Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1883-06-01

department. ls unable 70 cope Will Gne n'A ''eo
Telegrams have been sent to Richmond for as
sistance. ---.z- .5.u- 90
g,..., Terrible Disaster.
New York, May 3O.-A fearfnl catastrophe
occurred on the East river bridge this afternoon,
by which large number of people lost their
lives The narrowness of the foet-way for pas
sengers is the cause IF the lorror. The majori-
ty of the dead are SO far unidentified. At about
4 o'clock long line Of people on foot in the
center walk of the structure going from and
coming to this city thickened, swelled and
stopped in it's motion just at the stairs leading
up from the concrete roadway to the bridge
proper. ....-.
STRONG MEN, FEEBLE WOMEN,
and many infants were wedged together in that
Jam by fearful pressure of the crowd which ex-
tended for miles, one might say, on either end
Of the line. 1t was remorse ess, fearful, stupid
force that held it's victims as immovable as the
stone foundation of the bridge itself. The
stoppage lasted nearly an hour, during which
time scores of people tainted.
TO RELIEVE THE JAM
the bridge officials removed some of the iron
mailing a few feet from the stairway on the New
Yo1k side, when, of course, those unfortunate
enough to be near the opening, weak and faint
ing at the death, as they were, Immediately ten
helter skelter heels over head, down on the
Jagged, gravelly road beneath, a mass Of bruised,
I. .i,colort human flesh. Scores were trampled
upon instantly, and to stumble was -eath.
Men we're dragged out of that heap Of helpless
humanity, their faces blue as lad 60, ana their
life blood trickling out Of their nostrils; chill
dren and women, .....-
PALE, DIsHEvELLED AND DEAD.
The Roadway on either 81 te of the walk was
strewed with dead and dying, pitiable sight,
and vet it is said that no Efforts were made by
the bridge officials to stop the people from COM
ing Oh the bridge. The dead and dying were
carried off in wagons, carts, etc, improvised for
service, and it wa, loug time before the police
arrived and an, thing like order was restored, or
an ambulance appeared. Meanwhile teams
we're rushing both ways at full gallop over the
roadways, threatening the limbs and lives Of
those on foot, who were attempting to ASH It the
unfortunate victims. The police shouting
themselves hoarse,
g.. 'CLEAR THE wAY;"
wagons rattling over the rough stones, men and
women crying in all directions, made it a bed
lam indeed. A party of men in uniform did
yeoman service at the spot as volunteer police
10 check the vulgar and curious. At Chambers
street hospital here there are thirteen dead, six
unknown men and six un6nown women and
George Smith, of No. 42 Watts street The Of
uce Was filled with people making frantic IN
quiry for missing friends and with hysterical
women. Two more of the dead, one boy OF
Is and the other young woman, are lying at
the city hall police station unidentified. The
scene in the city hall police station
. WAS SIMPLY TERRIBLE. a. ::-t, =.
women screaming and wring,ng their hands,
men with torn clothing and bleeding faces, and
all around the forms of the wounded most of
them unconscious, lying beside the walls. Every
now and again frantic mothers would rush in
inquiring for some one, but there was none to
ans er. The revival of the insensible occupied
all thoughts. Then the jangle of ambulance
bells added 10 he confusion as wagon after
wagon tore up to the door and surgeons de-
scented. A perfect stream of unconscious forms
WAS borne into the stati,n on stretchers as ambu-
lances wer4 filed and driven away. 2 was
walking along the bridge t"ward New York en-
trance,' said a man who held young gill ~bo
was crying bitterly, by the hand, when heard
shouting and screaming suddenly arise in front
of me. Then l saw hats, sticks and hands
stretched al,ft and with one scream the wh"le
dense mass surged and swayed toward the gates.
suppose the people thought the bridge was
coming down. Anyway they fought,
sCREAMED AND YELLED LIKE DEMONS.
Children and women were knocked down and
tramped upon and was borne irresistably out
on the entrance, There found this little girl
who had lost her friends and here we arc safe,
thank God" The little girl between her sobs
said her name was Flora Davis. of 81 Lewis
street. II went on the br dge,' said Charles
Bligh, of SO Third street, Brooklyn, 'about
o'clock and as / was approaching the river
ehn r fc,r1 rnuco1f nnqhIta either
backward or forward. Women and children
commenced screaming; hun.1reds OF men
climbed with great difficulty onto the beams
running over the railroad and made their way
to the carriage way; many let themselves drop
through between the beams and were caught by
those beneath "a number of women also escaped
in this wsy. The police and others helped to
pull out
THE DEAD AND DYING,
and they were laid on the roadway until an am
bulance came. The shrieks of children on the
pathway were blood curdling. They cried:
Help! Save me, for Gods sake!' but where we
were we could do nothing" -
Mr.. Marten, superintendent of the bridge was
seen by reporter for a few minutes after the
&C yident. He said: Five mi utes before word
came to my Office about the catastrophy re-
ceived word in answer to my inquiry that
EVERYTHING WAS GOING ON SMOOTHLY
on the bridge and pedestrians were moving
along qui tiy. i certainly have no idea what
caused the horrible tragedy as various accounts
have reached me from four distinct sources.
hear, howeves, that the panic ~as brought about
by gaug of pick-pockets. The New York
policemen had wa ming to day that thieves and
bunko men we're operating on the bridge, but a.
none of them were identified. Of course, We could
do nothing. As soon ss I heard Of the cru,h, l
ordered the road ways to be thrown open, and
people are going across that way now"
y As near as eau be ascertatned at this hour,
fourteen persons were killed and a large number
wounded, many of whom will die.
The Billiard Prizes,
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