Let me begin, though, by asking physically where are you located and explain what happened 50 years ago this month. David hi, thanks for having me. We are sitting near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, which is to say we are sitting where the cuyahoga reaches lake erie. So you can see over my shoulder, one of the Railroad Trestles that crosses the Cuyahoga River. There is a lot of bridges in cleveland. Downtown cleveland is to my left. To my right is ohio city neighborhood in the city of cleveland. We are sitting down in the area called the flats, which are the lands right along the Cuyahoga River. They run up several miles. This is the former Industrial Area of the city of cleveland, and 50 years ago on june 22, 1969, there was a fire on the Cuyahoga River at the end of navigation, couple of miles south of here, end of navigation meaning boats could not go farther upstream. This is where a couple of low Railroad Trestles blocked some debris that was coming downstream, which is not unus
And 50 years ago, june 22, 1969, there was a fire on the Cuyahoga River at the end of navigation, a couple of miles south of here, end of navigation meeting boats meaning boats could not go farther upstream. This is where a couple of low Railroad Trestles blocked some debris that was coming downstream, which was not unusual, the piers from the bridge, they got soaked in oil, which was also not unusual, and then there was a spark perhaps from a passing train. We do not know exactly what set off the fire. The trestles burned for half a minute half an hour. They were doused by both a fire boat and from crews on the shore. Photographers did not get there in time to get a picture of the cuyahoga burning that time, but eventually news about the cuyahoga catching fire became international in scope. So this is what we are celebrating, the 50th anniversary of the cuyahoga no longer catching fire. Steve but there had been previous fires along the cuyahoga. This was not the first, correct . David
The Cuyahoga River as it reaches lake erie after a 100 mile twisting and turning journey from its headwaters is an exhaustive stream, abused and misused by man and his machines. Without the cuyahoga, cleveland and akron would not exist. The river was the reason for originally settling this portion of the western reserve in the 1780s. The river called crooked by the delaware indians provided a waterway to the interior of ohio. And so man came and continued coming. Until today, nearly two Million People live and work in the river basin. In creating this urban complex, man has used the river as men have always used rivers. The flow has been put to work as a navigable stream, a water supply, and as a sewer. Mans mark is everywhere. Is this mark an epitaph or the cuyahoga . Host joining us from the cleveland area is David Stradling. He is a professor of history at the university of cincinnati and the coauthor of where the river burned carl stokes and the struggle to save cleveland let me be
How you feeling . How you doing . Im feeling great or i wouldnt be here. Though, i fell i slipped on a marble floor and i broke my back. When i said okay, because ive broken everything else. Theres a movie made about your amazing mother. Oh, really . Somewhere over the Rainbow Oscar winner Renee Zellweger plays lizas mom in judy out this fall. The movie mostly focuses on the last year of the icons life before she died of an accidental overdose. Have you seen of the clips or the trailer Renee Zellweger starring as her . Have you seen . No, i havent. But i think shes a wonderful actress. And i just hope they dont do what they always do thats all i got to say. Garland starred in the 1954 remake of a star is born. What do you think your mom would have said about lady gagas performance in a star is born . She would have laughed and then she would have gotten into it and i can hear her saying, okay, lets go. Great to the end the 73yearold stepped back into the spotlight last night supporting
Us, everyone, on this busy, busy friday. Lots of star news to get to, lets jump in with tonights top story. The icon opens up about her frightening injury. Theres so many reports about your health and how you feel. I want to set the record straight with you and hear from you and hear from your mouth, how you feeling . How you doing . Im feeling great or i wouldnt be here. Though, i fell i slipped on a marble floor and i broke my back. When i said okay, because ive broken everything else. Theres a movie made about your amazing mother. Oh, really . Somewhere over the Rainbow Oscar winner Renee Zellweger plays lizas mom in judy out this fall. The movie mostly focuses on the last year of the icons life before she died of an accidental overdose. Have you seen of the clips or the trailer Renee Zellweger starring as her . Have you seen . No, i havent. But i think shes a wonderful actress. And i just hope they dont do what they always do thats all i got to say. Garland starred in the 1954 rema