The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-06-12 00:00:00

ever, aide to take aßy and return home ; Mrs. John
Brae, Yetininalier, both lop broken • Mr. George
Crocker, of Behester, wine injured; M;. W. Broo
Teenlks,
•, Mr. Palmer, auctioneer, Bruton. Mr.
Samuel Hodder, Meat Coker; Mrs. Cook, Queen's
Hotel, Weymouth ; • Mr. Cox, of some place in
Dorm;very badly injured; Mr. Young, not seriously;
Mr. Marden, Lyde, near Yeovil, who was able to
return borne by train. It was reported that Mrs.
coachbuilder, of Yeovil, was amongst the
drowned, but she took a cab and so avoided the
danger. Bsrn, 3 o'clock.
The entrance to the bridge to not more than 20yar15
from the base of the flight of steps leading to and from
the down Great Western Railway platform, con-
sequently when the great number of visitor arrived a
large number of them went on to the bridge for the
porposse of getting, ass they thought. quickly to the
Show. The toll-horuse stands; on the oppaite end of
the bridge to that where the crowd mimed on to the
structure. Thus the bridge soon became cmsided
whilst the toll collector was taking money and giving
change. Some of the local ressidents were remarking
upon the danger of ouch a number upon so light a
structiire, when the bridge began to shake, and
suddenly starting from its socket. sin either side, fell
into the river below, being Smashed in the centre by
the fall. The structure was the property of a small
company numbering about 10 shareholder& It
was-built 15 years ago from a design by Messrs. Hick
and leaacs, and has. always yielded • remarkably high
dividend. It had lately undergone repairs.
A scene of the greatest consternation followed.
Scores' of persons, of all ages and both neves, were
strugin the river, which at this point is about 20
feet Lou.dee and bounded on one side by a high bank
and on the other by a perpendicular wall 6 feet high;
others clung to the portions of the ruin which
remained above water, and a few floated down the
stream. A number fell on the towpath—the river is
here navigable—and were injured. The 'creams of
the drowning and the great number of those who were
Injured, or whose lives were endangered, were harrow-
ing, and for a momeLt the shock war so great that no
assistance was lent. But speedily boats, bargen, and
rafts were pit. A great many were rescued from the
meet imunnent peril and conveyed to the hospital,
whilst the dead were taken to adjacent houses. Med.
ical men were obtained as quickly as possible, and
were snecessfill in restoring several whose condition
was critical. The work of clearing the river of the
wreck and searching for the bodies is still going on.
(Fran oar Weymouth Correspondent).
About 49 people went from 'Weymouth by the
half-pant six train for the Bath and West of
England Show. One of these says "We got to Bath
a little after eleven, and, when we got out of the train,
we went the any the crowd went, on about a couple of
hundred yards, to a foot.bridge which they toll us was the
shortest way. There was no toll bar or anything, or even
• policeman to regulate us, at the end we went on, lout you
paid your halfpenny at the other side. There they stopped
the people, in the drizzling rain, to take their halfpence,
and as they could not do this an fast as the people came
on, the bridge was entirely full from end to end, and it
gave way all of a sudden from side to aide, crumpling up
like a box of matches. We happened to be not quite in
the middle, but rather over to the tollbar side, and we fell
into the water but clambered up on the wreck of the
bridge, and first got into • garden ; but the poor people
who were in the middle fell one upon the other, and were
hurt, and a lot of them drowned. I saw eleven dead
when we came away, • fine young woman and quite an
elderly gen'tleman IFS/I among them, stretched out in the
station, and thrse taken to the hospital on stretches. We
were wet through, for the Avon, over which the bridge
ran, was about 30 feet below. We went into the first shops
we could find, but they were all so full, and in such con-
funlon that I had t• go as far as from the Royal Hotel to
St. John'. church. before 1 could get attended to. The
people did not seem to show us very much sympathy, or
else they were in such confusion that they did not know
what to Is. We went Upside and stripped and dried our-
selves,and bought new clothes,and they charged us pretty
well for it; I should think there never was such a time
