Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-06-07

80 Sd street, Brooklyn, "abOut 4 O'Clock,
and as was approaching the river
span | found myself unable to move
either backward or forward. Women
and children commenced screaming
and hundreds of men climbed with great
difficulty on to the beams running over
the railroads and made their way to the
carriage way. Many let themselves
DROP THROUGH BETWEEN THE BEANS
and were caught by those beneath. A
number of women also escaped in this
way. / escaped in this way myself.
The police and others helped to pull
out the dead and dying, and they were
laid ON the roadway until ambulances
came. The shrieks of the children in
the pathway we're blood curdling.
They cried,
"HELP SAVE NE FOR GODS SAKE"
but where we were We could do moth
ing"
Mr.. Martin, superintendent of the
bridge, was seen 10y reporter few
minutes after the accident. He said:
Five minutes before word came to
my office about the catastrophe, re-
ceived word in answer to my question,
that everything was going on smoothly
on the bridge, and that the pedestrians
were moving along quietly. | certain
ly have no idea what caused
the horrible tragedy, as vari.
Gus accounts have reached me.
From four distinct sources /
hear, however, that the panic was
brought about by gang of picEpock-
cts. The New York policemen gave
warning to-day that thieves and bunko
men were operating the bridge, but as
none of them we're identified of course
we could do nothing As soon as ]
heard of the crush l ordered the road
ways to be thrown open and the people
are going across that way now.
Mrs. Edward O. Colburn, of 1877
South Eight street, Brooklyn, came
out into Chatham street leading lit
tie 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 re-
porter in Chatham street, her eldest
daughter aged 10 years, ran up to her
crying: "Where is father?" The
mother answered that she did not
know. Mrs. Colburn said: at was an
awful experience" | saw one woman
FALL BACKWARD FROM THE STEPS.
AS soon as she fell, she was jumped
upon by men who were forced after
her. They trampled her to death. l
was pushed against the railing and
turned around and around, my cloth
ing was tore and | was exhausted.
When | last saw nay husband he was
holding our youngest child up in the
air and being carried toward the edge
of the steps by the crowd. / chung 10
the railing and at last some
one from above grasped my wrists
anu hauled me out of the crush. A few
minutes later they got my two boys up.
AT that time the bodies lay three deep
ut the foot of the steps. One man, who
was white as sheet, struggled out of
the mass with his dead child held above
his head. He was screaming. / stood
by the rail looking for my husband and
our other child. do not as yet know
whether they are safe
Mr.. Abercrombie said: came to
New YORK to buy goods for my store.
After seeing the parade, | went on the
bridge at 3 80 p. m. | stopped to buy
q cent medal or / should have been on
the fret step when the crush occurred.
After buying the medal | walked along.
was twenty-five yards from the steps
and walked toward them. / noticed a
jam on the steps and stood watching
the immense throng. A man got to
the iron work and beckoned to the
crowd to 50 back. He was not a
policeman. I saw nopoliceman there.
Heard scream and several
other screams followed. The crowd
suTged back and l jumped over the
fence. The jana centered on the
steps. | went along the stone sides
and walked along and hung on to the
railing with one hand. Just as | got
up on the north side of the fence, the
crowd surged toward New York, and
threw girl down on the right hand
corner. She went over sidewise and
forward and fell on her face. Then
four men and women fell on her. The
crowd cried
EVERYBODY COME OVER AND GET AWAY
FOR GODS SAKE"
have been used to handling small
gangs of men, and l yelled for them to
get over the raj, and pulled a man over.
| got him over, and the woman next to
him, aud after a hard struggle got them
so that they stood along the iron works.
Meantime the throng was wedged at
the scene Of the accident, The tide
was from BroOklyE, rs the New York
entrance was closed to all but reporters
and wounded. twas not until quar-
ter Of six that 8 squad of police were
sent on the bridge and the crowd was
thinned
Later reports give the names OF
twelve persons killed and and twenty
six persons Injured, most Of them seri-
ously. This list will be greatly eK-
tended, as many who were kill cd or
wounded were taken directly to their
homes. Inquiries are being msde for
many who are missing and supp osed
to be on the bridge at the time of the
crush,