Michael Pitt was cited in Bridge Magazine coverage of the lawsuit filed by the firm against the Federal Energy Resouce Commission. “This is the sweetest man, we’re just glad he’s here,” Cocklereece said. She was born in New York, New York on April 27, 1925 a daughter of the late Joseph and Eva Brown Howe. “I remember sitting there and the traffic light wasn’t working at the end of the bridge so that’s the reason traffic was backed up.”. “There was this little, bitty slot wide enough I could get my finger in so I reached up and put my finger in the slit and that was the only slit on that whole bundle,” he said. The Silver Bridge episode is called history now, so that takes some of the horror out of it. Top Stories. “I couldn’t tell you what he looked like, it (the memory) is more of an image and I can tell you where he sat and that his arm was in a cast, and…he probably doesn’t remember this,” Cocklereece hesitated with emotion. A flotilla of riverboats withhigh powered search lightswere recruited into the rescueoperations, along with smallcraft and a Civil Defensearmy duck. His partner, Robert Towe, didn’t make it. Along eastbound I-80 at Sparks, Nevada, near the railroad tracks, the partially clad body of Sherry Marie Yearsley, 47, was found on June 21, 2002. About this time, a bird landed on that roll of fabric and continued to float with Edmondson as the current carried him closer to the Kanawha River. I told him ‘yeah, go ahead, I’m ok.’”. That was the day the Silver Bridge collapsed into the Ohio River. The Silver Bridge was an eyebar-chain suspension bridge built in 1928 and named for the color of its aluminum paint. Silver Bridge survivor remembers. H. istory. “They found him way down river. Edmondson started driving in Beckley, allowing Cundiff some time to crawl into the sleeper cab to get some rest. Federal data shows there are about 73,000 bridges nationwide at least 75 years old, including 12,241 past the century mark. Bridge inspections are now more routine and in-depth because of the Silver Bridge. He had come out of the cab some way,” he said. He used a nearby box as a flotation device and was rescued 15 minutes later. I really did,” Needham said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Asheboro, North Carolina. “So I floated a pretty good ways. The Hi Carpenter Bridge connected Newport, Ohio to St. Marys, West Virginia. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. These are the words of William Edmondson of King, N.C. Edmondson, now 88, was just 38 years old when the truck he was driving toppled into the Ohio River along with dozens of other vehicles when the Silver Bridge collapsed in 1967. President Donald Trump has said he’s working to streamline the permit process to get major infrastructure projects like roadways and bridges finished faster. As fate would have it, during those 50 years, the families lived only about 15 miles from one another. Even though the collapse of the Silver Bridge was a disaster, there were positive aspects to the failure. Why him and not me?’ And that’s about all I remember.”. When asked why he made it out of the river that day and made it many days after, he said it had to do with “the good Lord” and “I don’t know why (He has kept me here) but I sure thank Him for it, I mean, I can’t believe I’d be here if it wasn’t for the Lord that pulled me through.”. Jim Justice for economic aid. Chance of snow 70%. The Silver bridge was later replaced by the "Silver Memorial Bridge", which was completed in 1969. Earlier this year, in September, she and he sister made their first trip to Point Pleasant to see where their father had passed and then, by chance or fate, this past October, Edmondson and his son had made the trip to Point Pleasant. Needham’s truck driving partner, asleep in the cab’s rear, didn’t make it out. Silver Bridge, between Point Pleasant, W.Va., and Gallipolis, Ohio, 1967: December 2017 marked the … main span of 700 ft and two side spans of 380 ft each. He started kicking his feet and by some miracle they slipped over his shoes and he was freed. 2 Bidwell. Please consider following us by clicking below. Visitors can also inspect the bridge’s dedication plate, an eyebar, and a spacer from the bridge along with blanket and a piece of a truck extracted from the debris of the collapse. But, he made it out through the broken window. With his “britches” now inside out but unable to go over his shoes, they got caught on some object in the river and he was snagged with them, being pulled under. Forty-six lives were lost when the Silver Bridge collapsed December 15, 1967. From Disaster to Prevention: The Silver Bridge. The bridge carried U.S. Route 35 over the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. As a result, the Hi Carpenter Bridge was closed immediately after the Silver Bridge collapsed. Hi! Rescuers in tugboats pulled him out of the water. Edmondson returned to