Canal. Company-wise, it began on July 28, 1897, with the creation of the Cornwall Bridge Company that was to construct the south channel bridge, as it was decided to cross at Cornwall where the river was split in two by Cornwall Island. The north channel bridge was to be constructed by the Ottawa & New York Railway. Construction was done quickly by Phoenix Bridge Company, but, on September 6, 1898, a tragic accident claimed the lives of 15 workers and injured 18 others. Pier 2 of the south channel bridge had suddenly sunk into the river, taking two of the three spans down with it, just as the finishing touches were being completed on it. An investigation ruled that the bridge company and Sooysmith Company, who built the piers, did not test the river bed properly and built the piers on unstable ground. What was thought to have been bedrock was actually of gravel that rested on top of of clay. The rebuilding of the south channel bridge was tendered/out and Union Bridge Company won the contract. The bridge was opened for regular traffic on October 1, 1900, with an official opening on December 11. Other companies were involved concerning the bridge throughout its life. On April 18, 1899, the New York & Ottawa Bridge Company was created to operate the crossing and started a lease of it on November 1, 1900. This lasted until September 6, 1917, when this company was dissolved and the Cornwall Bridge Company merged into New York Central Lines. During the 1920s, negotiations with several parties began to find a means to have the Cornwall railway bridge system support automobile traffic as well. Many plans were submitted, but it was agreed to plank the existing bridges (as well as build a road bridge beside the railway bridge over the Racquette River), so that both trains and cars would share the right-of-way. On November 23, 1931, the Cornwall-Northern New York International Bridge Corporation was created to handle the planking and operate the bridge system. May 17, 1934 was when the first automobile crossed over the bridges; the corporation took control on the 29th and everything was officially opened on June 30, with the bridges being commemorated as the Roosevelt International Bridges. The corporation lasted until 1949, when the Roosevelt International Bridge Company took possession of the bridges, and operated over them until 1957. New York Central