In Bath for the outfitters, and clothiers before. Mr. and
Mrs. Cook, of the Queens Hotel, were on the Midge when
it fell. and I heard they were both in the water, and Mr.
Robert Damen, of Dorchester, was much shaken and
hurt. Of course we had as much as we could do to take
care of ourselves, and get ready to come home, and many
of those who went up to the Show, and were not even on
the bridge, had no heart to go in, but went home without
going near the yard."—A telegram reached Weymouth
early in the afternoon from Mr. Cook—" Accident,
bridge: both hart, lout not much. Do not expect us
home tonight." By another telegram we learnt that Mr.
Reynolds, wine merchant, had Pint paseed over the bridge
when it fell, and he consequently escaped. Some of the
Weymouth people returned by the 6.15 train, which wan
late, and drawn in by two engines, and among them was
Mr. Greenwood. atone merchant, bruiapl and shaken, Mr.
George Cooke, of 3, Victoria Terrace, injured in the foot:
this gentleman was taken in a chair to a carriage Mr.
Miner, !Den., of Mitchell-street, and Mr. Burden, his son-
in-law, both were bruited. scraped, and shaken, and
had teen in the river. Mr. Smith, of Bradford, we also
heard had fallen in. and diel.mted his collar hone.
Between the arrival of the 6.15 train and the return of
the exeursion. vary painful bits of news (amongst others
the injury of Mrs. Cook, of the 42ueen's)lecame known,
and were at once wildly exaggerated. When the Excur-
sion was expected, at 9.40, the scone which had greeted
the eyes of its travellers was once more prepared at Wey-
mouth. for people of all ages and both sexes poured up to
the station to await the arrival of the train. It did not
conie till nearly eleven, when Messrs. Shilson, Newport
and Denning were warmly welcomed, and had to explain
how they escaped. It seamed that they turned into a
publichouse, feeling thirsty, and had only just time for •
drink before they heard the noise, rushed out, and the
fearful Beene of the accident was before them. Mr.
Siddons, munician. had been reported an recognined among
the dead; but when he steppeil out on the platform, he
was pressed on by an eager crowd, and congratulated.
It ins current proverb in sonic parts of Dorset that "the
longest way round is the surest way there" and se Mr.
Middene (mind it, for he took the longest way, and thus
was net on ate fatal bridge. The crowd were divided
between rongratulating him and bidding hint hasten
home to his sorrowing family, who it was feared had the
rumour that he was dead. Lilt very few, a mere handful
of the forty who left Weymouth in the morning returned
by the Excursion train, and some brought sad news. The
death of IMr. Andrew Harfm4, of West Parade, shoe-
maker, was confirmed, and to it WAS added that his
daughter also was dead ; others were reported hurt in
various ways, while a more pleasant report was brought of
ethers who were all right, although some had get innuersed
in the water, and had to lie nursed to get over
the chill. The crowd was never tired of hearing how
the toldgateheeper litood out for his ha'pence. bow the
people crowded to the bridge, how the wretched, ricketty
concern collapsed, and how some fell in the water seven
feet deep, and were not hurt, others were smitten by
baulks of timber, and yet others on a stone towing path.
The five corpses at the deadhouse, the poor hearts
who died of their wounds in hoopital, and the fishing
up of other dead bodies from the river, were all
told over, mixed with the cogratulations of some. and the
anxious enquiries for those who had not yet come home,
tii! it was going on for midnight.
THURSDAY Monstse.
Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Reynolds, who have returned, had
not gone on the bridge they delayed • little near the
station. Mr. Knight., of the Jersey Hotel, was not on the
bridge: Mr. Cooke, of 3 Victoria-terrare, has. parsed a
bad night. Some few Weymouth people have not yet
returned • but we will not name them, for fear of starting
exaggerated reports. In some of the absentee.' casm, in-
forniation has been remised that they are "all right.'
Mr. Burbitlge, jun., did not go to Bath till Tuesday al ter-
noon others are known to have received injuries,
but some are said to be slight. The mold painful anxiety
continues imtil the whole of the 40 excurtionists shall be
accounted for. Many persons left Weymouth for Bath
this inerniag by the 6.:h, train.

