Year: 1877

THE GREAT MISSOURI RIVER BRIDGE PAR
TALLY DESTROYED.


OMAHA, Neb., August 25.-Two spans


of the great bridge, which since isa2 has


stretched across the Missouri river at tins
so;rt and afforded means of railway COM
m;rnication between eastern Trunk lines


and the Union Pacific railroad. he buried
beneath the waters Of the river or scat


tered up and down the southern embank-
ment The accident occurred at an early
hour this morning, and was occasioned by
one Of the most terrific tornadoes or cy-


clones that has for many years swept
across this section of the country Those
who were fortunate enough to hear the
rapid advance Of the storm cloud which


brought SO much destruction and spent Its


fury, it might be said, In a second, tell
this story. The roar of a heavy wind was


heard in direction bearing little east


of north, and apparently coming out OF a


quarter lying along the river as 1t leaves
Omaha 10 the northeast The noise mo-


mentarily grew heavier, and the breeze
| which had been blowing all the night,


suddenly ceased, and all was quiet, while
on and on marched what was then known
to be the terrible tornado. 1t now ap-
pears quite evident that the atmospheric
commotion was high above the country


during its fight, and when the sudden
fall of the river embankment was reached
it swooped down in its course, spread


havoc in its path, and as suddenly lifted
itself again above the surrounding coun-
try to waste It's strength upon the unre-
sistinc air. Within few moments after


the sound was heard the gigantic blow
YVES struck. As the tornado met the sur
face of the Missouri river it is said the
waters were tossed and scattered and cleft
in twain. much rs were those Of the Red


Sea when Noses made his celebrated


march before the irate Egyptians The
waters were beaten into foam and piled
HIGH on either side of the track Of the
storm, which was very narrow


With lightning Ike rapidity the atmos-
phcric monster struck two spans of the


Union Pacific railroad bridge and lifted
the massive iron superstructure OF the
pier. The wrought iron stringers and
columns were twisted and bent like so
many pieces of paper In the hands Of q
child. wrenched from their resting place
and plunged partly into the river and part
ly against the steep elnbankInent- The
destroyed spans were each two hundred
and fifty feet in length The spans des-
troyed were at the eastern terminus Of
the bridge, resting on the Iowa shore.
No sooner had the work of destruction
been accomplished than the air king lifted
itself and passed away, leaving little else
than the destroyed bridge to.tell Tie tale
of his nights venture


This devastation occurred shortly be-
fore daylight, and when the accident be-
came reported about the city, between
seven and eight o clock, people could hard
ly believe it until they had gone and


viewed the ruins. 4 great portion of the
span which had rested on the Iowa ap-
proach lay on the embankment on the
south side ike rail fence that had been
blown fat over The other span had fal


len into the river and could not be seen


Two columns that had supported the spans


still stand firm and uninjured The spans
| of the bridge are not connected where


they rest on the columns, SO that if they


fall, as they did III this case, they can


each go down separately. The rails in


the bridge are fastened together very firm
ly, and when the inside span went it took


with it south line of rail without snap-
ping it, but twisting it downward so that


one end is in the water. The north rails


were twisted IN semi-circle and were


separated at the coupling The casing
around one of the columns supporting the


head span is broken in two places, proba-


bly, by falling Of ironwork against it.