The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-09
Frtghtf.l Calamity an Illinois.
A BRIDGE GIVES WAY, PRECIPTTATING SEW
ERAL HUNDRED PERSONS INTO THE
RIvER-TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE

CHICAGO, May 5.--An appalling calamity
occurred yesterday at Dixon, ILL.,, about
one hundred miles west of this city, by
which it is believed almost one hundred
persons lost their lives. A large number
of people had assembled on the banks Of
Rock river to witness :he baptism of about
a dozen converts, by Rev. J. II. Pratt,
Baptist minister. Some three hundred had
gathered on the bridge, an iron structure
of the Truesdell pattern, five hundred feet
long when suddenly span gave way. and
nearly two hundred were prccipitated into
the water twenty feet below and about six
feet deep. The scene that followed battles
description. The most frantic efforts were
made by those on the shore to rescue the
struggling victims, some of whom were
drawn out by the hair and by the limbs,
and every effort made to resuscltate them.
The general estimate of the number OF lost
amounts to from ninety to one hundred.
As stated, thiIty-one bodies were recovered
from the wreck before dark. Five other
bodies foated down past those engaged at
the wreck, and have not yet been recOy-
cred. There are therefore supposed to be
at least fifty bodies still upfound, most of
whom, it is thought, are under the wreck
of the bridge. The bridge was of iron of
the Truesdell pattern and had five spans
elevated about twenty feet above the wa
ter, which at this pOins is from fifteen to
twenty feet. Only two spanS-the end
spans-fell. The three middle spans are
still standing, but i'll such condition that
it is thought they win fall when the wreck
of the end spans is cleared away. Work
men are busy putting in place derricks
with which to raise the fallen spans, and
making arrangements
TO SECURE THE BODIES BENEATH.
1t is now stated that there were nearly
three hundred people on the bridge at the
time Of the accident, and more succeeded
in escaping tlIan was at first feared ut the
time of the accident. The most of the
people were gathered at either end of the
structure, though large number were
near the center. Some of the latter
manned where they were when the crash
came, and were afterward taken off by
boats. Several men jumped from their
precariOus resting place into the river and
swan ashore. Two horses and buCgies
were standing on the middle spans, and are
! still there, there being no way to take them
of. There were number of
REMARKABLE ESCAPES OF CHILDREN.
of whom there were probably not less than
fifty on the bridge when it went down. One
little fellow, about thirteen years old, was
caught by both feet in the iron rigging of
one Of the fallen spans and had one of his
| legs broken. lie managed by sheer strength
! to pull one Of his boots off, tearing the sole
of in the process, then cooIly taking out
!
foot of the wounded leg, and then, crippled
| as he was, swan ashore. Two little girls,
sisters. were standing side by side and went
down together as they reached the water
the oldest caught the other by her dress
with one hand and with the other chung TO
portion of the iron work, and held fast to
it up to her neck in the icy water until they
were both taken off by boat.
Specials received here tonight are re-
plete with incidents attendant on the fear
ful calamity, but add little to the main
facts already telegraphed. The number
still known to be missing, added to those
whose bodies have already been recovered,
makes the list of killed seventy-fivc. The
! wounded, two of whom (Mrs. Alexander
and Mrs. Nann) have since died, number
thirty-two.
STILL LATER.
Dixon, ILL, May 6.-For two days the
city has been in mourning for its dead
victims of the disaster of Sunday. For two
days the funeral bells have been tolling al
most hourly, and new made graves have
almost hourly raised their mournful hill
locks in the cemetery.
The fallen bridge has been partially
raised and some forty bodies in all removed
1t is believed that At least twelve or thir-
are doing well.
The accident was caused by the people
crOwding all to one side of the bridge a
cap-stringer parted. SO, the structure being
of the kind that when one part gave away
the whole would, all was precipi ated into
the water beneath.