through water foot deep. and most Of them took
refuge in houses across the Porter-ave bridge
Their household effects were ruined
The railroads are probably the greatest suffer
ers. especially those whose roads run beside the
lake Part of the Lake Shore track was torn
up at Buffalo Creek and was not repaired till 10
o'clock The Georgia-st trestle was so badly
damaged that Belt Line and Falls trains are not
inning. Tho clearinghouse and saloon OF John
Schwartz at the Grand Island Ferry was swept
of, and with 10 Charles Wagner who was work
ing for Schwartz. The body OF Wagner was
found to-day on the the shore. In his arms was
dead cat and ir the mouth Of that apimal was
mouse, also dead
The police this morning stretched ropes around
the Church Of the Messiah. p pie in the build
ing north OF the church We med TO leave
their rooms and put out the Aies The streets
were roped The steeple Is '14,5 damaged. and
is likely TO fall The stcepio VI the Prospect
Aven lie Baptist Church is badly twisted. ard the
adjacent streets have been roped In. The main
smokestack OF the Buffalo School Furniture Com
pany Works. at Seneca and Griffin SITS. was nloTn
down shortly after o clock this morning, tie .he
Igbt watchman, James Indy, was buried In the
ruins and was seriously injured. A number OF
others were more or les hHt by lying orlchs
during the night. r.u.
Great damage was done in the harbor fully
twenty-five vessels were more or less injured
Two floating elevators were blown over. one
hundred and twenty-five loaded freight cars were wero
overturned, track and all, at Gee last IheeiG
were filed with coal and grain. and the loss VIII
be heavy. At the Tiff sHrn tsrge numoer Oh
Etie cars. loaded with c.s:,, wete wrecked. =,
Reports are made from all over the country OF
houses unroofed. barns blown down or dana gea,
haystacks lifted up bodily and dropnd uoMh ,h
again In Ioclxport the damage to buildings ana
portable objects VIII amount 20 several thousand
dollars The wires are all down Inc streetS
pre- sent the appearance OF ldndlngw wood factory,
The storm greatly moderated to-day, but tne