Patrick M. Sirianni posted
Wind Swept Bridges in Niagara and This Week in Local History. No better time than today to mention the wind and its historical effects on the bridges and structures in and around Niagara Falls. Today marks the anniversary of the almost hurricane wind storm that would see the Falls View Suspension Bridge collapsing upside down into the gorge of the Niagara River just below the Falls on January 10th. 1889, and Dr. J.W. Hodge's near-death experience while crossing it. That particular night, between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, railway tracks were covered with fallen trees and telegraph poles. Telephone, telegraph and electric light wires for miles in all directions were down. All passenger and freight trains were at a complete standstill as wrecking trains were sent out to clear the tracks. The water because of the force of the wind rose higher than it had ever since 1844. Quite a bit of the shore along the upper river and mouth of lake Erie were under three feet of water. A strip of land known as the Island was completely flooded and six homes at that location belonging to local fishermen have swept away. Before I get into that tale, allow me to mention Reginald Fessenden and his experiences that he would later recollect crossing the then fairly new RR Suspension Bridge at the head of the Whirlpool Rapids. Reggie's father was the first Minister of the newly constructed Christ Church located at the "Point" where Clifton Ave. meets River Road. The rectory at this time was located at the bottom of Queen Street and young Reggie attended DeVeaux School on the American side and crossed the bridge walking to classes every day. At a much later time, he wrote in his memoirs about his experiences crossing that sturdy structure. "From home the walk was rather long and classes started early. In the fall the sun would be coming up just as I got to Mt. Eagle, and from there it was a lovely walk and a lovely site from there on., for the school was in the extensive and wooded grounds just at the Whirlpool Rapids. But in the winter it was much different. I had many bitterly cold struggles across the Whirlpool Suspension Bridge. Forcing my way into and across the heavy winds blowing down the Niagara Gorge, and having to hold on every now and then to the railing with both hands, but it was always a good fight and as a lad, I rather enjoyed it all." Roebling's expertise certainly made for a sturdy two-deck Whirlpool RR Suspension bridge and I have never found any documents to ever state otherwise. On the other hand, the Fallsview Suspension Bridge (considered to be the worlds longest Suspension Bridge at that time with a span of 1260 feet,) was built in the late 1860s by one Samuel Keefier and it certainly looked "shaky" enough to perhaps give one-second thoughts about crossing it on any sort of windswept day. In all fairness to Keefier, after its construction, the Falls View Suspension Bridge had been "tinkered" with on two different occasions. In 1872, the sides of the bridge were infused and a steam passenger elevator was installed in the Tower on the Canadian side. Then in 1887, the whole bridge was widened and this daunting task was completed in June of 1888. One can only contemplate the possibility that these two events could have been underlying factors in partially being responsible for its collapse. Dr. J.W. Hodge was considered to be somewhat of an eccentric because of his decided opinions. He did not believe in God and was an affirmed agnostic at a time when religion was paramount to everything else in one's life. Some of his beliefs were quite unorthodox for the time as well, He was an anti-vaccinationist and was outspoken against efforts to immunize local residents during a smallpox epidemic and was also a great advocate for animal rights. According to his obituary, he was "for many years a relentless prosecutor of all those guilty of mistreating animals and was ever seeking to improve a lot of creatures which could not help themselves". Perhaps what Dr. J.W. Hodge should have done was walk two miles and cross on the other during that late and stormy night's visit to the Canadian side to see a patient. Upon his trip back to the American side and most likely because his residence was located on Buffalo Ave., he decided to take the much shorter route and cross the Upper Suspension Bridge and save himself time and an extra four miles of walking. This ill-fated decision would almost cost him his life. Dr. Hodge in his own words: "I had not advanced far beyond the Canadian Tower, however, before I realized from the nature of the swaying that something was wrong...As I neared the center, the swaying of the bridge was something terrific, and to add to the horror of the situation there was likewise a heavy motion like the rising and falling of a ship in the waves. .....Sometimes the bridge would seem to tip up as though one side was raised up by the wind, while the other hung from the 'suspenders' and whenever this occurred I dropped on my hands and knees for fear that I should be thrown over the railing. The rest of the time I clung to the railings as though it were the only straw between me and certain death, and worked my way along a few steps at a time whenever there would come a slight lull in the gale. To add to the discomfort and difficulties of the trip, great volumes of spray from the falls mingled with snow and sleet were dashed at intervals into my face, blinding me and drenching my clothing. At one point a gust of wind more powerful than the rest seemed to come swelling up from the water, and getting under my overcoat literally tore it open... "Mingled with the whistling of the wind through the wires, when near the center of the bridge, I heard a sound like the flapping of a broken cable against the railing, and I believe it was here that the bridge began first to give way. When I finally reached the American towner, fully half an hour after I began the trip across, I was wet to the skin, almost blinded, and breathless. Nothing would tempt me to go through the same ordeal again"'.The bridge would finally give way on Jan. 10th at about 3;20 am. and Dr. Hodge was the last person to cross it before it collapsed into the river below. Dr. Hodge continued to be a practicing physician well into his eighties and died on Feb. 18th. 1937 at 86 years of age. His body was cremated according to his wishes. He had written in his will "Having for many years been firmly convinced that cremation of the dead is the most sanitary, scientific and satisfactory method yet devised for disposal of human remains.....Furthermore, it is my ardent desire that no funeral service or religious rites of any sort be conducted over my body or the ashes thereof." May be a black-and-white image of outdoors | 
