The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-06-06
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PANIC,
Fourteen Persons Killed and
Many Injured.
PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT.

BROOKLYN, May 31.-There was q
crush at the steps at the New York
approach of the Brooklyn bridge
this afternoon. A panic followed and
at least fourteen persons were killed
and many wounded. The crush be-
gan shortly before A. At that hour
there were thousands of people on
Nhe bridge, most of them coming
from Brooklyn. The air was clear
and brisk, and the people were walk
ing rapidly. AS the crowd approach
ed the short flight of steps, those in
front pushed back for fear they would
be precipitated over the steps, dis
tance of about six feet. These peo-
pie, in drawing back from the steps,
made the nucleus of the jam, for the
thousands behind them pushed on
unheeding. Almost instantly the
people began to shout "Stand back, "
and "give us ROOM" Meanwhile the
crowd from New York, which was at
the foot of the steps, got blockaded.
The men at the head of the New
York crowd fought their way back,
leaving clear the space at the foot of
the steps. The shouting and crowd
ing from the Brooklyn side increas-
ed. 1t was utterly inexplicable.
The people in the advance guard of
the Brooklyn throng were pushed
in spite of themselves toward the
steps. They seemed to have a hor-
ror of going oyer the steps, although
the flight is only five or six feet
high. They locked arms and push
ed furiously against the thousands
coming steadily over from Brooklyn.
In a few minutes at point just
above the steps there was a slow
yielding to the frightful pressure
from behind, and the front of the
crowd was forced nearer the edge of
the steps. Women and children
were screaming for help and men
were shouting confusedly. Umbrel-
las, parcels, and canes were thrown
over the rails at the side by the peo-
pie who needed their hands to fight
their way out of the desperate
crowd.
THE DEATH TRANPLE.
At last. with single shrek that
cut through the clamor of thousands
of voices, young girl who lost her
footing on the perilous edge, fell
head long. She struck the pathway
at the foot of the steps and lay for a
moment. She raised herself on her
hands and would have got up, but
in another moment she was buried
four deep under the bodies of others
who fell over the steps after her.
She was dead when they got her out,
more than half an hour afterward.
The men sprang upon the rails at
the side and waved the crowds back
from both the New York and Brook
lyn 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 children above
their heads to save them from the
crush. The people were still paying
their pennies at both gates and
swarming in.
TIT GATES CLOSED.
At last the people at the New
York end of the bridge understood
what was happening. The gates
were closed and word was sent to
Brooklyn to close the gates there.
Messengers were sent to the police
station in Oak street, bat before any
outside help came the bridge police,
assisted by citizens, impressed two
grocers' wagons into ambulance SER
vice. They were loaded up with
dead and dying and driven off the
bridge, followed by crowds of dis
tracted men and women. As the
wagons came out on the street they
were obliged to stop to allow bril-
liantly uniformed band, playing gay
music, to pass up Chatham street.
DISTRACTED WOMEN.
The wagons were followed off the
bridge by women crying for their
children and by men crying fol
their wives. Several of the women
were half naked and many had on
only rags. One woman had both
her shoes torn off, and almest all
were bareheaded. There were hun.
dreds of them disheveled and crying
Their faces were white and in many
instances were covered with dust and
dirt. Mrs. Edward o. Colburn, No
1877 South Eighth street, Brooklyn
came out into Chatham street, lead.
ing little boy with each hand. She
had lost her husband in the throng
He had taken their youngest child
with him. While she was talking
with a reporter on Chatham street,
her oldest daughter, a girl of nine
teen, ran up to her crying, "Whert
is father?" The mother answered
that she did not know. Mrs. Col
burn said: 1T was an awfu! expe
rience. / saw one woman fall back
ward from the steps. As soon as she
fell she was jumped upon by mer
who were forced after her. They
trampled her to death. l was push
ed up against the railing and turned
around and around. NY clothing
was torn and / was exhausted. Wher
/ last saw my husband he was hold
ing our youngest child up in the all
and being carried toward the edge
of the steps by the crowd. / clune
to the railing. At last some one from
above grasped my wrists and hauled
me up out of the crush. A few mo.
ments later they got my two boys
up. At that time the bodies lay
three deep at the foot of the steps
One man, who was white as a sheet
struggled out of the mass with hi
dead child held above his head. HI
was screaming. l stood by the raj
looking for my husband and our 9th
er child. / do not know whether
they are safe"
WHERE THE BRIDGE WAS DEFECTIVE