British Whig (Kingston, ON), April 12, 1884

p.1

A BRIDGE ACCIDENT.

Thursday evening, about 6 o'clock, an accident occurred at the swing bridge across Cataraqui Bay, and for a time there has been a suspension of traffic by men and animals in that direction. The tug Folger was engaged in towing the schooner William Home up to a wharf in the outer harbour. The schooner did not enter the slip straight, and striking the cross beams of the bridge tore several of them apart. The guys on one side were broken, the wheels on which the bridge revolved were damaged, and a section knocked out of the cogged track. Thus injured the bridge fell upon the pier over which it hung when open. Workmen at once began repairs, working through the night. The bridge was jacked up to its original height, then supported by timbers and planks. The wheels and cogged track were repaired as quickly as possible, and today the bridge was adjusted so that teams could pass over it. It will be some time, however, before the bridge can be swung open again for vessels. The damage will be about $200.

Speaking to Capt. Donnelly, of the Wrecking Company, we learned that serious objections had been taken to the swing bridge. In entering the opening from the lower bay he says there are no approaches by which a vessel can be properly guided. A structure should extend some distance out, so that the vessel could be half way before the bridge pier was reached. At present unless the passage is made exactly there is danger of running into the bridge house on one side and the bridge on the other. Then in passing from the upper harbour there is inconvenience. The City Council have allowed the M.T. Company to build a wharf out to the water line, to which the barges are anchored. A vessel has to make a turn around the wharf and the boats, then straighten out in very narrow space before entering the bridge. The swing bridge should be placed further out in the bay. It is a standing order of the Wrecking Company that no vessel will be towed through the bridge unless it is prepared to meet the expenses of any damage.

p.2

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The schr. St. Louis is being refitted.

The str. Gipsy will go to Toronto next week.

The schr. B.W. Folger left the harbor today for Oswego with 9,000 bush. of barley.

Capt. Coulin, of Toronto, has purchased the schr. Pride of America, formerly of this port.

The str. Hero will probably make her first trip up the Bay of Quinte a week hence.

The schr. Clara Youell had her sails bent today. She will leave on Monday for Toronto with 500 tons of coal.

The str. Pierrepont yesterday took a number of horses and cattle to Cape Vincent. The trip was made by the head of the Island. Considerable ice was encountered, and at Cape Vincent Clevelan's dock could only be reached.

The only boat at Collinsby is the tug McArthur. She has undergone some repairs to her machinery, and is being refitted and repainted. Capt. Arch McDonald, her former master, will be in command.

The schr. H. Dudley, which left here at 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon with grain, arrived at Oswego 8 o'clock yesterday morning. Capt. Pearson is a lucky navigator. His boat was the last to lay up last Fall and the first to start out this Spring.

The str. Pierrepont left this morning about 8 o'clock for Garden Island. She had proceeded to a point opposite Point Frederick when she was caught in the ice. She was laboring hard at 10 o'clock to work through the floe. About 10:30 o'clock the tug Folger was despatched to her aid and succeeded in releasing the Pierrepont. The ice where the latter stuck was strong enough to support two teams.

Here & There - T. Graham, Portsmouth, has relettered the barges of the Kingston & Montreal Transportation Co.

yachts Jumbo, Happy Bill mentioned.