Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-05-10
AN AWFUL BAPTISM.
The Iron Bridge at Dixon, ILL.,, Falls
Into Rock River with 800 People.
Thirty-two Dead Bodies Recovered,
and Search Making for Others.
Special from the oourier-Journal.

and Search Making for Others.
Special from the Courier-Journal.
DIXON, ILL, May A terrible ac-
cident, involving fearful loss of life,
occurred here this afternoon. The
rite of baptism was in course of admin
:stration to number of recent con-
verts to one of the Baptist churches
here at point on Rock river, just be-
low the Truesdell iron bridge. About
two hundred persons, including many
ladies and number of children, had
gathered ON the bridge to witness the
ceremony. Suddenly, without warn
ing, the bridge gave way and precipita-
ted its living freight into the living
stream below. The scene which en-
sued was
INDEsCRIBABLY TERRIBLE.
as the struggling victims vainly en-
deavored to free themselves from the
ruins of the bridge and from each
other the large crowds of people on
the banks rushed widely to and fro,
many of them so distracted with terror
as to be unable to render any assistance.
Others, more self-possessed, speedily
brought ropes, planks and boats, and
went nobly to work to rescue the liv-
ing 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 the banks without
assistance; while others were. fortu-
nately within reach of those on shore.
But up to 6P. NJ.
THIRTY-TwO DEAD BODIES.
had been taken from the river, and it
is almost certain that there are others
still under the wreck of the bridge.
Twenty-four rescued alive, were more
or less injured, some fatally.
DIXON, ILL, Midnight.-Up to this
hour no other bodies of the victims of
the bridge disaster have been recover
ed at this point; but several are repor-
ted to have been picked up at Sterling,
six miles below, and doubtless the
swift current has borne others even
farther down the river. The general
estimate of the number lost is from
ninety to one hundred As stated in
previous dispatches, thirty-two bodies
were recovered from the wreck before
dark. Five other bodies foated down
past those engaged at the wreck. and
have not yet been recovered. There
are, therefore, supposed to,be at least
FIFTY BODIES STILL UNBOUND.
Most of them, it is thought, are un-
der the wreck of the bridge. The
bridge was of iron, of the Rusdell pat
tent, and had five spans elevated about
twenty feet above the water, which al
this point is from fifteen to twenty feet
deep. Only two spans, the end spans
fell. The three middle spans are still
standing, but in such condition that il
is thought they will fall when the
wreck of the end spans is cleared
away. Workmen are busy tonight
putting in place derricks with which
to raise the fallen spans, and making
arrangements to secure the bodies be
meath. tits now stated that there were
NEARLY THREE HUNDRED PEOPLE
on the bridge at the time of the acct
dent, and more succeeded in escapin.
than was at first feared. AT 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 lattel
] remained where they were when tn,
crash came, and were afterwards takeI
off by boats. Several of the men jump
ed from their precarious resting plac,
into the river and swan to the shore
Two horses and buggies were standing
on the middle spans and still there
there being no way to take than off
Their were number of
REMARKABLE ESCAPES OF CHILDREN
of whom there were probably not les,
than fifty on the bridge when it went
down. One little fellow, about .thir.
, teen years old, was caught by both
E feet in the iron rigging of one of the
falling spans, and had one of his Leg
broken. He managed by sheer
strength to pull one of his boots off
tearing the sole off in the process
Then coolly taking out his knife, he
ripped the other boot from the foot o.
the wounded leg, and 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 eldest caught the
other by her dress with one hand, and
: with the other chung to a portion o.
the iron work and hung fast to it up t.
her neck in icy water, until they were
,, both taken off by boat. There is 81
> much
EXCITEMENT AND CONFUSION
that it is impossible tonight to procure
more definite information in regard t.
t the number lost, but the estimate
given above is believed to be nearly
correct. No attempt will be made t.
|, recover any more bodies until morning
and the completion of derricks ant
other apparatus.