, 1873-05-06
THE DIXON CALAMITY.

The additional particulara In regard to tho fall
Of tho Dixon bridge, yllici4 ~ill' be found clso-
where In this papcr only sorve TO- bring tho ter
ross Of tho catastrophe within rcaror personal
appreciation of thoso who nro separated from 1t
by distance. It is proper that tho full n,oaaare
Of griof, tho raournlng and weeping TINT I'LL tho
peacofnl homes Of Dixon, should hase AL i'm
press upon tho people everywhere The ropu.
lar protest against tho causos ultimately rcBpon-
siblo for this catastrophe 1nust not DO
confined to any ono locality, but extend
to all places aud all men. The serious
loss Of 1ifo at Dixon and tho gloom that has Bot-
tod oyor that community arc affairs in which tile
whole country and all mankind ars Interested,
for tho same general circumstances TINT led to
tho tallng OF tho Dixon bridge aro characteristic
Of tic nation and Of the time. On this parttcu-
lar occasion they brought their deadly results at
Dixon, but tomorrow they may DO fatally attest
cd in Chicago or In my othor sootion Of tho
country whoro criminal rcclleBsnoss, involving
sclash greed OF gain md Official corruption,
has secured foothoA.
It il not O difficult taak to show tint tho ca
la1nity at Dixon docs not como undor tho denom-
| ont advanced atato Of science, indeed, the
number OF calamitios that may bo included in
| this category is worry limited. It would strain
.seingenuity Of the most deyout believer in tho
dsnousn.tti ttionH Of Providence to chow that thore
was apvthing il tho appalling horror that bo-
tokons the hand Of tho Lord. Tbs Tbs :c1Egumcn1
| tint has bean 60 frequently advanced when groat
ca1nmitios have occurreda at public places Of amuso-
mont and resort tint aro not approved by Ger
tain religious bolioa will not hold In this caBe
casion, no wiokednosa in tho ceremony
| no violation of religious ru1os, which
will permit tho disaster to 10 cited US visitation
and q punishment. A. peaceful and orderly
crowd Of people had gathered Of Sunday after:
noon to wit1lesB religious ceremony. The ritz
OF baptism by immersion was to DO conferred or
number OF persons as Il result 6f n religious
revival and it III fair to presume TINT tho major
ity Of those who assembled to wltnoBs it wor
prompted to do 80 by religious sympathy. I
was in this very net of religious devotion that th
dinaster camo upon tho people. The mora
causca which have bcon assigned in ccrtai
quarters to explain otllor diahstors would becom
blasphemouB here, and this toaclos, tho faleit
Of reasoning tAat socks III Providence an oxplanu
ion for the errors OF man.
lilo bridge at Dixon was built upon plan c
t,unB known aB tho Trlesloll patent. Chicago
ans may xecall iss general character by n reco
lection Of tho sladuct over tho Northwestern
Railroad track nj tho northern ond Of We'll
htroct bridge, mud tho little bridges which hay
, beop built in Union Park An effort has boo
made for yoars to gocuro tho introduction Of Ii
Tr,oslell tr,lHB Oh ralroadu, md it haa boon Ill
a,,ccessful. 30 far rs NO know, thoro III
, regarded tho invention au worthy OF alol
q tion. On tho olllcr hand, 1t hi
, boon 1argely condemned by Bcicntif
=, men, anl thoro was newspaper discussion
Chicago, somo yoara ago, In which tho weight
tic evidence was ugailAt tho safety Of this pla
t OF construction, Il4ia view Of tho matter III
a been confirmed by several cases IN which h
i Truogdoll bridges hayo glyon way under pre-
t cure tint Gnu scarcely bo regarded aa o1traort
It nary, Tile bridge at Egn gayo way at -Four
y Of July celebration couple of years ago, wllo
>. q number Of pooplo had assembled to wilnosa
y boat.raco. A brli!go Of tEia construction show
Il ntgns Of falling unlor itB own wcight, at Roc
II town, ILL.,, md was fortunately rQ1aoved bofo