The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-10-04
The Tsrri5ie Accident In Whccl;a.c-
Further Partlaul,rs
From the Wheeling Iutelllge.cer, Cd.


More than month ago the City Cauncil
ordered the closing Of the suspension brio 30
across the creek ut the foot of Sixth street,
which order the street commissioner exc.
cuted by boarding up the approaches to the
bridge, and placed the following notice at
each entrance : This bridge is closed by
order Of the Council"
AS nearly all of tue men employed in the
Crescent Iron Works, OH the south side OF
the creek, live on the opposite side, some
ready means of crossing to their meals must
he had and as the banks just in that
locality are very steep and high, and no
other bridge within three squares, it is sup.
posed some Of the employees tore away the
instructions All hour or two after they were
put up, and the bridge has been left open
ever since. The bridge was built about
fifteen years ago, and has been thought un.
safe for more than year.
Yesterday afternoon between 2 and 3
O'Clock seven young men started TO pass
over the bridge for the purpose of witness
ing fight between two parties then In pro-
gress on the Chapline Hill road, above the
Crescent mills. They had reached about
the centre of the bridge when the west ca
bic gave way at the anchorage at the north
end and permitted that side Of the struc-
ture TO drop down. Six of them were pre-
clpitated upon the rocks and cinders, q dis
tancc of full thirty feet; the seventh
craSped the unhroken cable and thus
saved his life. The names of those who
fell are Thomas Calligan, Joseph Cline,
Charles Coylc, Albert Elliott, Joseph
Hague, and George Akers; that of the
young man who escaped as above men,
toned, August Yahrling. Calliyan wos
killed outright; Cline breathed but few
times after he was reached by persons who
went to his assistance. The necks of both
were broken, besides the other severe in
juries they sustained. Coyle's skull was
ii IT, smashed and his lett arm broken.
lie survived unCli U u-.Iuvir IL, tha cvnninr
when death released him from his suffer.
ings. Elliott's left leg was broken between
the knee and ankle, both wrists badly
sprained, and bis face and head pretty seri-
ously cut. Hague'S left leg was also broken
on the head. Akers was internally injured.
and his physician last night was fearful
that he would not rally. Cline and CALI
gan were married, and leave families the
others were single men.
The intelligence of the disaster soon
spread over almost the entire city and
caused intense excitement. The scene of
the accident was visited by thousands du-
ring tho afternoon, and until long after
nighttall hundreds fingered about the fatal
spot. Physicians were Immediately sum-
moned, and did all in their power to ALE
vjate the sutferings of the wounded.
AS above stated, the bridge has long been
regarded as dangerous. The city and county
authorities within The past month have been
considering the subject of erecting larger
and more substantial structure at that
point. This, we presume, will now rapidly
crystalline into some definite plan and its
prompt execution. We have sounded the
alarm about it on several occasions within
the last year, but very little heed was
given it.
An examination of the broken cable yes
terday revealed degree of danger which
we had no idea existed, and which was
certainly not generally known. The ca
bles were originally composed of twenty
strands Of wire. Ofthose in the one which
broke only eleven remained at the point OF
fracture 1.-THE others having corroded away,
and some OF them were not larger than an
ordlnary-sized knitting needle. We heard
the opinion expressed that the unoxidIzed
material in the eleven would not bear
greater weight than q single new one. The
wonder Is that the accident did not happen