The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-09
THE LATE AMASA STONE.
The Causes that Drove Him to End His
Life by Suicide.

Iron Age.
The fall of the Ashtabula bridge, Dec. 30,
1876, may be said to mark the turning point
in the tide of his fortune Mr. Stones
name is indissolubly connected with that
horror, the only modern parallel to which is
found in the fall of the Tay bridge. The
facts brought out by the investigation of the
cause of this disaster were such as to fasten
large share of the responsibility for it upon
Mr.. Stone. From the testimony taken and
the report of the joint committee of the
State Legislature of Ohio intrusted with this
investigation, it appears that Mr.. Stone was
the sole designer OF the bridge, response
billty which he fully assumed in his own
testimony before the committee. The re-
port further says:
A careful and patient calculation of the
strength of the brace at the point of failure
third panel point from the west end of the
south truss and of the strain upon it under that
load, shows that 1t had factor of safety of only
one and sx-tenths, when ordinary prudence and
foresight required it to have factor of safety of
point to center OF the bridge, numbering from the
west end, and factor Of safety at the several
panel points ranging from two to one and two
tenths instead of FIVE The truth Is, the
bridge was liable to go down at any time during
the last ten or eleven years under the load that
might be brought upon it In the ordinary course
markable that 1t did not sooner occur. y :
There was material enough in the bridge, and q
different disposition of 1t would have secured
nVe tunes the strength.
The investigation brought out also the
fact that the chief engineer of the road, Mr..
Charles Collins, had no part whatever in the
designing, construction or erection OF the
bridge; nevertheless, the fact that he had al
lowed a structure with such glaring defects
to remain in service on the line without pro-
test on his part made him the object OF Sc
we're criticism. At all events, whatever
errors of Judgment may have been his. ne
offered in expiration his own life, which he
took few hours after his testimony was
given.
Mr.. Collins's suicide following so soon
upon that other calamity, wrought deeply
upon Mr. Stone, and filled his mind with a
haunting horror, which had no small share
in undermining his health. The death of
his only son. Adelbert, his recent financial
reverses, which, while they did not materi-
ally impair his fortune, deeply hurt his
pride as financier, together with intense
bodily suffering from insomnia, FASTENED the
sad end.
The lesson of Mr.. Stones blighted life is
one which young men might study with adj
vantage. Something more than an indomit-
able will is needed to insure complete sue
cess. No man is so strong, or so wise, or so
able that he can safely rely upon his own
judgment in matters in which other men are
stronger, wiser and ADLER than he. Mr..
Stones life would have been happier, and in
no sense less successful. had he had the per-
ception to recognize, and the courage to con-
fess, his own limitations and deficiencies He
would have been greater man had he been
less conscious of his greatness-a stronger
man had he distrusted more his own
strength.