The sun., 1909-01-12
RAINS WRITING REPTILES
on GREENSBORO BRIDGE
HERE'S AN ACCOUNT or IT.
Lizards, Toads ana snakes Came In q
Cloud 'om Some Tropical Region
and GlIstenIng In Prismatio Glory
Scared NOrkmen, Press Agent SAYS.

and Gllstenlng In Prismatlo Glory
Scared WOrkmen, Press Agent says.
Walking a little ways. Engineer Sim
clair noticed the steel work Of the Bridge
and especially the flooring covered with
countless numbers Of lizards, diminutive
toads, snakes OF bright green. bronze
and red oolors. When the sun shone the
mass Of wriggling, writhing reptiles and
toads glistoned in prsmatic glory The
Engineer said that he had never OBJ
served anything like it before. One
popularity was that the reptilisn mass
seemed to take on the color Of the red
painted structure the longer they re-
NAMED on the Bridge
Here indeed was news. The reporters
had missed it. but by good fortune the
press agent, Of the Greensboro bridge
was on the job. Yes. the Queensboro
bridge has a publicity department. main
tained by the committee that Is organic
ing big celebration for the opening of
the structure by the business men over
in Queens who hope to boom when the
highway to Manhattan is traversable.
But about those writhing reptiles glis-
tening in prismatio glory. The pub
licity departments account starts with
circumstantial details OF which this is
a conscientious abridgment;
a wild-eyed man rushed into the off1ce
Of the Queensboro Bridge Celebration
Committee in Long Island City yesterday
and declared that something was happen
ing to the big cantilever bridge. He
didn't exactly know what it was. but
thought it was dreadful from what was
told him by the workmen and the watoh-
men who refuse to 60 on the structure.
Secretary Humpheries called up En-
gineer Sinclair and instructed him to 60
TO the Bridge and see what the matter was
When Engineer Sinclair reached the
Vernon Avenue tower he saw knot Of
excited workmen. He asked il anything
had broken on the Bridge and one of the
workmen said no but that something
worse had happened. Failing to get any
thing rational Engineer Sinclair assembled
the long stairways and got on the Bridge.
Al the door OF the tower leading to The
furthest span from Manhattan Sinclair
saw man with broom sweeping of
something from the iron flooring. The
man laughed and when Engineer Sinclair
asked what had happened he replied;
There has been rain OF snakes. toads
and lizards, that Is all. The men are !
superstitious and won't work.
Then Sinclair saw EN- for himself, as
-Another popularity" continues the
publicity promoter. lis that there were !
none Of these lizards, snakes and toads |
Island side or on Blackwe q Island.
Engineer Sinclair thinks that these
lizards, toads and snakes were carried
in a cloud from some tropical region and
that this cloud. depressed by baromet-
rical conditions, was just low enough to
deposit the creatures on the big can't.
lever Bridge, which acted as a sort OF
a net or screen to catch them. Engineer
Sinclair is quoted thus:
When the sun shone ON that mass of
lizards and tiny snakes they presented a
Kaleidoscope spectacle. II was interesting
70 watch them growing redder in color and
assuming the tinge that the Bridge Is painted
with. 1t was a striking demonstration OF
the Darwinian theory Of natural selection
That ia the taking on by an imals Of he color
Of their environment.
The lizards. toads and snakes were every.
" here on the Bridge. They were. however,
thickest on the flooring and the entire mass
seemed to be in motion. II might be called
The first Celebration OF the Greensboro
Bridge. ! doubt whether any artificial
means will make the Bridge look as beauti-
'ul as viewed 1t looking at the sun shining
On this mass of life.
1T was long after the noon hour the
publicity man igoes on, that the workmen
to return TO work on the Bridge.
BY that time most Of the lizards and snakes {
mad turned red and they could not be ,
distinguished from the Bridge itself. ;
By nightfall they had entirely disap-
peared, The engineers in charge say :
hat this Ia the first time in their expert /
ence that this thing has happened" 7
These other items are appended by the
press agent:
on Monday morning a big batch of ,
cement fell from the Bridge and went down
he funnel OF the tug Belle Livingston of
The cement effectually
hoked up the funnel and the Captain ,
loration Staples. had to let OF steam to I
prevent the boiler exploding, Capt Staples /
esents this interference with his work I
md threatens to sue he City,
A five gallon pot of red antitrust paint
ipped over Sunday just NJ the Rich
Peck was passing underneath the Bridge )
md the Bridge authorities received a letter ,
rom the Company saying that several :
passengers were drenched with It and were :
lnable to get it on their faces hands and I
othing. @
Miss Emelne Brosdhurst OF Flushing, i
4. |. in walking over the Bridge Saturday r
Dst both heels on her shoes. /
The engineers force at Sn,phin Place, 7
lanh attan. have two oarrier pigeons with Q
ove missives fr ON Bridgeport. The owners
an have them by calling. !