Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-18
RUINED IN A GORGE,
Mayo's Bridge Twisted and Torn
from Its Piers BY |cs'
IT MAY Be WASHED AWAY,
When the Pack Breaks the Bridge Nay
Go With II.
ESCAPE OF ISLAND RESIDENTS.
They Were Compelled to Leave
Their Furniture Behind Them, and
Had Little Time to Sparc-Opinion
of an Engineer.

. Mayo's bridge sits upon the top Of
colossal ice gorge, doomed apparently 70
disappear with the monster that has it
in it's grip. An alarmist rumor was set
afioat early last night that the Manches-
ter end of the structure had been car
ried away by the flood, but there was
no foundation In fact for ii. At 10 o'clock
a Dispatch reporter crossed the bridge,
and not a plank had then been started.
The Ice and snow was packed solid on
either side to within foot Of the planlSs,
and the old bridge groaned and trembled
under the terrific pressure.
The gorge reached as far as the eye
could see up and down the stream, and
was of such thickness that a man could
walk upon it with safety.
Apart from the weird significance OF 1t
ay. the sight was a really grand and in
Spring one.
SOUTHERN WAS IN DANCED
A civil engineer employed by the Long
Distance Telephone Company made an
examination of the bridge. and expressed
the opinion that if the river continued to
rise it must Inevitably carry it away.
Upon the strength of his report arrange
ments were made 10 carry the wires Of
this company over one of the other
bridges.
Captain West. superintendent Of the
Southern railway. was seen just before
midnight, and said he was expecting every
minute that his bridge would be washed
away. This latter structure stands at
about the same elevation as Mayo's
bridge. but is far more substantial. Cap
tain West says he bases his fears on
the fact that ice is packed mp to the
Richmond and Petersburg bridge, and he
does not think any structure, however
strongly built, can withstand such pres
sure.
FLEE From THEIR HOMES.
The residents Of the island left their
homes about o'clock. The rise i'm the
river was so rapid that there was not
time for any preparations, and much Of
the furniture and household effects Of
the families remains upon the island
Toll-Colector Whitworth was so alarm
ed that he did not wait to do more than
throw a shawl over his childs head and
drive his cow out of it's stall. The fami-
lies of Messrs Mayner, Simmons, Mat
thews. and AlcCullock left with equal
haste. and i'm one instance, at least, the
lamps were left lighted. and shone out
through the night like a will O. the wsp.
Collector Whtworth returned 10 the
dollhouse at 1890, and was at work NOV
ing his furniture to the top rooms of his
house when friends went over and in
duced him to leave. At that time the
Manchester end of the bridge was still
standing.
BEARS THE BRIDGE UP.
Shortly before II o'clock the ice-pack
began to rise. and with il rose the bridge
Slowly from that time forward the bridge
warped. and its tmbers snapped until it
was full two feet above the level OF
Fourteenth street.
A large crowd Of men. armed with oil
lamps. stood and watched the old bridge
strain at its timbers. Huge beams were
split in two as If with a saw. and the
bridge seemed to be hopelessly ruined.
The rats ran OFF the timbers in droves,
and careered mady around looking for a
new dwelling place. The telephone. tele-
graph. and trolley-wires were strained
and stretched but at l o'clock none Of
them had broken. though the bridge was
perched aloft. with no hope Of salvation,
except a sudden falling of the river