, 1879-06-15
THE BRIDGE HORROR.
An Eloquent Warning to the Care
less and Reckless.
Recovery Of the Body of Plpeman
Coyle.
An Urgent Need for signal-Lamps and
Safety -Gates.

An Urgent Need for signal-Lamps and
Safety y-Gates.
The bridges OF Chicago have been continual
source Of danger and annoyance to the impetu-
ous people Of Chicago, ever since those primeval
times when the ferries we're abolished. starce-
| ~ week passes by that some accident does not
occur at some OF them, mostly on account of
| the impatience or careessncss Of pedestrians
Every few days some one walks off the
/ abutmtut into the river, apparently utterly
obiivious OF the fact that the bridge is
drawn. Now and then citizen is drowned, aud
occasionally some one is crushed by the turning
bridge while attempting to pass at the last
moment. Why people, great aud small. will
persist in swarming upon and over the bridges
| OF our main thoroughfares while they are swing
ing, at the. risk OF life and limb, it would be
hard to tell. The wonder is that more fatal
accidents do not occur.
The most shocking and startling accident that
has yet happened, OF course, was the frightful
occurrence ut the statc street bridge on Friday
night, which resulted in the drowning Of Henry
T. CoYle, pipeman on a hosc-truck belonging
to Engine No. Il Of the Chicago Fire Depart
ment.
The truck was driven into the river at full
speed, carrying Coyle, who was on the seat with
the driver, into the river with it. The driver
aud another truckman leaped from the flying
carriage ahd barely saved themselves from
death. The circumstances Of the case were
sufficiently dramatic aud dreadful to arrest the
attention Of the entire CITY, and to cause every
ope to stop aud ask himself It there was any
a$ \:
After pause tor reflection, the universal an
swer seems TO be that there was not. The acci-
dent might havo been prevented
The place WAS dangerous one. The night
was dark, and the lights were insufficient to iu-
form the driver Of the truck whether the bridge
was swung or not. With recklessness which
was unjustihable under the circumstances be
took the chances, and dashed on through the
darkness to the terrible catastrophe which fol-
lowed. Ordinary caution should have been OBJ
served. The very fact Of there
BEING INSUFFICIENT SIGNALS
at the bridge should have warned the driver of
tile truck to stay his headloug speed until he
had satisfied himself that the way was safe The
delay Of few seconds only would have saved
brave mans life.
An efficient Fire Department is the pride OF
Chicago, aud its unequaled celebrity when IN
alarm OF fire is given is the wonder Of the con-
tlnent. Care and prudence are Just as much
part OF the duty OF a really efficient Fire De-
and limb is OF just as much Importance as the
safety Of property, aud probably Marshal Ben
uer would do judicious thing if he we're to
impress this fact upon the minds Of his sub
ordinatcs in few wholesome instructions upon
the subject
There are scarcely my new facts concerning
the details Of this accident which the public
would care to know, but all TINT has been dis
covered seems to leave regret In the mind that
the driver Of the truck had not acted with
greater prudence and with less unthinking i'm
petuosity. Though the city may have been neg
ligent in the matter OF proper signals and safe
guards, such negligence will scarcely be thought
to justify criminal carc}essness On the oart OF
the Department III the conduct OF its affairs.
No. II hose-carr, which went into the river at
State-strect bridge early yesterday morning, was |
dshed out at hali-past ) O'Clock BY members Of
tue department., and the seat and some OF the
braces being broken it was sent TO the repair
shop. The search for poor Coyle's body was
not 50 successful, but the efforts made before |
darlight were not Systematic, and the failure !
soc doqet!sss 9as to 'ss ars6s ss1 e a
and johu Tagncy, Of Truck Nc. 5, to drag
the river, and Lawrence Aiurphey, an e1-mem- |
bor Of Truck 8, went in their boat. Two other |
crowd watched the operations from the north |
abutmcnt, aud we're disappointed time after I
time when the hooks we're pulled up. Along
toward noon the party iu the boat first mention
corpse of the missing man. There were no |
marks On the body.
THE ARMS WERE FOLDED TIGHT
across the breast, rs 1t Coyle had taken deep
inspiration while falling; but the countenance
was somewhat bloatcd. The remains were at |
once taken to the house OF Engine No. II on
Michigan street. where they werc packed in ice
taker came and transferred them to Coyle's
mothers house, No. IS Hubbard street.
Coroner Mann having been notified as
soon Us the body was found Immediately
order that thorough investigation Of the cause
Of the accident might be ulade, and to 20 further
aud inquire why some sort Of device has not
been placed at the bridge approaches to prevent
pcrienced considerable difficulty in getting
Twelve Of the right fdnd Of men to serve, nearly
every one called on declining. Finally he
made up the Jury as follows: ]. A. Kirk
James Bradley, Thomas Courtney, J. a; Fitch,
J. B. Briggs. v. ". Chandler, Charles Kern,
ex-A1d. j. ]. McGrath, and E. G. Coburn. After
viewing the body, it was decided, on account Of
Tie engagements Of the Coroner, to defer the
holding OF the inquest until Saturday, the 21st,
|
County Board room, corner OF Clark and Micht-
gan streets.
Fire-Marshal Benner yesterday received
heck for 500 from Cragin Bros s. Chundler
or the benefit Of the family Of Coylc, and in
conversation with reporter said be had always
>een in favor Of alarm Signals being displayed
1t the various bridges, aud
HAD MADE RECOMMENDATIONS
o that end time and again. Commissioner
Waller said he had called upon the Supe1fntend-
lin to see that lamps were put on the bridges
q the future, etc. He said be also intended to |
euucst the Fire-Marshal to order bis men to
lacken speed in approaching bridges, whether
pen or not, as q precautionary measure.
"MURDER."
10 the Editor oJ The Tribune !
CHICAGO, June 14.-The terrible murder of
ounr Coyle at the State street bridge last
light ought to arouse the Indignation of the