This abutment is all that remains of a bridge that gained brief international attention in April of 1979. I took the phot during a boat delivery from Florida to Illinois. The river (Warrior R., part of the Tenn-Tom Waterway) was at flood stage and a commercial tug captain had lost control of his vessel in the strong current. An amateur photographer just happened to be on the scene with a video camera and recorded trhe horrific scene of the tug htting the bridge, capsizing and rolling 360 degrees. Amazingly, the tug righted itself on the downstream side of the bridge. All three crew members survived, and the tug ("Cahaba") , out of Mobile, suffered only minor damage. Thanks to the internet, and the network news, the images were seen by millions, including myself. How many people passing this relic today know its history? Soon after the accident, a new railroad bridge was constructed nearby to replace the outdated and damaged span.

In 1999 the restored tug was renamed the "Capt. Ed Harris" and returned to regular use. On my trip upriver in August, I'll be looking for it and hoping to get a picture.

See spectacular photos of the actual event at: http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm