Three juveniles identified in Blackduck trestle bridge burning

BLACKDUCK -- Authorities have identified three juvenile suspects they say are responsible for burning a large portion of a historic, 113-year-old trestle bridge in Blackduck.
About 200 feet of the 701-foot railroad trestle bridge in Blackduck burned April 13 in a fire that investigation revealed had been set intentionally. The bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is believed to be the longest of its type still standing in Minnesota.
Blackduck Police Chief John Wilkinson said Wednesday that authorities had identified three juvenile suspects from Blackduck in the case, who told them they didn’t mean to burn the bridge itself.
A “concerned citizen” came forward to help investigators with the case, Wilkinson said.
“We’re definitely happy,” Wilkinson said. “We don’t want… this high profile of case to be something that doesn’t get solved and ends up just sitting there for a long period of time. It’s a really great feeling to get it solved and wrapped up.”
The three suspects weren’t arrested -- rather authorities simply turned over a request for complaint to prosecutors, he said.
There could be criminal charges in the incident, but any possible charges are at the discretion of the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office, Wilkinson said.
Attempts to reach Assistant County Attorney Katie Nolting, who handles juvenile cases, were unsuccessful Wednesday.
The value of the bridge is estimated at $500,000. The bridge spans Coburn Creek in Blackduck, just east of the downtown. It has grown to become a heavily used span by snowmobilers, four-wheelers and hikers.
The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Minnesota and International Railway Trestle at Blackduck.” Minnesota and International Railways was a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific railroad that provided a rail link between Bemidji and Koochiching, Minn., which later became the town of International Falls, according to the National Register.
“The land in this region of north central Minnesota is dense pine forest punctuated with terrain comprised of swamp and marshland. The marshland proved difficult to traverse and required the erection of timber trestles to span the otherwise impassable sinkholes frequently encountered on the route,” the Register states. “The M&I Railway Trestle at Blackduck is historically significant for its method of construction and the considerable length required to span Coburn Creek and the surrounding marsh. It is the longest structure on the former M&I and is widely recognized as the most difficult bridge the railroad had to build.”
The bridge was constructed between 1901-1902 by veteran bridge builder, Frank O’Brien, according to the Register application. The Minnesota Department of Transportation took over ownership of the bridge in 1992 after the railroad ceased operation. The bridge was then converted for pedestrians and recreational vehicles as part of the Blue Ox Trail.