The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-01
EAST RIVER BRIDGE DIsAsrER.
A Plain statement Of Facts by the super
iufeudent of the Bridxe.


New YoRx, May Sl,-The universal
comment, this. morning, respecting the
bridge horror Is that the same accident il
liable to happen at any time, no matter
what the police regulations may be-. unless
the steps are abolished, or at least divided
for the two streams Of pedestrians The
Superintendent Of the bridge, Martin,
makes the following frank statement: "The
iootpath iscertainly no sale place for such
crowds as pass over the bridge. 1t was
not intended to. accommodate any such
travel as we are having. AS to the steps,
It has been decided 10 put q railing up
and down .he middle, to divide the people
going one way from those going the other.
The railing would have 10 be carried up
some way beyond the top OF the steps, Of
course. We should carry 1t probably a
hundred feet long. This was one altera.
ton We had already determined upon, and
is to be made at onGe. Then we are going
TO place side railings on the steps, little
further back. Some space is now lost by
them. Then further back, between the
cables, wo can widen the passage by plac.
iBg the railings further apart and against
the cables, and this Is to BIZ DONE"
"Could not the steps be dispensed With"
was asked. .
"Well, We could build what Is called a
ramp, an inclined plane from the top OF the
steps to point further down the bridge,
but there wousd be some danger in making
the grade any sleeper, especially in wet or
ICY weather" .......
To the Superintendents statement may
be added that the fact is now obvious that
during those hours Of the day when transit
is most lively and on holidays and Sundays,
there will always be great danger OF q
heavy crush similar to that Of yesterday,
unl,s, means OF relieving 1t be devised.
Not even the bridge cable track Tor cars,
now nearly completed, will prevent the
crush at those times.
LOOKING FOR FRIRSDs.
A number OF persons inquired at police
headquarters this morning for children or
friends supposed to have been on the
bridge at the time Of the accident. Only
in one or two cases had they reason to
suppose the missing person might have
been on the bridge. N..
The Oak street police report that they
have cart load OF property taken from
the anchorage. Most OF the clOthing Is
torn beyond recognition. Very few Of the
articles have been claimed.
The Coroner will subpoena the bridge
trustees, Superintendent Martin, and all
others who can give any information In
reference to the accident yesterday. He
intends the investigation TO be thorough.
Superintendent Martin has been personally
investigating the causes Of the disaster,
and the best authenticated information he
can gather leads him 10 believe the panic
was caused by piCkpockets. No action has
yet been taken by the bridge trustees. The
acknowledges that the
space allotted to foot passengers Is at pres.
ent insufficient, but thinks that when trains
begin running and time lessens curiosity,
It will be found to be ample.
The bodies OF the dead were carried TO
the Chambers Street Hospital, and are
being removed to-day 10 the homes oil
their friends, and the preparations for
burial btgun. All the Injured in the
Chambers Street Hospital are improving.
A number Of inquiries were made there
to. day for missing persons, but no inior..
nation concerning them could be given,
as all the dead and injured have been
identified. It 10 believed full list OF the
dead and seriously injured has been given.