The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-03

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT At ALBION, N. y
Further PartienlaYs.--The telegraph has men,
toned the falling of bridge at Albion, N. Y,
on the 2sth ult., by which eighteen persons
lost their lives. Fifteen bodies have been re-
covered. A crowd were witnessing the feats
of rope walker when the accident occurred.
The Rochester Union says:
The iron bridge near the rope was crowded
With people on foot and in wagons, that place
being one of the best that could be found for a
view of the rope.
and all eyes were fixed upon him, the bridge
went down with n crash, carrying into the
water in one prolniscuous mass. hundreds of
people, including all ages aud both sexes, and
with them Of course fell the horses and wa
gons, iron timbcrs and other materials of the
bridge 1t appears that the largest number of
people We're on the west side of the bridge,
that being nearest TO the rope, and that went
down first thus giving the falling mass of hu-
man beings, animals and materials a sidewise
as Well as downward motion. The eastern
section of the bridge falling last. must have
buried many beneath its ruins. As the bridge
was of iron. partly cast and partly wrought,
II broke into sections and fragments, and went
to the bottom of the canal, burying of course
everything that went before it beneath its
weight. The excitement which followed can
not he described--it may perhaps be imagined.
Hundreds OF people We're on the banks of the
Canal, and upon the buildings around to view
by the shock of the falling bridge, but they OF
course rushed to the rescue and drew from the
water those who were within reach II was
not long before all those who went down and
survived the fall were rescu ued and the bodies
OF the dead were soon taken up in considerable
numbers. A gentleman who was witness OF
the spectacle, says he thinks that manv were
injured and perhaps some lost their lives by
the horses which went down with the crowd.
They foundered, kicked and struggled and no
doubt injured some of the unfortunate people
in trying to extricate themselves.
There We're three teams upon the bridge two
carriages and 81 lumber team The number of
persons upon the bridge is estimated ST from
two 10 four hundred the most of whom went
into the water.
The killed taken out last night within three
hours after the accident, are thus reported: Mr.
Cornell and MIR. Stiilson, of South Barre: AL
bert Wilcox, of West Kendall; Jane Avery
Lydia Harris, and Thomas Cady, of Albion !;
Mrs. FeIle, of Barre; Thomas Iianny, of Yates:
Sarah Thomas Augusta Martin, r. Murdoch
and bir. Henry, OF Carlton; Perry Cole of Ben
toms Corners.
Miss Pratt, of Michigan on a visit to friends
near Albion. She was killed upon the towing
path. standing under the bridge
A dam was thrown across the canal last even
ing few rods west of the fallen bridge and
the water was drawn down at points to the
eas tWard during the night. IL was eight feet
deep under the bridge when the accident took
place. ltwas falling so fast this morning that
II was supposed that all the dead would be re-
covered to-day and the wreck cleared away.
The bridge was constructed about ten years
ago, we think, on the Whipple plan. 1t was
about 60 feet long-but not the full width of
the enlarged canal. 1t was shortly to be re-
placed by 4 larger and better one, the materials
for which are already at Albion. 1t is safe TO
assume that there defect in this struc-
ture, OF that it had been neglected.