Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-05-09
THE SEN TIN e L.
TERRIBLE DISASTER IN ILLINOIS.
Fall ofan Iron Bridge.


CURED at Dixon, H., yesterday afternoon,
which resulted in the death of thirty to forty
persons. The rite of baptism was being ad-
minisered at point in Rock river Just below
the Truesdale iron bridge, and about two hun.
dred persons, including many ladies and a
number Of children had gathered on the bridge
to witness the ceremony. Suddenly, without
warning, the bridge gave way and preciptat-
ed its living freight into the stream below -
The scenes which ensued were indescribably
terrible as the struggling victims vainly en-
deavored to free themselves from the ruins of
the bridge and from each other Large crowds
of people rushed wildly to and fro and many
of them so distracted with terror as to be una
BILE to render any assistance others more self
possessed speedily brought ropes, plauks, and
boats, and went nobly TO work TO rescue the
living and recover the dead. Some OF those
who were on the bridge when it fell were so
near the ends that they were able to reach
land without assistance. Up to clock last
evening 80 dead bodies had been taken from
the river, and ii is almost certain there
others still under the wreck of the bridge. of
those saved twenty-four were more or less in
jured.
Dixon, Ill.,, May 5.-No other bodies of the
victims Of the bridge disaster have been recov-
cred at this point up to the present hour but
several bodies have been picked up Sterling,
six miles below here, and donhtless the swift
current has borne others still further down the
stream. The general estimate of the loss is
from ninety TO a hundred,
There are crowds of people on the banks of
the river this morning viewing the scene OF the
disaster, the majority Of whom are looking for
missing friends. Every house in the city is in
mourning.
As stated in previous dispatch, thirty-two
bodies were recovered before dark. Five bo-
dies tloated past the men Mt work at the wreck
and have not been found. 1t is supposed that
that at least fifty bodies are still in the water
Most Of them it is supposed under the
wreck Of the bridge.
The bridge which was of iron, Truesdales
pattern, and of five spans, was elevated about
twenty-five feet above the river, which is from
Is to % feet deep. Only the two end spans
fell. The three middle spans are standing, but
in such condition that it is thought they will
fall when the wrecked spans are removed -
Workmen are busy putting up derrick in
order TO clear the wreck, and making ar
engagements TO secarc the bodies beneath it. II
is now stated that there were three hundred
re ms on the bridge at the time of the acci-
dent, and that greater number escaped thar
was at first supposed.
When the bridge gave way most of the peo-
pie were gathered at either end, tho large
number were near the centre, and some Of the
latter remained where they were after the
crash, and were taken off in boats. Several
persons jumped from their precarious resting
place, and were drawn ashore.
Two horses attached TO buggy were on the
middle span when the crash came and remain
there still, as there is no way of getting them
off. There were a number of remarkable es
capes of children, of whom there were proba-
bly, not less than fifty on the bridge. One lit
tie fellow, aged thirteen years, was caught by
both feet in the iron rigging of one Of the
spans, and had leg broken, but he managed
by sheer strength TO pull one of his boots off,
and then coolv took out his knife and ripped
the other boot from the crippled leg and
swan ashore Two little girls, sisters, stand
ing side BY side, went down together. The
elder caught the other by the dress with one
hand, and with the other seized part of the
wreck, and maintained their heads above icy
water until rescued. Among the killed was
Miss Bessie Payne, daughter of Mrs. NJ. h.
Payne editor of the Chicago Ladies' Magazine.
Mrs. p VI. Alexander and Mrs Yaun died
this morning from the effects of their injuries.
The bridge as torn and broken, hangs from
The piers, and is an appalling sight in itself
Al each end men, women and children were
crushed into the river, while ut the north
ED, where the loss of life was greatest, the
bodies were held firmly TO the bottom of the
river ina net work ofiron.
Schurz was born at Liblar, near Cologne,
March 2. 1920, and studied at the collegiate
institution in Cologne and afterwards Mt the
University of Bonn. He went from the uni-
versity dreaming of German republican con
federation. He became the editor Of a liberal
newspaper. lie fostered the revolutionary
spirit which eliminated in actual hosiilities
near the year 1913. Abandoning his edito-
rial chair he joined the ranks Of the revolu-
ok ri in bn Df Pa
Defeated he fed TO Switzerland, thence to
Paris and London. In London he q teach
err and correspondent for three years. Mean
while the Prussian government exiled him for
life, and the decree was that if ever found on
on German territory he should be shot His
favorite professor in the University of Bonn
had in the meantime been imprisoned for life,
and Young Schurz resolved TO liberate him.
certain German air was the great favorte
of both, which they often played and sang to-
gether A London organ maker made hand
organ for young Schurz, and among the Ger
man and Italian airs which it played was the
professors favorite. Then Disgusting himself
as an Italian peasant, and secreting coil of
rope and several skeleton keys in his clothes,
he went to the fort and was admitted. He
played awhile for the officers, and was then
admitted to the prison to play to the political
prisoners Striking up the favorite tune, he
soon had the pleasure of seeing his professor
at the grating. To open that cell with a skele-
ton KEY was the work Of moment, and before
they were discovered the professor and young
Schurz were on the parapet They lowered
themselves on the rope, and ran to a small
patch of wood where two feet horses were
concealed They escaped to London.
In 1852 Mr. Schurz immigrated TO this
country. He natnWly became conspicuous
member of the genuine republican party. lie
was delegate to the Chicago Convention in
1870, taking leading part in its proceedings,
and was selected by President Lincoln in 1861
as minister to Spain. When the war broke
out he resigned and returned, and was ap-
pointed brigadier general Of volunteers. lie
participated in the second battle Of Bull Run
and in the battles of Charlottesville, Gettys-
burg and Chattanooga. He was the president
of the Chicago Convention of 1868 which
nominated Gen. Grant and was elected TO the
United States Senate republican, to snc-
coed John b. Henderson, Of Missouri, and
took his seat March 4th, 1869.
GENERAL LoYGsTREET There has always
been mystery in regard TO the real causes Of
the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. 1t has
been felt that if our army had been moved
with promptuess, the day would have been
oy,,.a e no n fade racv