The daily gazette., 1883-07-25
WILMINGTON DEL. wEDr|E- JULY

the storehouee. The faces were covered with
cloths, and the hands were crossed on the
breast and tied together. The feet were also
| tied. Opinion as to the cause of the pier
giving way is divided. Many think 1t was
rotten, and this is Father Starts conviction.
| Others say that the wharf did not break but
that the piles spread. Several who ex-
amined the timbers after the accident de-
| clared that they were as sound as could be,
but that the piles were not planted with
sufficient security, nor were they close
enough together in the centre, but were
most all upon the outer edge of the pier, to
save the blows of the vessels in making a
| landing. ~
The crowd stood in bunch on the centre
of the wharf, which was but poorly sup
ported underneath by logs, and consequently
the jarring of the barge, when she struck
the wharf, gave the shock which caused the
piles, poorly secured, to spread and let down
the centre of the wharf, with its crowd of
living beings, into the water. The planks
were of course unable to support the heavy
weight OF over 200 persons, and so snapped
short of, thus giving rice to the suppOsition
that they had broken through being rotten
Tivoli is about Is miles from the city, and
the pier that gave way was built In 1862
The water near the edge is about nine feet
deep, sloping from the shore. At the ex-
treme end OF the pier, where the boats un-
load their human freight, wharf has been
built upon piles driven down, about 100
feet long and so feet broad. 1t was this
structure that gave way, and its distance
from the shore is 900 feet.
THRILLING SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
Mr.. Francis NJ. Nicholl, who lives at 4S
South Register street, said:
when the crash c. me we all fell together
In the water, and soon everybody was cling
ing and fighting and struggling and trying
to get out. l got hold of a young ady who
had am-colored dress on, and carried
her to the post, but there was nobody to
take her up on the wharf. In the struggle
we got separated and she was drowned. In
the excitmeut we couldn't tell who was who,
and to make II worse the people on the boat
kept throwing down everything they could
lay their hands on. They even threw the
coal oil lamps overheard and took away what
little light there was. A little fellow who
started to swim from crowded log to one
not so crowded was struck by stool. 1t
stunned him and he was drowned. A man
caught hold of me and twisted his legs
around my body. tried to get away. He
tried to stick. We had a regular fight. We
sunk and struggled in the mud. 1t liked to
killed both of us, but managed to get away
and save myself"
One of the bravest heroes of the disaster
| was Herman Walters. He saved Is grown
persons and three children. He is young
man about % years old, rather stout, with
full, smooth features and dark hair When
seen by reporter, he wore blue shirt and
| dark trousers. He had on the same outfit
Monday night. 1t was very hard to get him
TO talk. The story of his efforts is thrillingly
interesting He says;
"When the bridge fell ] was 35 feet away
| from the place of the accident. The shouts
| of the unfortunate men and women, as they
/ sank in the water, struck terror to ever.
| breast The crowd on the portion OF the
bridge yet unharmed rushed TO the shore,
pushed forward to the edge. "For heaven Is
sake save me p cried young lady dressed
in brown. "Here, sit on my bod' while /
lean over and pull this young lady,"
| said to a young man standing near. then
| laid down. The man sat ON my legs,
| and / leaned over, grabbed the lady and
| had her nearly on the bridge when the man
| jumped up. l lost my balance and both
the young lady and myself fell heavily IT,
| gether to the bottom. The lady at once
clung frantically around my neck and rem
dered me helpless. tried to get away but
could not. We sank, and, coming up
/ again, sank the second time. 1t was life to
one or death to both. | caught my teeth in
/ her arm and bit it severely. She let go and
4
dragged out almost exhausted. / soon,
however, went again to work and pulled
| FIVE ladies IRON the water. An old lady
was struggling on a log. / went to her as
sistanee Just as laid her on the wharf,
| she ieebly said, God will reward you for
this Without speaking another word, and +,
| at the next instant, she died. The struggle
and excitement had been too much for her
system.o
Walters rescued an elderly woman. She
implOred him to save her boy. resently
he heard lite fellow, who was floating
on board, say: "Mister, please get me
out of this" He diVed from the wharf,
took hold OF the boy and swan. back. land
ing him safely The little fellows first
words were "Where's mothera@ ''Is this
herr" said Walter, pointing to the lazy
whom he had saved and wh0 stood with
her face buried in her hands. The mother
looked up, saw her sou and they were soon
casped in each others arms. Walters
worked like Trojan. He pulled people
from the water to the bridge. Numbers oil
times he dived into the river for struggling
unfortunates. Three OF the children were
saved by swimming after them.
sit was the most terrible sight / ever
saw ;" said he; 81 would't go through IL
again for the whole Of Baltimore. The peo
Pile acted as towards; they ran away and left
the men and women there to drown like
rats If there had been three or four more
good swimmers there one-half OF them as
was drowned would have been saved"
OF the Is saved by Walters, the majority
of them were ladies. II say, Herman,
said one of his comrades, as the interview
concluded, 81 que they'll give you q media
for thaj." don't wan no medal, - he re
piled. "I only done my duty and would dc
the same thing again"
THE coRoNER's INQUEST.
During the day Coroner Morft held al
inquest at which, after the examination o
numerous witnesses, the following verdict
was rendered:
We find that Louisa Swearer aad other,
came to their death by drowning, by thu
breaking of the bridge at Tiyoli, on th'
night of July %, and the authorities of th'
place did not use proper care and precaution
to prevent the occurrence.
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