The reasons for the collapse of the famous bridge at Niagara Falls.
About one a.m Wednesday,January 27,1938,the ice pouring down from Lake Erie began to pile up so high in the Niagara River gorge that it threatened everything in its path.
The main cause for concern was the 40-year old Falls View Bridge and the power plant at Queenston.
But Jim Cowie's little house went first.He was a watchman for the Maid of the Mist boats and his home was close to the tour dock.When the house began to heave and tremble one-year Phyllis and five-year old
Herbie laughed with glee.But not their frightened parents.Seconds before there had been a loud report, like a clap of thunder.Quickly the Cowies swept the children into their arms and fled to safety just in time.
The house was a total wreck.It was carried 50 feet and planted in the middle of the road to the power plant.
All day long the newsmen and photograpers gathered and took position to give them a good view in case the great 1,000 foot centre span of the bridge should go down.
They waited all night.By down on Thursday,January 28th,the ice was 50 feet high and 1,000 feet wide,pressing the bridge with its tremendous weight.At three in the afternoon a team of engineers went down into the gorge on the American side to make an inspection.
There were cracks in the abutments but they thought the bridge would hold.
Hearing this report one newspaperman took a break.He stayed away seconds too long.At exactly 4:10 p.m the entire bridge pulled away from its moorings and crumpled into the gorge.By4:12 it was all over.Only a great cloud of snow-mist rose from the wreckage.
The $2,000,000 structure lay in a dozen broken sections.It looked for all the world like a roller coaster stretched across the gorge between Canada and the United States,but now it was just a mass of scrap.
The power plant,however,was saved.
Almost before the snow carries hundreds of thousands of cars annually across thr Niagara River.It replaces the old one,sometimes known as The Honeymoon Bridge,which was smashed like a child's toy that January afternoon so long ago.
