Description:
Wood cut taken from the Illustrated London News.
DESTRUCTION OF KELHAM-BEIDGE.
AMONG the devastations occasioned by the late frost, we have to record the destruction, last week, of Kelham bridge, erected over the river Trent, about three miles from Newark, at a cost of £3000. The bridge was constructed of wood, and supported by wrought-iron screw piles and girders, with stone abutments. The river at Kelham is very wide and deep, and the current exceedingly rapid. It appears that on the morning of the ac¬cident fears were entertained respecting the safety of the Bridge, and, by desire of the deputy clerk of the peace, a surveyor and a staff of men went down to the river, and proceeded to break the ice around the Bridge, and clear it away. When they had succeeded in removing the greater part of it, an immense sheet of ice, several tons weight, was seen floating rapidly down the Trent; the men found it impossible to withstand the force, and in a short time it came in violent collision with the piles which supported the end ot the Bridge near Kelham. Four of the piles were instantly snapped asunder, and half the Bridge fell into the river. Fortunately, no persons were injured, although several men had just crossed it. On Wednesday the remaining portion was knocked down by a large piece of ice driven against the piles, which instantly snapped them; so that the whole will have to be rebuilt. (London Illustrated News, 10 March, 1855)