Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-10
VICTORIA BRIDGE
OBJECT Of ATTACK,
II IS BELIEVED
Guards Twice Drive Away Sus-
piciOus Acting Characters
Approaching in the
Dark.

Montreal, que, Feb. 6.-rhe lveliest
alarm Is felt in this city as the result
of what are believed to have been DELHI
crate attempts, fortunately frustrated at
the outset, TO destroy the great Victoria
bridge across the St. Lawrence river
here.
The bridge, which is a vast steel struc-
turc. over a mile in length. built on lines
similar to those Of the famous Forth
bridge which it closely resembles, is
supported by a series OF handsome gram
lite piles. 1t is closely guarded both
at the Montreal (north) and St. Lambert
(soutm ends, by detachmcnts of soldiers
from the Montreal composite (lome de-
fense) regiment. Two guards are on
duty at each end all night long. doing
sentry duty in relays Of four hours.
Powerful searchlights play from the
Montreal and St Lambert shores, being
| fixed off the bridge. so that they may
cover the entire area OF river approach
| ing and beneath it, which is at present
| frozen over.
Twice in the carly hours Of Saturday
! morning man believed to have been
carrying explosives was driven off near
| the Montreal end once by the rifle fire
Of the guards. 1t was a few minutes
after midnight when a man, closely
| muffed and with what appeared to be
small heavy bag in his hand. approa ched
| the Montreal end He was walking along
! the driveway of the bridge He was
| immcdia tely challenged by the guard and
went away.
| Four hours later figure. believed 10
| be the same man. was observed by tho
! guard then on duty making his way
| cautiously over the ice at the Montreal
| end. beneath the first span. The night
| was dark and the man kept out Of the
! way of the searchlight operating from
| the St. Lambert end
! AS the man had 10 right to be on the
ice below the bridge the guards at once
! opened fire, without waiting to give an
alarm. which would have brought the
ST. Lambert searchlight upon him. The
night was slightly misty, as we'll as
! dark. and the figure below formed .
| very dim and uncertain target.
| Immediately after the first voley the
man made his way back swiftly, and
| the guards were unable to locate him
again as he approached the shore, 4
| rigid search was Immediately instituted,
| however. by the officer in command OF
the bridge guard, and every pile sup
porting the bridge was closely examined
at the base and from the bridge itself.
Nothing suspicious was discovered.
The matter was reported to the officer
| in command OF the composite battalion
yesterday morning. No official state
ment has been Forthcoming since. An
investigation is being held. 1t is known
that precautions have been doubled.
Nobody is allowed to cross the bridge
| yula hoc CT fctl
enforced since the early stages of the
war. On several occasions parties who
have endeavored to force their way over
in autos have been fired upon, more
than one having been hit. On more tina IN
one occasion explosives have been found
concealed in automobiles attempting to
cross in daylight. Every vehicle is care-
fully examined before being passed by
the guard.
The chief train dispatcher Of the
Grand Trunk railway. which owns the
bridge. was informed by train guards
yesterday afternoon that three aero
planes of unknown nationality had been
observed flying low over the Grand Trunk
railway tracks a mile or two south or
the ST. Lambert end of the bridge. They
circled over the track only few hui-
| dred feet in the air for upwards OF n
minutes. these men said, and on rifle
; being fired as warning from the guard
, at ST. Lambert Immediately rose high IN
the air and made off south toward the
: American boundary. where they were
5 eventually lost to view in the gatherins
dusk.
Montreal has no dcfcnses against aero
. plane attack in the shape of aerial guns
e The story Of the aeroplanes, which
S spread rapidly through the city. caused
apprehension in some quarters. The
a authorities refuse to make any statement
r on the subject for publication. The
guards have been cautioned not to say
n anything. The story as given above vas
e obtained by telephone before the guard:
I had been warned not to talk,