The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-01
THE GREAT BRIDGE DISASTER.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE TER.
RIFLE DISASTER.
Tho scene Immediately After the
Accident AT tho Hospitals
Thrilling Incidents.

From the New York papers Of yesterday
we take the following additional particu-
lars Of the Brooklyu-bgidgc disaster;
At the bridge entrance for the next hall
hour after the accident there was presented
a scene OF the widest confusion. The POI
lice had difficulty in driving back the
crowd "a admit the ambulances 10 the
bridge roadwavs, where they were TO re-
ceive their freight. As fast as the passcn-
gers came of the bridge they were hurried
ont into the square and ordered TO scatter.
The square was finally cleared and the
crowd forced back upon the sidewalks. The
dead were taken 10 the Chambers-Street
Hospital In amhulances and on trucks and
wagons which had been impressed into SER
vice. Eleven bodies were carried into the
hospital and placed on the basement floor
10 await ideutidcation-Seven women, three
men, one a Chinaman; and a boy, George
Smith. who had been brought in among
the injured. expired q few minutes after
being admitted, and his body was tenderly
laid with the unidentified dead. The faces
OF all bore evidences oi the terrible tram
ping OF the pauic-stricSen crowd. Some
Of the injured persons were distributed
among the uptown hospitals. The list at
the Chambers-Street Hospital included
twelve perSOnS--siN women, four men, and
a boy and girl Two Of the women and
the girl were unconscious, and were not
identified for several hours.
The police formed two lines across the
street and kindly but firmly turned back
the tide of anxious inquirers who caught
eagerly at every scrap Of information that
was given 10y the privileged few who
emerged from the hospital. The arrival OF
the undertakers' black wagons, with boxes
for the dead. only added to the uncertainty
Of affairs and increased the restlessness
OF the crowd. The excited throng
pressed closely around the ambulances
that brought the dead and injured
10 ChambcTs-Sireet Hospital. and eagerly
watched the removal Of the bodies down
into the basement. where they were laid on
cots. Ileartrending shrieks and groans
filed the air. Among the witnesses OF
their agony were women who wept and
strong men who were unneryed while the
dead were carried into the dimly-iShted
sub-ceilar and laid on the floor. The At
mospherc was damp and close, and the flick
ering gas-iight lit up distorted and discol-
oredfeatures and bloodshot eyes. The bodies
OF three lighi-haired women Law near the
door. They were nearly Of the same stature
and about the SINE age, and so closely
did they resemble each other that they
might have been taken for sisters. Near
by was face OF dark complexion with fiat
features and black, coarse hair. TWAS the
body % the Chinaman All Sing, and his
pale face was swollen and one eye glared
wildly at the ceiling. An old man OF
snowy beard and boy on whose face rest
ed peaceful smile lay side by side, and not
far of was the body Of q well-built Irish
man. with a reddish m0ustlche and gOatee.
The twelve corpses presented CHASTITY
sight. -,
The scene before the victims We're carried
away was sad in the extreme. Dead and
wounded were lying close together on the
roadways and against the stone ratings.
Kind hands made the positions OF the
wounded as comfortable A. possible. but
the means and grOanS which filled the air
made strong men weep. IL was noticeable
that only few Of those who were badly
hurt had friends or relatives with them,
and they had TO be cared FOR by strangers.
some Of the unfortunates had friends from
whom they had become separated, and
between their crOans they asked anxious
ly for news OF the missing ones.
Around them stood women who had
gone through the crush with little or no
injury 10 their persons, but whose dresses.
and even Undertaking, hung IN tatters,
and whose hats were crushed OUT OF shape
or missing altogether. one woman had
lost both her shoes in the struggle for lie,
and another, whose leg had been slightly
cut. loudly bewailed the loss OF black
shawl. II was only after much argument
that the police induced the woman to leave
the place without her shawl. Men stood
about with torn coats and trousers and
with hats and collars gone. Children VINO
before had been dressed In holiday cos
tunes chung to their parents hall stripped
OF their clothing, and all-men, women,
and children-were grimy with dust ana
dirt. while some OF them bore bloody
patches on their clothes or bodies.
SOME THRILLING INCIDENTS.
The first person pulled out was stout
woman. who had worn a blue dress.
Shreds Of the dress were hanging TO the
waistband, but every particle OF her
clothing from the waist down had been
stripped from her person. Strangely
enough. the woman was only slightly hurt,
and the gentleman who was with her
escaped with a few bruises and the
loss OF his hat. Taking of his torn
coat. he wrapped it around the wo-
man. and the two then hurried OIL
the bridge together. Another man was
pulled out OF the writing mass almost
inhurt, while the child he held in his
arms was terribly crushed. A little boy
was taken ont with his legs badly hurt, but
forgetting his pain he kept crying out,
.sSaye nv papa, Oh, save my papa "
Then a man struggled loose from the hui
man nile i'm the stairway, seized the chlld.
covered his face with kisses, and hurried
off with the little fellow in his arms. Many
az the less severely wounded made their
way down planks which w0rkmen had lean
ed against the ratings into the roadways,
where they walked away or were helped into
nassing wagons and carried of the bridge.
A party Of three little girls, consisting OF
Sarah Gaertner, thirteen years old; Rachael
ShOnisai, twelve years, ana Annie Uoid-
stein, eight years, started over the Drldge
10 BROOKLYN, and had reached the steps
under the New York arch when the pane
set in. In moment they were sweptironl
their feet. but Rachael shonliski, with rare
presence Of mind, clambered on to the Dack
~ a man who had fallen on his knees be-
side her. and from that position pulled her-
self UP on the railing OF the bridge. she
remained percheu on tue Ialllhc uhth III.
panic subsidized, and was the means OF
having the little girl Annie Goldstein, who
was very badly injured, taken to her home.
Sarah Gaertner was buried under a mass
of struggling human beings. and when she
was pulled out nearly all OF her clothes
were torn from her back. She said last
night that she thought she had Deen dream
in9 and could recall nothing OF the scene
40
stems until she found herself in the street
- -. IL LII t,inlrnd IN Annll