NIAGARA FALLS

Removal of the Suspension Bridge

[Welland Tribune, 22 May 1896]

The work of removing the two great suspension bridges, which so long have been among the wonders of Niagara, will be a big and interesting one. Now that it is settled that suspension bridges across Niagara River at Niagara Falls will within a year or two be a thing of the past, people are asking how these massive structures can be taken away, especially how the upper bridge can be taken apart, transported to Lewiston and this will make the task still more difficult. Of course it looks much easier to an engineer than it does to a layman. The work of taking down one these structures is certainly not as formidable as the work of building one, however. The railway bridge is said to be the strongest of its kind in existence and some facts regarding it that are of a historical nature may be of interest. It was completed and the first train passed over it March 23, 1855. Its cost was about $450,000. The length of its span is 822 feet and the height of the towers above rock is 88 feet on the American side and 78 feet on the Canadian side. The track is 258 feet above the water and there are four wire cables each 101/2 inches in diameter and each containing 3,659 No. 9 wires. The weight of the superstructure is 800 tons. The maximum of loads that it is estimated to carry is 450 tons. It is estimated that the aggregate strength of the cable is 12,400 tons.

BUFFALO CATASTROPHE

[Welland Tribune, 29 May 1896]

Brown’s building on the corner of Seneca and Main streets in the city of Buffalo collapsed and tumbled to the ground on Thursday forenoon last week. Four persons were killed outright, namely; Wm. P. Straub, contractor; Jennie M. Griffin, cashier in Schnert’s barber shop; George Metz, barber; and Michael Schurke, workman. The accident was caused by changes being made in the building, without sufficient precaution to keep up the strength of the supporting walls. The building was not a very high one, but was about 40 years old, and had a very heavy roof. It was a well-known landmark to many. Among others, registrar Morin and County Treasurer Hobson of Welland attended the commercial college in it about 30 years ago, and the publisher of the Welland Tribune was engaged in the Buffalo Christian Advocate composing rooms, located in the building, in the year 1864 for a short time.

Engine Was Ditched, Engineer Was Killed

[Waterford Star, July 30, 1896]

On Tuesday of last week a T.H.&B. engine was ditched about a mile and a half out from Welland and the engineer was killed. The engine has since then remained in the ditch until Sunday, when the M.C.R. wrecking crew with the steam derrick went down and lifted it out.