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146 THE MarRINE REVIEW April, 191] ORE BRIDGE AT RANDALL DESTROYED HE new ore bridge, built by the Erie railroad, to handle the ore at its Ran- dail; O.; "yard, and leased to Pickands, Mather & Co., of Cleveland, de- stroyed by a charge of nitro-glycerine on Saturday evening, March 25. This new bridge had but recently been com- pleted by Heyl & Patterson, of Pitts- burg, and commanded an ore. yard of approximately 15 acres. The bridge was wrecked by men evidently experienced in the art of using explosives, for they put the charge where it would do the most damage. In fact, the greater part of the damage was done by gravity, the weight of the falling structure snapping trusses and twisting the various parts out of all semblance to the original structure. The bridge traveled on two piers with a span of about 500 feet between. The pier selected by the wreckers, Fig. 4, was that which contained the opera- tor's car with the motors for operating was the structure. By breaking this pier with a charge of nitro-glycerine, the unsupported parts did the rest of the mischief, falling heavily in a westerly direction. So great was the strain that the trucks were torn from the tracks, though locked to them by heavy cast iron clamps. The cost of the bridge was $120,000 and the wreck entailed by the explosion practically amounts to a rebuild. This is the fourth structure of its kind, built by Heyl & Patterson, to be wrecked and as there is great similarity in the work of destruction, it is quite likely that the same men, or men belonging to the same set,- did the work. Sufficient fuse was found scattered about the yard to enable the men to have had a good start before the explosion took place. Bloodhounds were sent to the scene in an endeavor to pick up the scent, but without much success. The Erie railroad is now offer- ing a reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the dynamiters. The plot to wreck the bridge appears to have been thought out. in every detail. Aside from the damage itself, it comes at a most em- barrassing time to the railroad company as the movement.of ore to the valleys is about to begin. The work of re- construction will begin immediately, pyt it will take about two months to put the plant again in working order, Some idea of the mischief done may be gathered from the accompanying illustrations. Fig. 4 shows the leg that was destroyed. This leg or pier rested upon a truck, which was carried upon eight wheels, four at each end. It was just above the four wheels at the west. erly end of the truck that the charge of nitro-glycerine was placed. The blast broke the leg and caused the unbal- anced parts to pitch in a westerly direc. tion with such violence that the easterly wheels of the truck, though securely locked, as stated, with enormous cast iron braces to the track, were lifted about 10 feet into the air, the truck itself practically snapping in two. 'The easterly wheels, over which the blast was placed, remain on the track, as shown in Fig. 5, which shows how com- pletely the structure was demolished, Fig. 3 illustrates the bridge, as it ap- peared after the collapse of the leg, the Ore-Hanpiine E QUIPMENT, But py THE Erm Raitway, WuHicH was Desrrovep BY A CHARGE oF NuiTrRo-GLYCERINE. Fig. 1--Side Elevation of the Car Dump and Re- : taining Wall. Fig. 4----The Pier that ras Blown Up. Wig. 2-A Nearer View of the Car Dump. Wig, S--The Pier After the Explosion, Fig. 3--Ore Bridge After the Explosion." Fig. 6--Front Elevation of Car Dump Looking North.