Posted inDaily News

Ticonic Bridge Closed to Traffic

Postcard of the Ticonic Bridge. Circa late 19th or early 20th century.

The Ticonic road bridge was closed to traffic yesterday and from now until the new surface of creolite wood blocks is completed traffic will be diverted to the bridge used by the A. and K. electric car line. Officers have keen stationed at each end of the bridge so as to keep traffic from jamming. Workmen started tearing up the old plank and before the day was over half of the old surface had been removed. The bridge will be closed for about six weeks.

Posted inUS Civil War

September 8, 1861 – Letter from Col. Vaughn

From the Knoxville Register

Munson’s Hill, in sight Washington City, August 31, 1861.

Dear Register:—Agreeable to my promise to you yesterday, I now write you a line from within full view of Washington City, Alexandria and all the encampments of Lincoln’s army this side of the Potomac. Since I wrote you last nothing has transpired on a large scale. We have had several skirmishes with their pickets; in a skirmish this morning, we killed two and took three prisoners.

We have now finished our fortifications on Munson’s Hill, also on Mason’s Hill, and we will commence fortifications to-morrow on Upton’s Hill, which will give us three strong positions some two miles apart, in plain view of Washington city, which we can hold against 40,000 Vandals with 15,000 Southern will-be freemen. We have been here since the morning of the 28th. We have been on picket duty and at work in the entrenchments all the time; but the East Tennessee boys can stand anything.

Posted inNatural World Travelers' Tales

New Search for a North Polar Continent

Map showing the two Arctic routes of the eexpeditions.
Two Great Expeditions Go Forth in Search of Crocker Land, the Mysterious Arctic Continent Described by Peary. Canada is Backing Stefansson, Who Has Sailed from Nome. New York Scientific Institutions Are Behind McMillan.

While there are deeds of daring to be done men will be found to do them. Captain Scott’s terrible story of his hardships, privations and finally his tragic death are still fresh in the minds of all, but it in no way deters others from following his noble example. The North Pole was discovered by Peary in 1906, but science is not yet satisfied. Peary reported that he sighted land and that, in his opinion, there was an Arctic continent. What is this continent made of? Are there any inhabitants? If so, what are their language and customs? What are the fauna and flora of this unknown region? Two men are heading expeditions at present with the purpose of answering these questions and are willingly risking their lives and those of many others to satisfy the demands of science. And these two men are Vilhjalmar Stefansson and Donald McMillan.