Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-08
DEATHS EMBRACE.
Thousands of People Caught
in a Crush on Brook
lyn Bridge.
The Panic Stricken Crowd
Pushed Down to Death.
Women Crying for Their Children, and
Men for Their Wiycs-Scenes
of Horror.
Twelve Persons Killed and Scores of
Others IDjared-Extricating
the Remains.

the Remains.
New YORK, May 3O.-There was a
crush at the steps at the New York ap-
proach Of the Brooklyn bridge this af-
ternoon. A panic followed, and at least
fourteen persons were killed and many
wounded. The crush began shortly
before o'clock. At that hour there
were thousands of people on the bridge,
most of them coming from Brooklyn.
The air was clear and brisk, and the
people were walking rapidly. As the
crowd approached the short fight al
steps those in front pushed back, for
fear they would be precipitated over
the steps, distance of about six feet.
These people, in drawing back from the
steps, made the nucleus of Jam,
for thousands behind them pushed
on unheeding. Almost instantly
the people began to shout
"Stand backl" and Give US room =
Meanwhile the crowd from New York
which was at the foot of the steps got
blocked. The men at the head of the
New York crowd fought their way back,
leaving clear space at the foot Of the
steps. The shouting and crowding
from the Brooklyn crowd increased.
1t was utterly inexplicable. The peo-
pie in the advance guard of the Brook
lyn crowd were pushed toward the
steps. They seemed to have a horror
of going over the steps, although the
flight is only five or six feet high.
They locked arms and pushed furious
ly back against the thousands coming
steadily over from Brooklyn. La tew
minutes at point just above the steps,
there was a slow yielding to the fright
ful pressure rom behind and the front
ofthe crowd was. forced nearer and near
or to the edge of the steps. Women
and children were
SCREAMING FOR HELP
and the men were shouting confusedly.
Umbrellas, parcels, and canes we're
thrown over the rails by people who
needed their hands to fight their way
out of the desperate crowd. AT last,
with single shrek that cut through
the Clamor of the thousand of voices, Il
young girl who mad lost her footing
on the peril0us edge fell headlong
she struck the pathway at TIE foot of
the steps and lay for a moment. She
raised herself on her hands and would
have got up, but in another moment
she was buried four deep under the
bodies of others who fell over the steps
after her. She was dead when ey got
her out more than half an hour after
ward. The men sprang upon the rails
at the side and waved the crowds back
frow the New York and Brooklyn sides
but the people continued to crowd on
toward the steps. No police were in
sight. Every minute the excitement
grew worse. The men in the crowa
lifted their children above their heads
to save them from the crush. The peo,
pie were still paying their pennies at
both gates and squeezing In. At last the
people at the New York end Of the
bridge understood what was happening.
The gates were closed and word was
sent to Brooklyn TO close the gates
there. Messengers were sent to the
police station IN Oak street, but
before any outside help came the
bridge police, assisted by citizens, press
ed two grocers' wagons into the ambul
ance service. They were.
LOADED UP WITH THE DEAD AND DYING
and driven Oft the bridge, followed by
crowds of distracted men and women.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT
was, in the first place, the stairway at
the narrow point on the promenade.
A blockade of considerable magnitude
occurred shortly before the fatal crush
at a point almost midway between the
anchorage and the New York tower,
W. ere the promenade is narrowed from
I5i feet to Is feet by the cables coming
down 10 the foot-bridge. AT the head
of the stairs the promenade is 15i feet
wide. The iron banisters of the stair
way narrow it Gown to IA feet. In the
second place, the accident could not
have occurred if here had been suf-
ficicnt force of police 10 keep the throng
moving. There was rs policeman on
the stairs or landing until after the way
had been choked up.
Supt. Martin said: "We believed that
we had made ample arrangements to
keep the crowd moving. Our police
were instructed to see that, in tho event
of crowd collecting at any point, they
shor'd not try to drive people back in
mass, for that would have surely re
suited in blockade, but to make each
person move along in the direction he
desired to go. We had twelve men of
our own on the structure and eight
other men specially detailed. Besides
these there were twenty. five men of
the New York police force. | under
stand that twenty were en the structure
and five at the New York entrance. I
have not learned how many of the New
York force were near the scene of the
accident when it occurred. The men
in charge of the admission of persous
at the New York entrance had
NO RIGHT TO CLOSE THE BRIDGE
except upon .rders coming from some
proper authority. | shall lengthen
the railing which divides the prone
made into two lanes at the narrow point
where the cables come down to the foot
bridge. By fengthenirg this railing snd
dividing the crowd the likelihood of a
jam on any part of the structure will
se lessened. Then [ shall divide this
stairway by railing in the same way.
| had already made arrangements to
have this done, but could not get it done
to-day. II it had been, this accident
might have been averted. 1t has to be
done, and will be to-morroS.
Somebody asked Mr.. Martin if the
bridge hA3 not been closed at all after
the accident. There WAS no occasion
for closing it," he said. "Tkere are a
great many more people on the bridge
now than when the accident occurred,
and you can see that they are moving
nicely and without delay. The roadway
was open to loot passengers before the
accident"
4 Tale of the Laie War.
From Our Continent.
Lsuderdale, little Virginia town,
lying between the Blue Ridge and the
Allegheny Mountains. was astir early
On one June day of 1864 for the soldier