the area last week for the 50th anniversary of the bridge disaster and attended two of the ceremonies marking the solemn occasion. Cocklereece said her only memory of Edmondson when she was a child had been when he came to her home soon after the disaster. The suspension bridge, which connected Point Pleasant and Kanauga, Ohio, was … Cars were lined up in both directions. While the National Transportation Safety Board had started an investigation immediately following the collapse, the Presidential Task Force on Bridge Safety also investigated the disaster. It just turned over and it hesitated for two or three seconds. The Silver Bridge over the Ohio River collapsed fifty years ago on Dec. 15, 1967. “I expected to be killed. Here is a link to that story: https://www.mydailyregister.com/top-stories/22408/silver-bridge-survivor-remembers. “It’s the 50th anniversary, I think that’s what has brought us back,” she said. She was a …. The task force began a national survey on bridge safety. It was that close. “Some people I told about that bird sitting up there, they told me that wasn’t a bird, that was your angel.”, He smiled a bit and said, “I ain’t denying it. “The Silver Bridge collapse was a national wake-up call and inspired a much more aggressive effort to inspect and maintain bridges across the country,” acting Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. He said the fabric was packaged in burlap bundles weighing around 600-700 pounds. I came right back up, just that like.”. He was one of a handful of people pulled alive from the frigid water that night. Needham returned to work in 1968 and continued his North Carolina-to-Ohio route for the next eight years, carrying him over the Silver Memorial Bridge, built in 1969 a few hundred yards downstream from the old bridge. Coming from Winston-Salem, N.C., Edmondson would cross the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant two or three times a week. He said about the time the bird landed was when he could feel the bundle getting away from him. Most structurally deficient bridges are in rural areas. 50 years later. The final death toll was 46 lives lost with all but 2 of the bodies finally recovered. ... of course, was the most tragic and immediate impact after the collapse of the Silver Bridge. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.. He said when he was underwater, and stuck, “I thought this was it” and opened his mouth and got it filled with river water. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, bridges are typically constructed with a design life of 50 years, and those built from 1957 to 1976 show the greatest need for maintenance, reconditioning or replacement. All visited the river museum who connected the two families who later connected in North Carolina. The story made national headlines and sent a wave of paranoia and fear across the country as many wondered where and when another bridge collapse … Cundiff’s remains were found around five weeks later. CHARLESTON — Truck driver Bill Needham braced for death at the bottom of the Ohio River after a bridge collapse … He was stuck and struggling. It’s just unreal.”. Engineers are now more knowledgeable about corrosion fatigue and stress corrosion, which allows better quality structures to be designed and built. The Silver Bridge was nearly 2,235 ft long, including a . Narrator: The collapse killed 46 people. Chance of snow 100%. Edmondson said the pilot told him he saw the bridge fall while in the pilothouse and he radioed down to his crew to tell them to get ready to leave the riverbank to help. ... 13 survivors Partial collapse The damaged section of the Queen Isabella Causeway. Testimonies from survivors and witnesses and newspaper articles regarding the tragedy can also be read. The Silver Bridge was an eyebar-chain suspension bridge that spanned the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio.Its name came from its shiny aluminum paint. “I held on until it (the seat) finally got away from me,” he said. The bridge was built in 1928 and collapsed in 1967 during rush hour traffic, resulting in the death of 46 people and increased safety inspections and regulations of bridges across the country. But no longer. Guidance issued last May allows for underwater inspections every six years on lower-risk bridges when adhering to Federal Highway Administration-approved criteria. The Silver Bridge connected Gallipolis OH to Point Pleasant WV. Krajewski (2006), an excellent reference that reads like a history of bridge inspection, describes the training and resources provided to bridge inspectors as part of the federal initiative. POINT PLEASANT — “I mean, everything had to fall right in place to the second, or I wouldn’t be here. The family came to Gallia County in 1953. Jack Fowler: It collapsed, I think, at 4:58, so it was a busy time. The collapsed Silver Bridge, as seen from the Ohio side. He just couldn’t wait.”