Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-31
lancaster frltelltgencer.
THURSDAY EVENING, NAY 81. 1893.
The Bridge Calamity.

The Bridge Calamity.
The accounts of the Brooklyn bridge
accident differ greatly in attempting to
point out the cause of the fatal crush.
Some say that it was produced by the
efforts of pickpockets others that a
woman's scream induced it and a.yain it
is said to have been caused by the stupid
efforts Of the police to prevent it.
Whatever its cause, it is clear enough
that it would not have occurred but for
the stairway that was planted on the
bridge, the approach at the top of the
stairway being sharply inclined towards
It. 1t was very natural that persons
coming down this incline to the
steps should trip and fall down
them. The bridge is a novel thing and
it might be expected that it world not
be Immediately perfected, 50 as to be the
best possible accommodation to the pub
lie. But it does seem that those who
planned it should have recognized the
Inconvenience and danger of having
steps in the course of the footway. They
evidently were not necessary as railway
tracks and carriage roads are laid over
the bridge, and any grade that is not too
great for railway track should not be
too severe for foot way. The bridge
superintendent gives as the only reason
for putting in these steps that it was
thought that steep grade would he
dangerous in icy weather. But this is
an entirely new conception of the rela-
tive danger of stairway covered with
ice and an inclined way similarly ELL
numbered. There is now an incline in
the bridge and the sleeper one necessi-
tated by taking away fourteen steps of
seven inches rise each would not be
very much more Objectionable.
Another thing that seems to require
no argument to demonstrate is that
there should have been a separate foot
way for each direction of travel. There
is, however, but one avenue, and those
using it meet each other of course. When
the travel each way is great there
is serious danger of a blockade and
when it is heavy one way and light
the other, those going in the latter di.
rection are very likely to be forced
backward. It is so customary to have
separate avenues for each line of travel
that it seems very strange that they
were not provided in this bridge. There
are, in fact, two carriage ways and two
railroad tracks but the fact seems to be
that the foot travel was not expected to
be heavy and only one path was there
fore provided for those going and COM
ing.
That expectation, however, did not
justify any such limitation of the ac-
commodation for foot passengers. 1t
might have excused pathways too mar
row, but not the failure to provide two
of them; when the danger Of carriages
meeting one another was contemplated
and provided against, the danger, or At
least Inconvenience of meeting bodies
of footmen should have been foreseen
and obviated. On every street of a city
there are two footpaths and but one
carriage way, and why there should have
been conceived to exist a greater neces
sity on the Brooklyn bridge for two rail
way tracks and two carriage roads
than for two footpaths is incomprehensi
ble. Then no telegraphic communication
seems to be provided between the bridge
and any part of it; so that
the stream of travel could not be checked
and assistance speedily obtained when
this dreadful accident happened.
Altogether it appears very clear that
there has been a great lack of intelli
gence and foresight exhibited in prepar-
ing this avenue of communication for
the uses it was intended for. The re-
sponsibility for the fatal occurrence
which mars the opening history of the
bridge is certainly upon those who have
conceived the faulty arrangements. And
80 long as so insufficient all intelligence
the bridge administration it
may be expected that it will continue to
be death trap.
The Philadelphia Times thinks that
the New York World under it's new
is doing a great work in
killing off Democratic candidates for the
However valuable the work,
,he World is certainly entitled to credit |
for the success with which it is done ::
The meansit uses are not novel, but it |
seems to have an exceptional facility |