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The Firth of Forth Bridge

The Firth of Forth Bridge

"Near the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, stands the majestic Firth of Forth Bridge. Completed in May, 1880, it has a center span of 1710 feet. It was then the longest cantilever bridge in the world. At that time, it was one of the engineering wonders of the world.

The day for the completion and dedication of the bridge arrived. For many long months, two separate work crews had been working toward each other from opposite sides of the bay. Now the time had come when the two huge steel structures would be connected in the middle of the bay.

Everyone who could find a way to come was there for the great day. Countless boats bobbed on the water, people by the thousands lined the shores, dignitaries from various parts of the world came together to witness the joining together of the two sections of the bridge.

Then came the giant shock! The two sections of the bridge would not come together. Officials began to squirm in embarrassment and humiliation as the steel workers sweated futilely under the overcast sky. But there was still a gap that refused to be closed.

The bridge builders tried everything they could think of: tugboats tugged, cables strained, tractors pulled, cranes lifted, but the gap remained. They rechecked the blueprints. Everything seemed to be correct. So why the gap? Despair set in as they ran out of options. Their spirits were as low as the clouds hanging in the sky.

Suddenly something happened! The warm sun broke through the overcast. The warm rays beamed down on the cold metal of the bridge. As the officials watched, an apparent miracle took place before their eyes. The gap between the two sections of the bridge began to gradually close. Warmed by the sun, the two long sections of the bridge began to inch toward each other high above the bay. In a while, the two sections came flush together. Hurriedly, the work crews put in the bolts and the bridge was finally fastened together. An enormous cheer went up along with a great sigh of relief.

By Donald Russel Robertson

Don't miracles show up in the darndest places?

This story courtesy of

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