Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-04-13
AcclDENTbT TINE RAIL ROAD BRIDGE
One Man Drowned.

We are again called upon to record the
loss Of life ~ the sailsssd bridge. which
happened this oesning - the wsrtosn On.
gagsd II rsbsilding the draw wsss trying
10 reach The dnw pier. TAss bed does0.
Dsacsd work. when three msn-Chas:
Walker. Doussld MeCssmick and Bssussd
Olsen -slsstsd n ski4 y eeas fssm the
draw pier to the first pier this way. %
which the end Of the tsides rests. 70 take
mere Of the voskmsn ever to The draw.
This they wsrs unable 70 do, On account u
the heavy wind and strsng current, which
took them down stream and landed then q
the foot Of Main street. Walker then leis
the boat and went up 70 the bridge, and
two others, named HUI and Jasper, took
his place Following the shers, they row.
I'd up TO Rsnwiek's saw Mill. and attempt
ID 70 float dewn 10 The draw. Finding
themselves unable to land. they attempted
to make . heavy line that is stretched
from barge nesred at the feet Of the
draw pier, - the first pies this way. on
which the end Of the bridge rests, and
whore the men we're waiting to bs takes
ever. The boat 10 sooner struck thls line
than than il capsized. HUI aud jasper
clung 10 the boat and went with it under
the lise, coming cut on the other side
thoroughly vet with The boat nearly Allied.
They finally righted the boat and succeed
ID ia reaching the shore without further
injury. Mccormick aud Olson. graspsd the
line and held thsmsslvss. NsCssniek sue.
eeedsd in getting both arms over the line
and lay on bic back With his feet dewn
stream. thus bsing able 70 keep his head
above water, Olson could emily hold 90 By
his hands. Ia this sitnatioa thsy remained
for long time. One Of the worknsa %
the end es che bridge. . noble hartsd,
pluely yssns mas. naasd ]. Hsrrimsn
tied . rope around his own bsdy
and prevailed spsn The sshsss 70 lever hin
With line shss hs night make Il fast y
enc Of the msu, and thas Il possible, rescue
him - we'll - bis csnpaaios. Dsvn hs
went - his pssilsss ssrand into the chill.
ing water. and he'd nearly suecssdsd il
making il fast, when ski6 from Rsavica's
mill, rewsd BY Matthias J. Lsosr, sams %
from below, ssd . line being thrown frso
the bridge. il was pulled up 70 ths men and
Mccormick taken in. Mr.. Lsnsr then east
off che line and pulled ashore With his help
less Passenger. Discs, VIE was dsrine
this time holding % 70 the rope
finding his strength leaving him. rslsss-
ed his hold and losking up 70 his oompan.
ions bid then goea-bys snd 6sassd down
into bic es,d and watssy gave. Fssn Nc
Cormick ~ learn that - b lay on the
rope unable % move. and - chilled that
life no longer seemed desirable. Herman
was struggling in the icy watsr, trying to
get the rsps around him. and that while -
doing, Hsrriusa said 70 him, cAssr up.
my boy, you will sscn.. b. oil right again"
whs en- ~ thst thess words vsrs not
heard BY the Angle Of Mercy, and viii -
sspsaasd as Tho iadgesas ssal. = that they
will net form . bsight clnsasr in esevn
immortal
Hssrimsn with the others we're taken TO
the Psunstlvauis Hsuss and properly
csrsd for. Il wsss betass that the wrecked
bridge had been swept away with The ice
gusgs thss that - ether life shsuld thus Do
lost.
We are only able 70 learn that The
drowned man was Swsds BY birth. and
hs was about 2l years Of age. On &C.
count Of the stroug wind no sdert WAS
made to recover the bedy.