New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-31
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

Until the shadow of great calamity settled upon
u Yesterday the great Bridge was the most
popular thoroughfare in the city, The
few sprinkling showers of rain winch
fell about noon did not seem TO check the ardor or
the thousands who had resolved to devote the hoh-
day to sightseeing from its heights, and the cheer
full sunshine that followed called ont many more
who till then had remained housed and sent them
m s,miljar,erand. Until the latter part of the
afternoon. when overcrowdrng caused discomfort,
there was no more delightful place imaginable than
the breezy pathway from city to city, and
none that commanded SO magnificent panorama.
Some of the brilliant features of opening day
were repeated, for the houses In the
vicinity had not yet doffed ther
ray decorations, and the flags on the shipping at
the wharves fringed the two cities with color. AT
intervals during the day process,ons with bands OF
music crossed the Bridge walking in the wagon
ways and thus aording better view OF the soidiery
and uniformed civilians than could be obtained any
where else.
There was fatal fascination in all this. III at-
tracted thousands and kept them upon the Brldge.
The Superintendent knew that the crowd of visitors
10 the structure would strain Its accommodations
much more seriously than they had ever been
strained before, and he made what were supposed
TO be annie preparations for the crush lie built
additional toll, l,boxes at each end and gave
orders that in case Of ovcrcrowdng the tide
s travel should be turned into
the wagon-ways. rs it was on Sunday. The police
force was not increased, it being supposed that
twenty-four men would be able to direct the
human stream INTO proper channels al tne
termini, and prevent lettering IN the
spots where the temptations would be
strongest 1t was known to be extremely likely
that between $4,000 and 10000 persons wouid oe
Oh the Bridge at once, but it was rot anticipated
that the conduct of small fraction of the number
would bring death to dozen fanihes and suffering
t. many
The natural effect of the great crowd of visitors
and the attractveness Of the Bridge was steadily
II increase the number upon it, Ncw-fork has
always contributed many more foot passengers
than Brooklyn, and when the returning
tide met the stream OF fresh arrivals
from New-York as the afternoon began to draw 10 a
close the footwGy gradually grew more and more
erampei and tho crowd moved more and more
sluggishly The result was inevitable. With only
one tootway the Bridge is a sauntering place-a
promenade, on which one can spend all day
going back and forth. Still it was not thought
necessary TO throw the wagonways open 10
pedestrians As on Sunday, the sight-seers be-
came blockaded midway between the York
entrance and the northern tower. Then
and the opening thereby of outlet into the side
roads relieved the pressure. Yesterday. before this
was done, there came the panic which resulted IN
horrible suffering and death.
The of the dreadful occurrence Is just above
the anchorage, little more than halfway between
the New-YOrk entrance and tie first tower. up 10
this place the roadways are all on level but here
begin the iron trusses which are lifted above the
descending cables The wagon and tramways continue
on their easy grade, but the footpath is suddenly
lifted nearly 10 feet by broken flight of fourteen
steps. The path. which is 10 feet and z inches
wide is narrowed slightly but hardly enough to be
pcrceptible to a crowd. The ascent is divided III
the middle by landing about 6 feet wide
The steps are of wood and rather narrow. sturdy
curb Of granite extends from the station TO The first
truss each side of the walk, and gives frm foot
ing TO an iron fence that meets the truss
at the foot of the stairs Beyond the
curb is the roadway twelve feet eight inches wide
containing the railway tracks, which are laid on
scepers and tics in the ordinary surface fashion and
ballasted with rubble. In this part Of the
Bridge there working yesterday q
lew riveters. riggers. machnists and
laborers, A few Bridge policemen
were in the wagonways near by, where there was
also steady stream of travel.
About o'clock tho crowd grew so dense that q
blockade was formed OH the Bridge extend
ing from the head OF the stairs
back several rods to the tower. The number
Of persons who faced toward NewYork was
sufficiently large to fill the entire width of the walk
and tue comparatively small stream going from
this city had for long time been forcing
itsslf through the seTied ranks that
met 1t ct the head OF the stairs
The cause Of the blackadc seems to have
bcon chiefly the slow movement of the crowd down
tho steps. There were many women and children
who made the descent slowly and with great care fol
thero suggestion OF danger Ia the narrouness o.
he steps and the snes.hnoss Of the wood. With
the tren d0us influx from Brooklyn and TN,