SAITILDAY

DIMING HOME IRE DEAD.

The mortal remains of Mr. Andrew Ilarfont of West
Parade, and his daughter Emily Elizabeth were brought
to Weymonth by the train which arrived about • quarter-
past six on Friday evening. Miss Harford had been
identified by her brother, who had gone to Bath for the
purpose, and Mr. Paul, of West Parade, undertook the
melancholy arrangements. The bodies were put into
coffins at Bath, and a private intimation was given of the
time when they would arrive, to the Good Templar lodges
with which the deceased were connected, and the
Foresters' Court, England's Hope, 4416, of which Mr.
Harford was a member, and held the office of beadle.
Emily IL Harford was • member of Lodge Cazton,l.O.G.T.„
and her father of the Hope of Weymouth 1.0.G.T.,
Considerable numbers of people got an inkling of the
time, and went up to the station. and with them the
following, who had bees appointed by their societies to
act as hearers I—Ben. Symons, P.D.C.R.. Weymouth
United District, A.0.F., Brothers Wright, Albert
&surreys, John Baker. and Henry Gillingham 1.V.G.T.,
and Mr. Charles Crocker, an Oddlelloir, made
up seven. The bodies had been placed in
coffins at Bath by Mr. Paul, and there were now
coveyed in • hearse to the house in West Parade, crossing
Kingatreet, and passing, through Park-street. Large
numbers of people were in Park-street, and when they
earns into West Parade, which our readers may know is
rather narrow, there was such • dense crowd, that there
was barely room to move. "Upper Canada," as the raised
terrace of tenements opposite Mrs. Harford s is calks% wee
• noteworthy place for gathering, as the people who
clustered there could overlook what was passing below.
The house being of rather humble dimensions it was
necessary to take the coffins through the window, that of
the daughter being thus first received, and then that of
her father. The deepest sympathy ...expressed forth.
poor mother, who had thus Let her husband And her
pretty daughter in one day. We learn that the faces wore
the usual placid expression of those who have died from
drowning. the bodies were not bruised, except that the
father had • small blow on the forehead. It is stated that
be could swim very well, and therefore it is supposed that
the father aml daughter were entangled and dragged
down. It was decided that the bodies could be kept, and
therefore in, in order to allow many friends and brethren
an opportunity of attending. the funeral was deli erred till
Monday afternoon.
- - -

Mr. H. Edwards, bin written the following kindly
letter respecting the accident to the Mayor
"51, Berkley-square, W., Bth June.
" Dear Kr. Lundie,— I am deeply distressed at reading
the details of the zed accident at Bath, and more
especially to find so many Weymouthians amongst the
sulferem If there is anything I ran do to alienate the
sufferings of the injured, pray let me know. I have
written a letter of condolence to Mrs. Harford ; bees is
indeed • sail trial I hope Mr. and Mrs. Cook, of the
queen's Hotel, have reached home, and escaped material
injury.
"Yours sincerely,
"HEART Eow•nna"
Mr. Cook reached home on Friday evening, for, altimu
much shaken, it was neoeinian to return to buthums.kt
had to leave Mrs. Cook behind ; she was, we are sorry to
hear. wry moth bruised, and will not quickly mover.
It is a relief to find that the lady suffered no fractures,
fioe am her hurts likely to lead to any penuanen
inlury.
Mr. Cooke, of Victoria-terrace, is now, we are glad to
bear, progressing favourably, under the care of Dr.
Rhodes

THE INQUEST.

The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances attend-
ing the death of the melt persons who lost their live*
by the fall of the Widcombe Suspension-bridge WM
opened on Thursda by Mr. A. English, the city
ocoreser, is the Usuesnan, Beth.
The hareedgeMee seemed to excite a large amount of
Weer* resoopt the pablie, and the court-room was
crowded.
The following gentlemen were sworn on the jury :
Mown. F. H. Collins, H. Reeves, W. Ca*, J.
Tang, G. Goddard, G. Pyne, L. Stevens, C. Fh&w,
T. Harding, W. Highfield, K Wood, H. Baker, E.
Themes Wetton, A. Arlin& T. T. Hatt, J. Hole, F.
Bewore_aod F. G. Shartan&
Mr. T. J. Hats was elected foreman of the jury.
TS len were sworn to inquire into the cause of
den* of John Thorpe and seven others.
The fellow* ere the same of the deceased :
Ma Them, 11/1 gum eld, read surveyor, Burton-
gstweßbarinstsr, wee Dorchester.
Ligon, 30 years old, farm labourer, Sutton,
user ilwinswe.
Lamm Haden% 47 years old, shoemaker, West
Mer Ned 31 years, fumes. Ernst
Clisaiodt, mar