The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-06-03
Alarming Accident ut Hoboken. =
FALL OF THE BARCLAY STREET BRIDGE.
One hundred Persons hro,cn into the Water--
Several supposed Observation-Disclosures Es-
cape of Hundred ON the Bridge.

An accident of the most painful and alarm
ing nature occurred between and O'Clock
last evening, at the Hoboken Ferry ion the
Jersey shore, by which the lives Of some five
hundred persons, men, women and children,
were placed in peril. The ferry bridge
erected for the landing Of passengers to and
from Barcley street, New York, fell with a
loud crash, while upwards OF five huncred
persons were standing on it, awaiting the ar
rival of the next steamboat. A wild cry OF
alarm arose, and at one time it was supposed
that more than half of these on the bridge
had met with watery graves. The shrieks
and cries for help were heard in every drec-
ton from those struggling in the water and
clinging to the bridge. The scene was truly
appalling. r1-fz
When the news of the catastrophe reach
ed our city it spread with great rapidly, an
thousands Fl ,cked to the opposite shore in
search of their friends. All sorts of exag-
gerated accounts were ahoat, which led the
people to believe there was large number
of lives lost. One man hastily entered the
exchange Of the Astor House, and assured the
gentleman present "that over fifty persons
were killed." Others were positive that
over one hundred had met with untimely
death by this disaster. Soon after the sad
occurrence, one of our reporters repaired to
the sad catastrophe. The steamer John
Fitch was just entering the slip adjoining the
Atlantic hotel when the bridge gave way 1t
was near o'clock and the number of visit
ors anxious to return to Barclay street in that
boat was immense. Hence the entire bridge
was density crowded with between five and
six hundred persons, and the ferry master
was unable to admit any more. AS the pi OF
of the Fitch rang the bell to back one or two
turns, the middle cable chain on the north
side of the bridge, suddenly broke, and ow-
ing to great weight on the bridge, the bal
ance of the suspension chains also parted
and the bridge went down into the water
The tide was full food, ard the debth of wa
ter at high tide is not less that Is or Is feet.
The rear part Of the bripge is fastened to the
dock, and the iron cables wese used for hoist
ing and lowering the bridge to meet the
steamers and suit the tides as they ebb and
flow.
The steamboat was crowded with passed.
gers, and as the bridge precipitated to the
water. the most alarming excitement was
manifested for the safety of those who were
upon it. Their cond,t being quickly OBJ
served by the pilot of the John Fitch, he in
stantiy gave signal to stop the machinery,
which order was immediately obeyed by the
engineer. The steamer was pushed onward
few feet, and the other part of the ship was
filled with men, women and children, among
whom were several infants who had been
thrown into the water by the falling bridge.
The repeated screams os the helpless
beings for assistance aroused everybody
within their hearing, and nothing was leis
undone that could render them any aid. The
painful scene was of a character that quick
ly startled the spectators and to describe it in
detail, would require more space than our
columns afford this mornng.-Snall row
boats, scows, and other crafts, were speedily
brought from the other ships, and in lesstba n
ten minutes, over fifty persons had been saved
by the main strength of those who manned
the boats. Two athletic young men, named
Frank McDonough, and VIM. Rowe. of Ii o..
boken, are deserving of great credit Tor their
noble acts in the rescue Of some forty men
and women no were clinging TO the fender
poles, almost exhausted. These men were
outside OF the Ferry gates when the accident
took place, but scarcely had the steamer
backed three Ieet before they leaped Into the
water and were the sole means OF saving a
large number Of valuable lives as ;hey were
Numerous others of the three or four hun
dred citizens who were suddenly plunged
into the water. crawled out on the dock with
out help or the least assistance; one poor wo.
man, with an infant in her arms, was observ.
ed as she raised her head above the surface
OF the water and courageous man leaped
into the water and swan ashore with both G (
them on his back. The babe was clinginp
to its mothers dres and astonished many
person by its apparent calmness when brought
ashore by the kind hearted man alluded
to above. Among those who were relea Sc d,
some five or six persons were found to be in
jured, and were forthwith taken into the At
lantic Hotel, where Captain Baker and his
kind lady rendered them every assistance
to alleviate their suffering.
". Y. Times, 29h inst
Mn EpiToR=Please announce to of Indiana that