. Edmondson, while visiting at the Point Pleasant River Museum and Learning Center, sat down with Ohio Valley Publishing to tell his story. Investigators blamed the poor design of the bridge structure, and the excessive loads, for the collapse. Its aluminum paint earned it the “Silver Bridge” moniker. That was the number of people on the bridge when it fell into the Ohio River on Dec. 15, 1967, and who died from the collapse. Two of those victims were never recovered. Low 29F. He said he thought “how in the world am I going to get out of here” right before hitting the water. Some people say the number should be 47, as one of the bridge’s victims was pregnant. “He saw me and pulled that barge in front of me…I floated into the side of it.”. 46 people died as cars and trucks plunged 100 feet into the near-freezing water of the Ohio River. The bridge connected two major cities of Ohio and West Virginia, and provided direct access to their respective state capitals. She said she tried to look him up over the years via the Internet but had no luck, that was until they both visited the river museum. She was a loving homemaker, wife, and mother. Fandom Apps Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Howard Boggs was a passenger in a car with his 17-month-old child and his 18-year-old wife, Marjorie, who was driving. The new bridge “was built as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar,” Needham said. He’d also like to know who the pilot was who spotted him in the river that night 50 years ago. “Right there, I believe the Lord had something to do with that. These are the words of William Edmondson of King, N.C. Edmondson, now 88, was just 38 years old when the truck he was driving toppled into the Ohio River along with dozens of other vehicles when the Silver Bridge … It was very similar to the Silver Bridge. Beth Sergent is editor of Ohio Valley Publishing. Point Pleasant Bridge, also known as Silver Bridge, was constructed over the Ohio River to provide the crossing for highway number-35 of the United States of America. A $1 trillion overhaul of the nation’s roads and bridges is a key item on his domestic agenda — but one that’s gained little traction. D&D Beyond On 15th December 1967, the Point Pleasant Bridge […] I just looked up and there it was.”. He chuckled when telling how his “britches” had been too tight so he had “undone” his belt when he was driving. The 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge . You have permission to edit this article. When he first came up from the water, his “britches” had come all the way down and were turned the wrong side out. A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Silver Bridge survivor remembers. A driver for Hennis Freight Lines in 1967, he and his driving partner Harold Cundiff, were on their way north to Detroit, Mich. on Dec. 15, 1967, delivering what Edmondson described as fabric that went inside tires. In August of 2018, an 800-foot section of Genoa, Italy's Ponte Morandi Bridge collapsed, killing 43 people. The iconic 1760 foot long suspension bridge, built in 1928 on the Ohio River, connected Gallipolis, OH and Point Pleasant, WV. “I just threw them all away,” he said. When the Silver Bridge fell 32 vehicles were destroyed and it claimed 46 lives. Survivor recalls 1967 collapse of Silver Bridge. POINT PLEASANT — “I mean, everything had to fall right in place to the second, or I wouldn’t be here. “I thought ‘this is it,’ you know, ….I couldn’t believe it, I looked up and there was that bird, he just appeared out of nowhere. Snow showers. L. esson. December 15, 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the Silver Bridge collapse in 1967. “I was just sitting there and the next thing I knew, the bridge turned over. Retired truck driver Bill Needham poses at his home in Asheboro, N.C. CHARLESTON — Truck driver Bill Needham braced for death at the bottom of the Ohio River after a bridge collapse in West Virginia 50 years ago sent his rig and dozens of other vehicles into the frigid waters. Survivor Recalls Plunge From Silver Bridge into The River. For Edmondson, he has a good sense of humor about what he’s been through and jokes, he wanted to make it to 88 because that was Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s car number. You get a sense of what the conditions were and we met a lot of people who just couldn’t hardly talk about it, even the locals, everybody has their scars.”, At the museum last week, Edmondson was sure to tell Cocklereece, “I want you to know how good a guy Harold (Cundiff) was…he was telling me about after he got back off that trip he was taking off until after Christmas. Needham said he once had a closet full of newspapers with stories about the collapse. