Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-23
Fall of a Suspension Bridge-28t
Lives Lost

The following details of The catastrophe ar
given in the " Journal de Maine ct Loire, ofth
17th:
"a frightful accident has ust occurred 5
Anglers about one hundred AID seventy mile
from Paris. About IL o'clOG this morning
squadron of hussars, coming rom Nantes, ha
crossed over the suspension of1he Basse Maint
without any accident, although the wind ble
very heavily from the west, md the river we
much agtated. The last d the horses ha
scarcely crossed the bridge when the head of tb
18th Light Infantry appeared on the other sid
Reiterated warnings weregi given to the trooI
to break into sections, as is usually done, b
the rain falling heavily at th'tme, the warnln
was disregarded, and the batalion advanced
: close columns.
The head of the column .ad reached the OF
poslte side-the engineers, The drummefs, an
part of the Band were orthe bridge, when
horrible crash was heard tie cast iron column
of the left bank suddenly ave way crushln
beneath them he 4th compe5 & w@'g nn the ei,r prIdg
4 nanK coupHsIys ---- sESfe" W. "
OF tl.ose that escaped withbeir lives, there
F scarcely one but has receied wounds from tb
bayonets of his fellows.
, The greater number Of 'em, however, wei
, found to be wounded by thbayonets or by IT,
9 fragments of the bridge falhg on them. Ev
h ry one on the spot We'd witsach other in rent
g ering assistance, and as Il soldiers we're @,
out, they were led into the luses adjoining, an
# every assistance renderedhem. Those wi
were too much injured to Tk, were placed
q litters. All the authorize of the town, th
!, troops in the garrison, anthc officers and so
d diers who had escaped inju, had only one ide
is that Of rendering all the asaance in their pow
e, er.
e A young lieuteernt Of thlth IN. Loup)ren
re dered himself conspicuousr his heroic exer
J. tons, and young workman, at the iminen
g danger of her life, juinpeinto the water, an
e saved the life of an oticerlo was Just sinking
II is impossible for us at thmoment to estimat
in the number of lives lost those that escape
e. with their lives there is scely one but has re
lg ceived wounds from the yonets of his CON
D., rades.
as Several acts of devotioleserve to be men
E. toned. A journeyman Ter named Turgl
who had acquired consid6lc notoriety in tn
n late political trials, strippend jumped into tn
ly river, and by his strengtand skill in swim
nd ming, saved great natives. One of tn
in soldiers, who had reached shore unlurt in
Ill, mediutely stripped and sw to the assistance
ed his comrades"
A letter from Anglers, ss:
er, "The Lieutenant Color an old officer
Die the empire, assisted By theiiutant and by son
ed of his men, escaped with life; but althou!
Ids seriously wounded and bsed he would Il
quit the spot, but remalneto watch over /
ent rescu Of his companions Nrms. Iii impos
'ne Bile to describe his sollclY and his coolne
'"u in the midst OF the irighln Sene by which
es' was surrounded.
lln' The inhabitants OF The " warmly second
her the exertions OF the oihc9 who forgot the
by selves to go to the assistdece Of their soldie
len A grand musical congreA vas to have TAX
heh place next week at Anged At in consequer
lro of the catastrophe the cohAtee have declt
4 that it shall not take place
'as' The following addition Articulars are fl
out the Precurseur of Angers
she "The suspension brldSe which has fallen '
low built l2 years ago, but f@r since underw
'oV- repairs which cost the tpFn about 10000
The suspending chains Otihd gave way on
side only, when the SoldleF on the bridge, f
ing the movement OF tho il'r Ofthe bridge,
lere urally rushed TO the otherede when the CHI
the there also gave way, and he whole floor of
dis. bridge fell. From ole bank to the other
y- river was completely blocked up with the
med diers struggling to reacq the shore. II
aud weather had been calm, the greater numb,
her them would in all probability have been sa
rs in The wind however, blewa perfect hurrc
be and the waves were very rough. Masse
Pc. men might be seen clingng to each other,
,ven waves every moment washing away som
nan, them until only one OF them remained. B,
of wood, planks, and every article that coul
but laid hands on, were launched, to enable the
left to keep themselves aaOat until further assist
Mat could arrive.
n his Ten o'clock,-The mu''eF roll has just