, 1870-06-11
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From d. Learsasso,th tEaa-> 1s4<s, Jansa
YESTERDAY afternoon about I O'clock onr c;t-
zens were startled by reports OF some fearful
accident At the scene OF operations on the Kan
ess and Missouri Bridge, On inquiry it xau
ascertained that the channel pier which vas
recently put in place, had fallen over to tho
southeast, sunk the barge and drowned threa
men. Tho particulars Of tho catasteople arc
as follows:
The foundation on which the pier rested vas
not Intended for its perm9nsnt basis, but e1-
cavatons were being tnaae il the Interior OF
the tube, 1t the bottom Of tbs Eiver, for more
solid rock For this purpose seven men Nero
working IN there, md bad out through the
layer Of rock, layer Of soapste1aar md below
that, clay, to the solid bed Of rock upon which
it WAS intended The pier should rest. After
upper fsyer npon which the tube temporarily
rested. Il il supposed that the undermining
of this allowed tbs supper crust 70 break,
and the anchorage OF guys to the pier proving
inadequate to the strain, the whole came
down.
When the pier began to move, Patrick
O'bIaley, foreman Of the men at work inside,
YVES standing in the barge. As soon IS tho
alarm was given, this bravo utnn sprang TO tho
top OF the pier, entered the air~lock, and Sue
ceeded in getting all the seJen men out upon
the barge. It must not be understood, OF
ratus for keeping. it in position caused il to
careen over alowly, thus giving = little
time for cscape, which it is unnecessa-
ry to say Was used to the best ad-
vantage. As it came over, the tube struck
ACROSS one corner Of the barge upon which was
al the machinery, DC. for the work, carrying
it under water rs II It had been q strnw, and
finally sinking the whole thing. At the time
Of the accident the following persons wste on
the barge: Superintendent Jenkins, Jesse
Eye, fireman John Beebe, engineer, Patrick
O'Maley, hi. sickles and Charles Colley.
The names Of the men who vsre working in
the pier we're James Pierson, Charles Hawlcy,
ten, P Harrington and Joseph Morectt. The
last NAMED ha7ing escaped to tho barge,
there were thirteen men aboard who were COM
PEELED to save Themselves ~ best they conl1-
Seeing 1t was bound to sink, all jumped into
tho, Hye1 except Joseph 1Iorsett, who va.
last seen standing like statue near the stern,
and lie vent down with the ponaerous mass to
wateIy grave. The men we're all picked up
except Charles colley PesaE Harrington, aud
easareI %e1S IN ~ ,aI ha,, sa;
want for General Smith. Harrington was an
1rishrnan. and has a sister living in Leaven-
worth Morsett wss . Frenchman, from Chi
csgo, where he has brother living The lat
Ter lS a41d 10 l&V8 0eed the b9St swimmer OF
them al, but it is supposed he was paralyzed
with horror and fear at the awful scene, and
thus rendered helpless.
We neglected to stats that Patrick O'MAley,
who helped the mensout Was badly cut in the
head After doing the noble work he attempt
cd to Hlidc down one Of the guys Of the der
rick, but the thing brnke, and be WAS thrown
into the river with his fsce and head badly
bruised. Had it not been for this brave man
all the men in the pier must have perished
This Is the third time Q'Maley has been hurt
in the bridge business He was badly bruised
at Omaha, and WIS terribly injured at this
bridge when the explosion occurred some time
ago.
Mr. SickIes was also hurt considerably by
some cordnood which fell on him when the
barge went down.
Mr. Lafayette Morgan, time-keeper was
amopg the most prominent in using the boats
to advantage. picking mp those IN the river.
He found Mr.. Shelton nearly half way down
to Skelton Mills.
The loss Of the Fridge Company We could
not ascettain last evening. The pier, COM
poEed Of si1 sections OF ten feet each, and
surmounted by the air lock; the barge With
two engines, two sir pumps-in fact I'll the
machinery and continuance for putting in tho
piers, are sunk in Is feet OF water, and tha
work Of months is demolished. How the pier
and sir-1ock are to be raised, engineers alone
can tell, aud We arc not advised, in tho alb
Bence OF Mr. Boomer, what is to be lono
next.