Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-31
TERRIBLE DISASTER.

The Brooklyn Bridge the Scene OF a
FriRhtfuI Calamity-Panic Among the
Passengers-Men, Women and Children
Trampled to Notwithstanding scenes
OF HOrror-PartiaI List Of the KILLED
and Injured.
lsPHolAL BT TELEGRAPH 70 THs RsooRD-Usfos.l
New YORK, May S0th.-A terrible acci.
dent occurred on the Brooklyn bridge at
half-past o'clock. The bridge was crowded
to its utmost capacity at that hour. On the
platform on the New York tower the jam be.
came SO great that many persons tainted. A
cry of distress was raised and dreadful
struggle began between the panic stricken
crowds coming from the east and west. A
number were, it is reported, crushed to death.
In the end the crowd coming from the Brook
lyn side prevailed, and rushed toward the
New York anchoring, tramping down every
thing in its way. Mep, women and children
were trodden under foot, and fslling
down tae s.eps leading to the tower
platform, were buried under q macs
Of struggling humanity many feet
high. AS soon as the news Of TIE disaster was
conveyed to the New York station by the
olsst Of the panic-stricken crowd, the police
were called ard the bridge was closed. The
work OF removing the crushed ard wounded
then began. a number were taken to the
City Hall police station, and others to the
Chambsrs.street Hospital. The police report
at least ten or fifteen killed, but as yet it is
impossible to say whom or how many. OF
the seven wounded who ere in the City Hall
station, one B. Reychers, cigarmaker of
No. 1886 Delaney street. is now dying. The
excitement st the entrance to the bridge is
intense.
| FURTHER PARTICULARS.
NEW YORK, MsY 3Oth.-A fearful catas-
trophe occurred on the East river bridge this
afternoon. by which large number Of pso-
pie have lost their EveE. The narrowness of
the foot way for passengers is the cause of the
horror. Toe majority Of the dead are SO far
not known. At o'clock the long line of
psoplss or foot in the center walk of the
structure, going from and coming 10 this city,
thickened and swelled, and stepped in its mo.
ton just at tho stairs leading from the con.
crete roadway to the bridge proper. Strong
men and feeble women, manhood and Infancy,
were wedged together in that fearful pressure
of the crowd, which extended for a mile, we
might say, on either end OF The line. It was
a remorseless, fearful, stupid force, that held
its victims as immovable as the stone foun-
dation of the bridge Itself. The stoppage
lasted nearly an hour, during which time
scores Of people tainted. To relieve the Jam
the bridge officials removed soma Of the iron
palirg few feet from the stairway on the
New York side, when of course there was an
immediate rush to that point, and large
number fell, helter-skelter, heels over head,
down on the jagged, gravelly road beneath,
mass of brdised and discolored human flesh
Scores were trampled upon and instantly
killed.
TO STUMBLE WAS DEATH.
Men were dragged out of that heap of help
less humanity with faces turned to indigo and
the life-blood tricklipg out of their uostrils
Children and women were there, pale, dishev.
elled and dead. The roadway on either side
OF the walk was strewed with dead and dying
"a pitiabls sight-and yet it is said no effort
was made By the bridge officials to stop the
people coming on the bridge. THE dead and
dying were carried IF on wagons. carts, ETC.,
ins ,rovisod en the moment for service, and it
was long time before the police arrived and
anything Ike order was restored, or ambu-
lances eppesred, Meanwhile teams were
rushing both ways at full gallop over the road.
ways, why no one could tell, threatening the
lives of those on foot who were attempting TO
help the unfortunate victims. AIe1 shouted
themselves hoarse to "Ciear the way"
Wagons rattliug over the rough stones, and
men and women crying in oil directions, made
it bedlam indeed. A party of men in uni
forrn did aome service at this spot, as volun-
teer police TO check the vulgar and curious.
At the Chsnbers-streeS Hospital there are
lying thirteen dead bodies-six unknown men
and six unknown women, and George Smith,
OF 40 Wall street. The Office was filled with
people making frantic inquiries for missing
friends and with hysterical women.
AT THE CITY HALL.
The scene in the City Hall police station
was silnply terrible-women screaming and
wringing their hands, men with torn cloth
ing and bleeding faces. All found forms of
wounded friends. Most Of the unconscious
were lying beside the walls Every now and
again frantic mother would rush in, inquir-
ing for some one lost, but there were none TO
answer her, for the revival of the insensibie
occupied all thoughts. The jingle of the
ambulance bells added to the confusion, as
wagon after wagon drove up to the door and
surgeons descended. A perfect stream Of
unconscious forms was borne to the station
on stretchers, as the ambulancss were filed
aud driven away.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
"I was walking along the bridge toward
the New York entrance" said man who
held young girl, who was crying bitterly,
by the hand, "when I heard shouting and
screaming suddenly arise in front of me.
Then I saw hats, sticks and hands stretched
aloft, and with one scream the whole dense
mass surged and swayed toward the gates. I
suppose the people thought the bridge was
coming down any way they fought, screamed
and yelled like demons. Children and
women were knocked down and trampled
upon, aud I was borne irresis!ibly along.
Then I found this little girl who had lost her
friends, and here we are, safe, thank God.'
The little girl, between her sohs, said her
name was Flora Davis, of 80 Lewis street.
81 went on the BRIDGE" said Charles
Bright, of 50 Third street. Brooklyn, "at
about o'clock, and as L was approaching
the river span I found myself unable to move
either backward or forward. Women and
children commenced screaming. Hundreds
of men climbed with great difficulty into the
beams running over the rails, and made their
way to the carriage way. Many let them.