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ... Bridge collapsed during concrete casting, with debris falling onto open motorway below and narrowly missing vehicles, closing major motorway E47 for … “I didn’t have enough courage to inhale it so I just swallowed it…so I drunk out of the Ohio River,” he joked. He explained the current carried him out from under the truck and when he came up, there was nothing, no bridge there. Hear from two survivors of a tragic bridge collapse. On December 15, 1967, it crumbled into the Ohio River during rush hour, killing 46 people without warning. You don’t get the massiveness of it…just coming here in September and being able to see (what was) the (bridge) span. The Silver Bridge was built in 1928 and connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. He still can’t believe those pants slipped over his shoes to get him loose. “The Silver Bridge collapse was a national wake-up call and inspired a much more aggressive effort to inspect and maintain bridges across the country. The Silver Bridge collapse spurned a nation wide survey of the safety of bridges. Then 27, Needham made his way to the river’s surface and found a floating box to grab onto. In about a dozen states, including West Virginia, 30 percent or more of their bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Edmondson said there was “no warning” that the bridge was going to fall. Truck driver William Edmondson was hauling 35,000 pounds of tire fabric on his usual run back to Detroit on Dec. 15, 1967. Highway Act of 1968, which was enacted following the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge in Ohio. Interstate highway construction accelerated during the 1950s and early 1960s. Snowfall around one inch. Passengers on a … Higley's body was the 29th to be recovered and identified in Friday night's collapse of the Silver Bridge at Kanauga. It was torn down in 1971 and replaced by the Hi Carpenter Memorial Bridge. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. This historical event of The Silver Bridge Collapse impacted the Mothman urban legend. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. The number given when count the number of victims of the Silver Bridge disaster is 46. “I held on to it. Their car was heaved into the river by the collapsing bridge. When asked about last week’s ceremony, Cocklereece said, “It’s good to gather with other people who have been touched. File photo. Desperate and determined, Needham tugged a window down far enough to slide out as the truck sank to the bottom of the river. On a related note...Sherry Yearsley...a survivor of the Silver Bridge collapse was recently found murdered. He was hospitalized with a broken back. CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Ben Cedar crossed the Silver Bridge three times on the day it fell.He was working as a Kirby sweeper salesman back then, and crossing the bridge … These are the names of those whose bodies were recovered: Albert A. Adler, Jr, Gallipolis, OH J. O. Bennnett, Walnut Cove, NC Leo Blackman, Richmond, VA Kristye Boggs, Vinton, OH Margaret Boggs, Vinton, OH Hilda Byus, Point Pleasant, WV Kimberly Byus, Point Pleasant, WV Melvin Cantrell, … This bundle was special because there was a fortuitous slit in the burlap fabric just big enough for him to get his finger into to hang on. Near the mouth of the Kanawha River, the crew threw him a rope with a flotation device on it and pulled him up out of the water. My finger got so cold, I dreaded to turn it loose (he was loosing control and feeling in his hand).”. The current was so fast.”. After he was freed from that entanglement, he said the seat from his truck floated up beside him and he grabbed on, holding on as long as he could as the current continued to carry him. Cars and trucks that had been stuck in traffic on the bridge due to a malfunctioning traffic light tumbled into the river at Point Pleasant, and 46 people perished. “All under that bridge was birds’ nests and I looked up while floating down river and this bird was above me sitting on the fabric looking at me the whole time and I was looking at him,” he said. Born Jan. 21, 1941, at St. Albans, W.Va., he was the son of Basil K and Elsie Stonaker, who reside on Rt. At the time he was rescued, Edmondson said he was hopeful his driving partner was somewhere out there in the water waiting to be rescued as well, but that wasn’t to be. A crucial joint in the 39-year-old Silver Bridge’s eyebar suspension system snapped from years of corrosion and neglect, and the normal vibrations of heavy rush-hour traffic on U.S. Route 35 shook it apart on Dec. 15, 1967. “I didn’t have my pants, still had my shoes, I mean it was really cold with the wind blowing so they instantly wrapped me up in some blankets and they took me up there in the pilothouse where it was warm and he (the pilot) asked me if it was ok if he circled around some more to look to see if he could find someone else. “But, he broke down and said, ‘Why? The Silver Bridge after its main spans fell into the Ohio River. It’s just unreal.”