The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-08-10
4 SAD ACCIDENT At CHESAPEAKE CITY
DROWNING OF DIR. J. L. GRICE AND
HIS DAUGHTER EVA.

Last Monday, the workmen employed by
the County Commissioners TO make the
necessary alterations III the bridge across
Back Creek, in Chesapeake City, prcpara-
tory 10 putting in the new iron draw which
had been contracted for in Ohio, but not
yet delivered and also to make some needed
repairs, commenced operations The old
draw was taken out and the floor Of he
bridge was taken up, when the good PEG.
pie Of the little city became suddenly aware
# the fac: that communication between
the two sections of the town, into which
the creek divides it, had been severed by
the removal of the ilonr of the bridge, and
iuasmuch as 1t would take several days to
haze the bridge ready for travel. tie cltl-
ZcuS very naturally thought that the Cnuu-
~ Commissioners, or the Commissioners
oi Chesapeake City, should provide some
means 10y which they could cross the creek
and controversy appears 20 have arisen
between thc Commissioner, Mr.. benjamin
Craw ford. under whose supervision the
work was being done, aud the Commits.
sioncrs of Chesapeake cry. which coutro-
ycrsy was settled for the time by the cree.
OF the town. leaving the question Of the
cost of constructing it to be settled in the
future. The fontway was constructed OH
the west side of the bridge and on the
north side Of the draw. and in order t.
cross The creek gaugway was constructed
from the temporary fnntway to = raft that
Was mcorcd across the channel near the
draw. In this way crossing was Impgo
vIScd, which answered, apparently. very
well, and was used successfully until Mon.
day evening, when 1t was necessary to Ic-
move the raft, in order 10 take vessel
through the draw, and, in moving It, some
Of the uudcrwuTk> Of the temporary foot
way are supposed To have been lpuscuc.i.
Travel being temporarily stopped, i mum
Der of persons had CuuErc-atcd upon the
foot bridge, waiting To cross over, which.
owiu. To the frailty of the structure aud
combined weight of the crowd, suddenly
gave way and preCIprtated two Misses
Brown daughters % Mr. George Brown
Miss Lille kincade, Miss Jcnness, two col
orrd girls aud several others, nine in all,
who were standing upon il, into the water
below, and which was about eight feet in
depth. The ladies would undoubtedly have
been drowned had it not been for the heroic
excrtions of DIR. Wallace, Joseph II. Steel.
were close by, and who jumped into the
water and rescued them from their peril
Gus position. one of the young ladies' had
very narrow escape from drowning, ST..
having sunk for the third time. when she
was rescued by one of the gentleman who.
though much exhausted, Owed down and
brought her 10 the surface.
After this miShap, the footway was ahan-
doncd, the raft moved TO another position
and crossing made over the deck of a
steamboat and the wharf nj which ii was
mooIcd: and no further danger was aprrc-
Lcudcd. But between II and - o'clock.
on Tuesday night. which was quite dark
owing To the prevalence Of a thunder gust.
DR.. J. i. Ggicc started from hrs home. in
the southern part or Bohemia side of the
town, to take his little daughter aged be
tween and 10 years, 10 the steamboat, in
order To visit her relatives who reside III
Baltimore. The doctor and his child had
crossed the most dangerous part of the
way, and are supposed to have come 70
their death by following two plauks that
were laid upon the wharf nearly At right
angles with The plankS Of which it was
made, some of which We're rotten, the
other planks being placed there FOR the
security of pedestrians in the darkness.
Along these plankS the ends Of which pro
ircted over the wharf owing To Il short
turn II made, the doctor walked, leading
his little daughter 10y the hand. and oil
.hcm they stcpped-iEto eternity. \ tug
boat was mourcd close by, and man sleep
Ing upon it was awakened 10y the cries oi
the drowning man and FASTENED 10 his as
Sistauce but il was too late, and the doctor
and his child sank To rise no more. The
alarm was given, aud in a short time the
body of the unfortunate doctor was rccpv-
cred.
Justice ChIistfirld empauncIcd i jury Of
inquest, which proceeded to investigate
the cause Of his death, and soon arrived at
the following verdict: " Deceased came to
his death by accidental drowning, through
failure of the Commissioners of Cecil
county to provide suitable aud safe cross
ing over Back Creek while they were re.
pairing the bridge over said creek at Chcs-
apeake City
fine body of the drowned mau was taken
on board of steamboat until the next
morning, when il was removed - his resi-
denCc, and the discovery was made that
his daughter was also missing. Search
was made, and her body was recovered and
an inquest held soon aftcTward>-thc yer
aIct being identical with the one ia thr
ether case. This Is the saddcst feature of
the case.
DIR. Grce was about 81 years of age. a
graduate Of the College of Pharmacy of
baltimore, and had four chidrc;,, the cid
est Of whom was drowned with him. lie
began the study of dentistry about three
years ago, and had been practiciug that
profession III Chesapeake City for about Il
year. He was man of limited means.
aud the two bodies were inferred by the
frTl,t Af Il
took place on Thursday evening last.
COLCHESTER BEACH.