In the teens, someone who was incredibly stupid was known as being “as cunning as a dead pig.” An excellent example is this Alaska Railroad bridge over the Tanana River during the Alaska Gold Rush. Constructed of wood, it could not withstand the river icebergs and ‘vanished’ the first winter after it was constructed.  Thereafter, the bridges for the Alaska Railroad were made of concrete and steel. 

THE HUMAN FACE OF THE ALASKA GOLD RUSH

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