The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-05-13
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
Bridge Crowded with People Fail.
Nearly One Hundred Lives Lest.

s - e
Nearly One Hundred Lives Lost.
DIXON, Ill Maya "A terrible acct
dent, Involving q fearful logs of life, oc-
cnrred here this afternoon. The rite of
baptism was being administered TO 4
number of recent converts 70 one OF the
Baptist Churches here, at a po;ntin Rock
River just below the Trueslel Iron
Bridge About 2CO persons, including
many ladies' and number of children,
had gathered or the bridge to witness the
ceremony. Suddenly, without warning,
the bridge gave way, and precipitated its
living freight into the stream below. The
scene which cnsued was indescribablv
terrible, as the struggling victims calmly
endeavored to free themselves from the
ruins Of the bridge, and from each other,
Large crowds Of people on the banks
rushed wildly to and fro, many of them
so distracted with terror rs to I've unable
to render any assistance Others, more
self-possessed, speedily brought ropes,
planks and boats sand nohly went I" work
to rescue the living and recover the dead
Some Of those who were on tie bridge
when it fell were so near the ends that
| they were able to reach the bank without
assistance, while Others were fortunately
within reach of those On shore but up to
S 80 dead bodies had been taken from
the river, and it is almost certain that
there are others still under the wreck of
the bridge. OF those save "a were more
or less injured, some fatally.
Midnight -Upto this hour no other
bodies Of victims Of the bridge disaster
have been recovered at this pioint,but sew.
eral are reported to have been picked UP
at Sterling, six miles below, and doubles!
the swift current has bore others eveL far
ther down the river. The general esti
mate of the number lost is from 80 tc
| 100 -r
As stated 10 the previous dispatches 8:
bodies were recovered from the wreck
before dark Five other bodies floatet
down past those engaged at the wreck
and have not yet been recovered There
are, therefore, supposed to be at least 81
bodies unfound Most of them it /!
thought are under the wreck of th'
bridge. ~
The bridge was of iron. of the Trues
dell pattern, and had Eve spans elevated
about 90 feet above the water, which a
this point is from Is to % feet deep. On
ly two spans, the end spans, fell. Th'
three middle spans are still standing, bn
in such condition that it is thought the.
will fall when the wreck of the end Of th'
spans is cleared away Workmen ar
busy tonight putting in place derrick
with which to raise the fallen spans, ant
making arrangements to secure the bod
les beneath.
1t is now stated that there were nearl,
800 people on the bridge at the time o
!, the accident, and more succeeded in esca
ping than was at first feared AT the TIM
of the accident most of the people wer
gathered at either end of the structure
though large number were near the cen
ter Some Of the latter remained where
they were when the crash came, and wer
afterward taken off by boats. Severa
men jumped from their precarious rest
ing place into the river and swan to tn
shore Two horses and buggies wer
standing on the middle spans, and ar
still there, there being no way to tax
them off.
There were number of remarkahl
escapes of children, of whom there wer
probably not less than 30 on the bridg
when it went down. One little fello'
about 13 years of age, was caught by bot
feet in the iron rigging OF one of tn
spans, and had one of his lie egs broken
He managed by sheer strength to pu
one of his boots off, tearing the sole o
in the process; then coolly taking out hi
knife ripped the other boot from tn
, foot of the wounded leg, and then, criF
pied as he was, swan ashore. Two littl
; girls, sisters, were standing side by sid
and went down together As they reacl
ed the water the elder caught the other b
the dress with one hand, and with til
: other clung to portion of the iron worl
and clung fast to it up to her neck in W;
ter, until they were both taken off by
. boat.
THERE'S so much excitement and col
fusion that it is impossible Tonight t
procure more definite information in n
gard 10 the number lost, but the estima,
; giver aboveis believed to be nearly CO
4 rect. No attempt will be made to recovt
I any more bodies until morning, and til
y completion of derricks and other app:
ratnS.
CHICAGO, May 5.-The following e.
ira published this n forming BY the Ste
: ling Mills Gazette, will give clearer idt
t of the manper and direct cause of IL
, Dixon bridge disaster, than anything b
fore received: fa'
"The people were closely crowded q
: the footway, and the immense weight, q
j. on one side was too much for the bridge
one of the cap stringers swapping assu
P der,and allowing the north section to sa
n from the abutment and plunge into Il
. river with the living burden. Betwet
II the foot aud wagon ways was a net VOL
of iron braces about nine feet high, ar
It this toppled over on the mass Of huma
!. ity, who had been thrown into the rive
s and by it the men, women and childrt
e were pinioned beneath the water, withor
d power to help themselves, and too firm
bound by the weight of iron to be aide
: by their friends. -..
at appears that the bridge was co
= structed in such a manner as to NAL
each section dependent on the Others fl
support, and when the north section ga
!. way, the balance sagged between Il
piers, making complete wreck of Il
d entire structure So far as is known I
e fatal casualties occurred on any sectic
! but the first, though several were severe
/ injured by being crushed between tt
l. iron work" i--
Specials received here tonight are fl
ed with incidents attendant on the eeart
calamity, but add little to the main fac
already telegraphed. The number st
!, J, known TO be missing, added to tho
u whose bodies have already been recove
ed, makes the list of killed seventy-tive