The Van Buren press., 1873-05-13
THE LAST HORROR.
The Baptism of Death-Particulars Of
the Awful Accident at Dixon, III.

Dixon, Ill, May 5.
Yesterday afternoon, about fifteen
minutes after one o'clock, as
Rev. Mr.. Pratt was passing a
convert for babtism into the water
Of Rock river just below the bridge on
the north side there being large crowd
of men, women and children witnessing
the ceremony from the bridge, the iron
work gave way, and, without moments s
warning, fifty or sixty souls were launch
ed into eternity. The horrible panic that
seized the vast crowd upon the banks Of
the river Of course spread through our
city, for mothers come to the river bank
anxously inQuiring for children, and
fathers for wives and children, and all
was horror and excitement. The bridge
was torn and broken, and hung from tho
piers. an appalling sight in itself, The
bents at each end were crushed into the
river That at the north end held firmly
to the bottom Of the river, and in its net
work of iron were lodged the children,
relatives and friends Of our people.
After nights work, under the super
intendency of John G. Jacobs, of the Ill
inois Central railroad, who kindly rem
dered much assistance, there was n der
rick erected, and it is hoped that the iron
work may be lifted SO that the bodies
may be recovered 1t is feared that we
have not yet learned the extent of the
calamity, for there may have been many
on the bridge from the country, whose
names we have not been able to get.
There were crowds Of people on the
banks of the river this morning, and ma
ny anxious faces were among them. The
telegraph wires were kept busy with mes
sages from abroad. Almost every house
in the city is in mourning. Mrs. Alexan-
der and Mrs Vann died this morning
from the effects Of their injuries.
This is today indeed mourning city.
The shadow Of the awful calamity that
has brought a sudden terrible death to so
many happy homes, seems to rest oE ey
cry face All day long the mournful
tones Of the funeral bell has filed the air,
while the cemetery is dotted thicIly with
new-made graves. The mon engaged in
erecting the derrcks with which TO raise
the fallen bridge, worked all night, and
by noon to-day succeeded in getting
them in place, and commenced the work
OF recovering the bodies of the unlortun
ates who were carried down underneath
the bridge and held fast by it. The fol
lowing are those recovered to- day: Mrs
C w. Keutner, Mrs + Hope, Robert
Dyke, Frank Hamilton, Miss Nettic Hill,
There are great number Of strangers IN
the city. and the river banks in the vicjn-
ity Of the scene ofthe accident have been
lined to day with people, anxious to see
the result Of the sad search There was
a report this morning that the bodies OF
several children had been taken out of
river at Rock Hill, about two miles below
the city. but it proved TO he a mistake. 1t
IS certain that there are other bodies
still beneath the ruins Of the fallen spans,
but how many il IS impossible to say,
Forty bodies have been recovered, and 1t
is believed that not les. than twelve or
thirteen more are still in the river. 1t is
now believed that there were not more
than one hundred aud fifty people on the
bridge at the time OF the accident. The
wounded are nearly all doing well, and 1t
is hoped, will recover.