115 years ago in 1910, transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

High water takes away foot bridge. Several industrial plants crippled. Mahoning River reaches flood stage and does considerable damage – temporary structure at Spring Common swept away Tuesday morning – no one on the bridge at the time.”

Water is rising in the tributaries of the Mahoning and further damage is anticipated – river now at a standstill. The Mahoning River, four and one-half feet above flood stage, filled with floating ice, went on a rampage Tuesday morning. The water carried away the temporary foot bridge at Spring Common, and flooded industrial plants along its banks. At 7 o’clock the river had risen nine feet and six inches and was still coming up. The water was almost level with the embankments at Spring Common and was sweeping several feet over Baldwin’s Dam.

The foundations of the temporary foot bridge at Spring Common, weakened by the ice jam which backed against them, gave way Tuesday morning about 4:20 o’clock, allowing the superstructure to tumble into the river. The debris was carried down stream by the flood. When the bridge fell the crash could be heard for several blocks. A double header B. & O. freight which was traveling west about the time the structure gave way crashes into the debris, part of which was forced onto the tracks, tearing the pilot from the head engine. The wreck of the bridge spanning the Pennsylvania tracks was pulled down Tuesday morning by the Pennsylvania wrecking crew. The foot bridge was erected by the Fort Pitt Bridge company. There was no one on the bridge when it fell into the river.

Eye witness’ story. A. G. Menmer of 109 Pike Street is perhaps the only person who saw the bridge go down. He gives a graphic description of the disaster. While at home he noticed no ice going down and concluded it must be clogged or blocked. Then he went to do some investigating. He had not gone far, he says, till he heard a rumbling noise. He walked on and when within 18 feet of the bridge he saw full one-third of it let go and start down in one section. He says the ice was piled up about six feet before the disaster, but that immediately before that it arose to fully 10 feet. He says you could have heard the noise for a mile, so terrific was the crash. He met a millman who said he had run across the bridge five or six minutes before the disaster. Mr. Menmer is positive there was no one on the bridge at the time. He says there was then, at 4:20, no fog and that he had a clear, unobstructed view.

The first floor of Baldwin’s flour mill was several feet under water Tuesday morning. As a result the operation of the milled had to be suspended. On account of the high water car service on the Mineral Ridge branch of the Mahoning Valley had to be given up Tuesday morning.

The tributaries of the Mahoning River began to recede early Tuesday morning. At noon the water in the river was almost stationary. Unless heavy rains set in the greatest danger from the flood is past.

Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Dante Bernard, Mahoning Valley Historical Society Museum educator.