Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-14

of cliffs.
Nature as "A Builder.
This elevation and opening of the for
nation often left narrow point of the
cliff extending outward for rods around
which the stream had to make its way as
it rushed onward in its course. The con-
slant surging of the waters against the
barrier often found a soft place in the sand
stone, where it helped to eat out half
dome-shaped cave In few instances, as
the waters swirled around the other side of
this barrier, they found similarly soft
place opposite the former and ground out
a similar half dome on that side. When in
the course of time the backs of these two
semicircular caves came together, the
waters found a shorter course through that
opening and quickly enlarged the archway
and smoothed off and rounded into graceful
curves the sides of the massive buttresses.
Thus bridge formed and became a
mighty span of enduring rock whose
foundations and graceful superstructure
we're laid by the ages.
West of the Bears Ears in White Canon
and its tributary, the Armstrong, are three
large bridges that have thus been carved
out of the sandstone by the forces Of ma
ture A short distance off from the old
Mormon trail" to Dandy crossing on the
Colorado, in Armstrong canon, is found
the Edwin or Little bridge. 1t is grace
full structure having a span of 1874 feet
and an elevation of 1S feet. The top OF
the bridge is thirtyfive feet wide, while
the arch in the center is only ten feet
thick Thus these proportions give an inn
preston of lightness that is very pleasing
to the eye. Round about are domes and
turrets fashioned by the same forces that
produced the graceful lines and curves OF
the bridge, and nesting in a cave worn in
the sunny side of the cliff near one end is
a deserted cliff dweller's village.
Passing on down Armstrong canyon
about three miles you find your way al
most blocked by a projecting cliff that
towers above you in amazing proportions.
on the right and on the left similar cliffs
seem to be elbowing you out of the way.
At the right, however, you notice that the
barrier has been worn away, but this is
many feet above where you now stand and
plainly marks the course of a mighty
stream that once forced its way among the
! cliffs.
Continuing on down the bed OF the pres
ent-day stream, now nearly dry, you find
| a few rods farther on that you have
| reached the end OF Armstrong canyon and
stand in the shadow Of a vast archway
which the waters of White Canyon have
cut through this barrier that just now
seemed to block the course OF the Arm
strong. This is the Carolyn bridge, mas
sive archway carved out of the same red
sandstone formation and stil showing the
unfinished work of the artisan in the sharp
! ~ ba nd
buttresses Nature has not yet given the
finishing touches to it's work, but wind and
storm, and driving sand will continue to
chsel and polish until the lines are all
! graceful curves, adding greater beauty to
this the most massive of the bridges.
The span is 1856 feet wide and from the
top of the bridge TO the bottom OF the
gorge is 2O5 feet. The roadway is forty
nine feet wide and the arch l07 feet thick
! in the narrowest part, giving such an i'm
preston of massive strength and solldity
that one marvels at the mighty power Of
natures work.
Turning to the right underneath this arch
and passing up White canyon, winding in
| and out between lofty cliffs that send out
their towers and battlements, and in the
! hollows OF whose scanned and SCARED sides
are seen the abandoned homes, fortified
lions and granaries OF an ancient popula-
ton, after a walk of two and a half miles
you stand under the arch of another OF ma
tures wonders. known as the Augusta
bridge. 1t rises before you in graceful
proportion 300 feet high and 2G1 feet between
the abutments The majestic arch is ex-
ceedingy regular, entirely spans the can
yon and you can hardly realize that 1t has
not been designedly placed there as Il
bridge The thickness Of the stone arch is
sixty-five feet and the roadway is twenty
eight feet wide.
The Augusta, therefore, is the queen OF
| tha Nrhltn Canaan hridpes cnmhinfa