Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-05-31
EASTERN NEWS.
The First Report.

xxw YouK, May O.-Whi.e the people
- crossing the Brooklyn bird &C this
sar;ng a report was started that the
s.;5ce was falling. A panic ensued,
ia = large number we're injured. Two
~ hr1e are reported killed.
r..r,bIe Affair srs nj Less Of Life--
PitiabIe scenes.
yxw yopK. May GA fearful cltas-
-. occurred on East River bridge
80 afternoon, by which large number
~ ,,sonle los. their lives. The n1rrow-
ssr ~ the footvas for passengers Is
~ eanse of the horror. A majority of
~. lad are go far unknown At 4
s,.,rcL there was n long line of people
Ct in the center of the walk of toe
..rnc,nre. going from and coming to
49, citv. Il thickened and swelled, and
s.scT,s.d in its motion. just at the stairs
s.d.no from the concrete roadway TO
80 bridge proper, strong men and
s.s,,r. women, manhood and infancy
- vedced together. The fearful
..ssSsnYa extended for miles, we might
an either end of the line. 1t WAS
ssaa,,.,orselegsly fearful, a stupid force, as
.s.,ooyable as the stone foundation OF
sha hr,dge itself. The stoppage lasted
.S.rIv AN hour. during which time
Isc,sS Of people tainted. To relieve
- lam the bridge officials removed
.o,ns q. the iron palings few feet from
- stairway ON the New York side,
~ of course, those unfortunate
,nongh In be near the end, and weak
~ fain,ing nigh unto death "a they
d.. iiomediately fell heller skelter,
80 oyer head, upon the jagged. gray
M. yoad beneath, mass OF bruised
"a "a discolored human flesh. Scores
~srs trampled uyon aud instantly
s,nsbed 30 death. Men were dragged
Ont az the heap of helpless human
-. 9th faces blue "a indigo and
.bs life blood tricking ont OF their nos
ss,Is Children and women, pale and
S;shevelled. and dead. The roadway
-, .;ther side of the walk WAS strewn
with dead and dyirg-a pitiable sight,
and vet IL il said no efforts were made
nv he bridge officials TO stop the people
sorino ON the bridge. The dead and
dvino were carried off in wagons, carts,
etc improvised in a moment for ser
vice. and il was long time before the
uoIice arrived, and anything like order
was restored or an ambulance appeared.
Nssnybile teams were rushing both
vavs AT a full gallop over the roadways,
vbv no one could tell threatening the
jiu,bs and lives of those on foot who
~sre attempting To help the unfortunate
via.iins. Men shouted themselye hoarse,
.Clear the way!' Wagons were rat
ding over the rough stones. Men and
women CRYING in all directions made 1t
a Bedlam indeed. A party OF mon IN
uniforms did some service at the spot as
Volunteer police to check the vulgar and
cnrious. AZ the Chambers Street Hos
p,taI are living thirteen dead bo1ies-six
az unknown men, six of unknown wo-
men. and George Smith of AZ Watts
strest. The Office was filed with poo
uls making inquiries for missing friends
and With historical women. Two more
of the bodies, one of boy OF l5and the
okhef Of a Young woman, are lying at
the police station unidentified.
The scene in the City Hall police sta
tion was simply terrible. Women were
screaming and wringing their hands.
Men With torn clothing and bleeding
fscss formed part OF the scene. Most
of the unconscious ones we're lying near
the wall. Every minute a frantic mother
would rush in inquiring for some one
lost. There we're none 10 answer her,
for the revival of tho insensible DC Gu
pied all thoughts. The jingle of am
balance bells added TO tho confusion as
wagon after wagon tore up TO the door,
and surgeons descended. A perfect
stream OF unconscious forms we're borne
20 the station on stretchers ~ the am
balances were filed aud driven away.
III was walking along the bridge
toward the New York entrance" said q
mau who held young girl, who was
CRYING bitterly. by the hand, when i
heard shouting and screaming suddenly
arising In front of me; then saw hats,
sticks and hands stretched aloft, and
with ono scream the whole dense mass
surged and swayed toward the gate. |
suppose the people thought the bridge
was coming down. Anyway they fought,
screamed and yelled like demons. Chill
dren aud women were knocked down
aud trampled ON, and was torne ire
1stibly of. Then found the little girl,
Who had lost her friends, and here we
are aafe and sound, thank God"
The little girl. between her sobs, said
her name was Flora Davis, of " Lewis
street.
81 went on the bridge" said Chas.
Bligh. of 81 Third street, Brooklyn.
''about o'clock, aud was approaching
the river span when found myself I'M
able 10 move either backward or for
ward. Women and chiIren commenced
screaming. Hundreds Of men climbed
with great difficulty over the palings
and teams we're running over the rails,
aud made their way 10 the carriage way.
Many let themselves drop through be
tween the beams, and were caught by
those beneath. A number of women
also escaped this way. The police and
others helped 10 pull out the dead and
dying. aud they were laid on the
roadway until ambulanoes came
Tho shrieks OF children In the
pathway were blood-curdling. They
cried: Help! Help. Save me, for
Gods sake but whers We were we
could do nothing.
Mr.. s. Martin, Superintendent of the
bridge, was seen by n reporter five min
utos after the accident. lie said Five
minutes before word came to my oiiice
about the catastrophe, l received an an
sver 10 my inquiry that everything was
Roiug on smoothly on the bridge, and
pcdestrians were moving along quietly.
Certainly have no idea Whist caused
the horrible tragedy. Various accounts
4otN F0tNutu flo toNt af7tAAtR
sources. l hear that the panic was
brought about by a gang of pick-pock
eta. New York policemen had warned
~ thieves and bunko men were work
tng on the bridge, but IA none OF
them we're identified. We could do moth.
inc. A soon as l heard the crash.
had the Broadway gate opened. and
people are going laoross that way now.
From the Sss's extra; There WAS a
crush st the steps at the New York APP.
psuach Of BROOKLYN bridge this after
noon. panic followed. and AZ least
fourteen people we're killed aud many
wounded. The crush began shortly he
fore 4 o'clock. At that hour there were
thousands af people on the bridge, most
II them coming from Brooklyn. The
air was clear and brisk, aud people were
RAPIDLY walking. As the crowd APP
proAched the short flight of steps :aao.se
izts0ns pushed back for fear they would
y pRscipitated over the steps, n distance
osaeouisix feet. These people - draw
ING back from the steps made a nncleus
tor jam, for the thousands hehind
tnem pashed almost instantly. People
began 10 shout: stand back ! and
utse as room : Meanwhile the crowd
nom New York. which was ss the
lost Of the steps. became blocked.
len at the head of the New York
III - a.