. He’s sitting on $665 million that could help, Freshman DeAngelo giving Fairmont State women major boost, Main Street Rivesville seeks young, fresh energy, Board of Education approves annual employee stipends, North Marion student third generation to sign to play football at Fairmont State, Study: Youth homelessness is on the rise in West Virginia, Fairmont Senior cross country trio signs to continue careers in college, Proposed Fairmont city budget calls for modest raises, no fee hikes. There was 31 vehicles that fell. Edmondson said the pilot radioed for an ambulance which picked him up at the riverbank and took him to Pleasant Valley Hospital. The plaintiffs are Sanford, Mich. couple Cathy and Dan Allen whose home was severely damaged in mass flooding following the collapse of the Edenville Dam in May 2020. https://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/12/web1_12.23-Edmondson.jpg, 50th anniversary connects the generations. A day after the sudden collapse of a section of highway bridge in Genoa, Italy, shock has given way to anger and blame as the number of people killed, which includes several children, climbs to 39. It was that close. Gina Cocklereece of Winston-Salem, N.C. was one of Cundiff’s daughters. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. About this time, the fabric he had been hauling started popping up all around him after the trailer busted. It was one of the worst catastrophes in American history. Snow this morning will transition to snow showers this afternoon. “When that cab hit the water…”. The bridge was crowded that day. killed 46 and led to the creation of a nationwide bridge inspection program. And, the heavy tractor trailer hit the water with such force it turned Edmondson into a “projectile” and his elbow literally busted the passenger side window, the glass cutting him on his face and back. Four persons onthis part of the bridge werekilled, and eight injured werepulled out of the tangled steel. Since 1988, federal standards have required submerged elements of all bridges with substructures in water must be inspected at regular intervals not exceeding five years. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Survivor recalls 1967 collapse of Silver Bridge, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 Comics and Puzzles, West Virginians are begging Gov. U.S. Sen. Jennings Randolph, chairman of the Senate Public Works Committee, immediately launched hearings into the collapse of the bridge, which hadn’t been thoroughly inspected in 16 years, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. “They come plumb out of the water, that rubber fabric, I thought, ‘boy, hope none of them come up under me’…they were all around me.”. The Silver bridge was also nearly forty years old, poorly maintained and for many years had been carrying far more traffic than it was designed for. We appreciate you sharing our content on social media. Forty-four bodies were recovered. He speculated Cundiff’s head had struck the cab with the same force Edmondson’s elbow and body had struck the window. It was sure up there (on the bundle).”. Ominous storm clouds formed above the Silver Bridge. Winds light and variable. Now, bridges along major highways “are coming to the point where they’re going to need significant rehabilitation, or in some cases, replacement,” said Rocky Moretti, director of policy and research for Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit transportation research group TRIP. In October, state voters passed a $1.6 billion bond referendum for road and bridge repairs and construction. One did float up right beside him. The bridge which had opened on Memorial Day in 1928 was just gone. Officials plan to mark Friday’s anniversary of the Silver Bridge collapse with a ceremony. The hearings led to the first federal requirements mandating bridge inspections at least every two years. I was holding onto the steering wheel and then it headed down.”. It was then that a barge pilot spotted him. “I wanted to wipe myself away from it.”, Claire Theresa Bailey, 95, of Fairmont passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at St. Barbara's Memorial Nursing Home in Monongah. They all met up again at last week’s remembrance ceremony. Both were eyebar suspension bridges and both opened in 1928. It took just seconds for the 1,1460-foot suspended portion of the bridge to collapse. “In fact, this tragedy propelled the nation into a new era” of bridge safety. “My truck was over halfway across going into Ohio on the downgrade,” he said. Federal data show that while nearly one-fourth of the nation’s 611,000 bridges were either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete in 2015, that’s a drop from more than 30 percent in 2000. A veteran of 13 months in Vietnam, Higley was discharged in March 1967. She was 11 when her father died. High 33F.