Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-05-09
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT DIX
ON ILL.
As Persons Killed and Drowned and
large Number Wounded by the
fall Of a Bridge.

| ON ILL.
As Persons Killed and Drowned and
large Number Wounded by the
fall Of a Bridge.
Dixon, ILL.,, was the scene last
Sunday of one of the most appalling
calsmities on record. Some three
hundred residents of the town, COM
prising representatives of all class
es, but mainly women and children
were congregated upon an iron
bridge spanning Rock river, to wit
ness the administration of the rite
of baptism at the shore below. In
an instant, without moments VAIN
ing, the structure gave way precipi-
tating the mass of humanity into
the swift current Of the river, swol-
len by the late rains and full twenty
feet deep. The scene which follow
ed and some of the incidents Of the
tragedy are thus described in the
special correspondence of the Inter-
Ocean,:
just as the third candidate was
presenting himself for baptism there
was sharp,
QUICK CRASH,
heavy rumbling, and prolong ed,
soul rending shrek from 500 lungs.
The main western stringer of the
north span of the bridge broke like
a reed, tipping 800 persons into the
stream, and falling fifty feet with
crushing weight upon them. The
fall dislodged the stays from the
abutments; the shock ran along the
whole length of the bridge like a
flash of electricity, and span after
span was drawn from the piers and
sund sagging to the waters surface,
till the whole five were coilcd up
like massive bags, holding bruis-
ed, bleeding, frightened, frantic
mass of men, women, children, and
horses. The Imagination can scarce
ly conceive of a more terrible ca
lamity. The situation was so ter
rible, the chances of escape so few,
the sources of aid so scanty that it
is merely marvellous that the loss
of life is comparatively so small.
THE WATER
runs in swift, frothy currents over
a dam not more than 100 yards
above, and it was so swollen by re-
cent rains that its depth was about
twenty feet. Not only those who
were precipitated with the falling
span went under the water, but many
on the other spans were either
thrown by the shock into the stream
or plunged in themselves to escape
being crushed by the crazy crowd.
THE SCENE
can not be described. The fancy
cannot picture it. The eyes of those
who witnessed it were blinded with
horror, and the whole crowd on the
banks stood paralyzed for a momont,
unable to think, speak, or move till
the mind could catch a faint COM
prehension of the awful situation.-
An old man who sat on log near
the bank when the bridge went
down says, 81 heard the crack, l
saw swaying, rolling l;ne; heard
voices, and then my head was diz-
zy, and whirled till the sky looked
black AS soon as the fact was
felt in the crowd on the banks there
was rush to the water, strong men
plunged in to rescue those who
came to the surface, boards and
planks were thrown to their relief,
and a number Of boats, which were
fortunately at hand, were sent i'm
mediately to the aid of the wounded.
Few of those who were saved can
tell who rescued them, and most Of
those who were most instrumental
in saving life are unable yet to re-
call what they did or whom they
helped in the moment of frenzy
There were stretchers still clinging
to the abutments, which were not
loosened by the fall, and to these
were clinging persons desperate for
life. The air is thick with stories
of