The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-31

| cur0llng. Iney crleO, nelp, nelpi save mt
for God sake, but we were where we coul
do nothing" r
THE SUPERINTENDENT STORY. w..
Mr.. Martin, superintendent Of the bridge
was seen by reporter few minutes ate
the accident. He said: Five minute
before the word came to my Office abou
the catastrophe received word. in answe
to my inquiry, that everything was goin
on smoothly on the bridge, and tha
pedestrians were moving along quietly.
certainly have no idea what causet
the horrible tragedy. Various account
have reached me from four distinct sources
l hear, however, that the panic wa
BROUGHT about by gang Of pickpockets
The NswS York policemen had warned u
to-day that thieves and bunco men wer,
operating on the bridge, but as none o
them were identified, OF course we coulc
do nothing. As soon as / heard of tn
crush ordered the roadway to be throwI
open and people are going across that wa!
now" ! Ia ~ a
III ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The Sun extra says: There was a crusl
at the stepslat the New York approach o
the Brooklyn bridge this afternoon.
panic followed, and at least II persons wer,
killed and many wounded. The crush begaI
shortly before 4 o'clock. At that hou
there were Thousands Of people on thu
bridge, and most OF them coming iron
Brooklyn. The air was clear and brisk
andthe people were walking rapidly. Al
the crowd approached the short flight o.
steps those in front pushed back ioi
fear they BE- would be preCipitated
over the steps, a distance OF about six feet
These people in drawing back from the
steps made the nucleus Of q jam, for thou
sands behind them pushed on unheeding
Almost instantly the people begpn q
shout, "stand back, and give us room
Meanwhile the crowd from New York
which was at the foot OF the steps gol
blocked. The men at the head OF the New
York crowd fought their way back, leaving
a clear space at the foot Of thesteps.
- WHAT cAusED THE CRUSH. O..
Here the shouting and crowding from
the Brooklyn side increased. It was
utterly inexplicable. People in the ad.
vance guard Of the Brooklyn throng were
pushed, in spite Of themselves, toward the
steps They seemed to have a horror OF
going over the steps, althosgh the flight is
only five or six feet nigh. They locked
arms and pushed furiously back against
the thousands coming steadily over from
Brooklyn. In few minutes, at q point
Just above the steps, there was o slow
yielding tothe irightiul pressure from be.
hind and the front OF the crowd was forced
nearer and nearer to the edge OF the steps.
Women and children were screaming Tor
help and men we're shouting coniusedly.
Umbrellas, parasols and canes were thrown
over the'rails at the side BY the people,
who needed their hands to fight their way
out OF the desperate crowd.
THE FIRST DEATH.
iAt last with single shrek that cut
through the clamor OF thousands OF voices,
ayoupg girl, who lost her foeting'on the
perilous edge, fell headlong. She struck
the pathway at the foot OF the steps and
lay for moment. She raised herself on
her hands and would have got up, but in
another moment she was buried four feet
deep under tho bodies of Others who fell
over the steps after her. She was dead
when they got her out more than half an
hour aiterward. The men sprang upon the
rails at the side and waved the crowds back
from both the New York and Brooklyn
sides, but the people continued to crowd
on toward the steps. No police were in
sight. Every minute the excitement grew
worse. Men in the crowd lifted their chill.
dred ABOVE their hcads to save them from
the crush. The people were still paying
their pennies at both gates and swarming
in. At last the people at the New York
end understood what was happening; the
gates were closed and word was sent 10 the
Brooklyn end to close the gates there. =
A DEAD LOAD.
Messengers were sent to the police sta
tion in Oak street, but before any outside
help came the bridge police assisted by
citizens, impressed two grocers' wagons
into the ambulance. service. They were
loaded up with the dead and dying and
driven off the bridge, followed by crowds
OF distracted and women, As the
wagon came out on the street they were
obliged to stop TO allow a brilliant uni.
formed band, playing gay music, to pass
up Chatham street. Twelve dead bodies
had been laid in; the basement OF the
Chambers Street Hospital at 9 o'clock. 1t
was not until the dead wagons came out that
the public knew anything Of the catas.
trophe. s0q.l ENt ifl.,t
9 The wsgons were followed off the bridge
by women crying for their children and by
men crying for their wives. Several Of the
women were half naked and many had on
only rags. One woman had both shoes
torn of. Almost all were bareheaded.
There were hundreds OF them disheveled
and crying; their faces were white, aud in
many instances were covered with dust
and dirt. .-t
WHERE IS FATHER?
Mrs. Edward o. Colburn, 1877 South
Eighth street, Brooklyn, came out into
Chatham street leading little boy with
each hand. She had lost her husband in
the throng. He had taken the youngest
4 ~ &