The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-11-13
Terrible Accident in Chicago.

A feafiul accident occurred in Chicago
on Tuesday evening the 81 inst. by the
breaking down Of Rush street bridge by
which some FIVE or more persons lost their
lives. The Times of yesterday has the
following details of the catastrophe:
The circumstances Of the accident are
briefly as follows; 4 few minutes before
5 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon herd Of
fa, cattle wss being driven over the bridge.
About sixty Of them had not vet crossed
when q tug, having in tow two vessels,
came s,eaming down the river. The
bridge, tender. apprehensivs Of a collision,
and totally uamsnned by the occasion,
though the engine of The tug had been
promptly reserved on coming in sight.
commenced to swing the bridge Slowly
the iron structure moved on its pivot, and
powerfully did it bear fo- time its unus-
uai burthen. But ii had turned twenty
fee, from its position when the cattle, rush
inc forward toward tie north end, broke
in twain the structure. and the ends of The
bridge fell with tremendous crash
Twelve persons and fifty cattle were at
once precipitated into the water, or huTl
ed violently amidst the crashing wreck !!
At early dawn yesterday throngs Of
reopTe f1ocked to the spo; 10 large mum
hers All dav and increasingly large towards
n;shlf.lI. and what sight met the view.
The bridge detected jas, its own width
from its nominal position, the middle por>
ton resting on the centre pier, where the
ends declined in both directions into the
water. The curved supporting beams,
made q wrought iron plates holted to-
ge,her, were only strained and bent, not
broken. The lower frame or roadway WAS
broken in twain the parts being kept to-
gether only hy the iron beams with their
connecting, strengthening rods. The up
rer platform was broken off aud the
pieces law floating around, while the trans
verse rods AMI braces were bent into all
shares and forms The trussei frame
work had fallen upon the wreck, leaving
the eastern edge Of the structure very
broken, while The other side was bound to-
cether firmly. Between the trusses ana
he roa lway lay nine oxen p;nn ed TO the
spot and quite dead The braces hau
fallen across their necks and backs, al
most sunderinr them in twain. Some OF
these animals must have lived in agony
some time after the accident, AS their
meanings were distinctly heard through
greater portion Of the night, but. Of these,
all save two were dead IN the moring.
With regard to the number Of persons
or the bridge at the time Of the fall, &C
counts differ materially. Several persons
who saw the bridge go down ell give diff
feren; estimates The following is as near
an approach as can be made to the truth
James H. Dole. ir buggy. as al ready
stated The animal and vehicle were lost.
While in the water he took hold Of the
ho~n Of a steer, and thus kept himself
above water till rescued. The boy refer,
red to Yesterday was washed towards him,
and he assisted the youth to take hold of
another animal
A teamstcr in the employ Of G. II Nc
Corrnick & Co. he was thrown into The
river but escaped with only submerslon
The horse wa, saved.
Two elderly gentlemen were fshed
from the water
There were three drivers with the herd.
two Of whom were lost The other had
his leg terribly smashed. lie said that
he saw woman and child directly in
front of him on the bridge. and saw them
90 down they were lost. One Of the
bridge tenders was drowned.
Several parties were at each end of the
bridge hut lef, it when it began to turn.
The unmher of lives lost is at least five,
and may be greater.