New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-31
THE POLICE ARRANGEMENTS.

Sergeant COnlIn. who was IN charge of the City
Hall Station when the first news of the accident
reached there said II was about half past 4
when Detective Sergeant Mangin rushed in and
said that there had been crush on the Bridge and
some one had been injured. ! Immediately iele-
graphed 10 the hospitals for surgeons and ambu-
lanccs and semi the reserve Of Thirty men over TO
tho scene with instructions not TO allow any moro
people on the Bridge had scarcely done so before
man rushed In and shouted for me to send to the
hospItals for assistance. thought he was crazy
al first. but when realized le whole extent OF the
catastrophe and the wounded and dying began to
come in. did not wonder at his excitement. The
ambulances we're here inside Of ten minutes arriy-
ing but very brei time after the first I'M tred got
here Dr. Harrington, from the AstOr House. also
came aud everybody worked with viii. Those
who badly injured We got over to the hos
pitfalls as speedily as possible; the others were &C
coinmodatcd here as best We could.
IL is understood between the trustees of the
Bridge and tho police authorities that we arc not
expected TO furnish any detail from our force OK
cepting for maintaining pence outside OF the en-
frances and to that no crushing OF crowds takes
place at the gateways. nnperintendont Martins
TO meet auy emergency that might Occur "a detail
OF fifty NewYOI police was asked for and fur
nshed. twenty five Tor duty at the entrances and
the Others inside These officers we're on duty at
tho time of the accident In addition TO these an
additional force of about fifty police were sent TO
The crush was sudden, and without the least fore
warning that with II much larger force the ac-
cident could not have been avered by their efforts"
HELPING TIE PEOPLE IN THE CRUSH.
Superintendent d. +. Drake, who has charge of the
electric lights on the Bridge. a witness Of the
crush Oh the stairs and assisted in taking out the
dead and wounded. He said to TRIBUNE reporter:
Il was driving over the Bridge in n coupe with
two men and some apparatus for the lamps drove
first from New-York to Brooklyn and remarked TO
the men, as was passing, on the immense crowd on
the Bridge Ireturned OH the north roadway and had
got TO the New York tower. coming from BROOKLYN
Just as passed out from under the tower could
see In front the people at the steps. said to the
men: The women screaming and crying and
waving parasols!' We drove rapidly as pos
sible. When we got to the anchorage jumped out
and with the aid Of the men pulled down the fence
and put plalks across the car tracks, so that the
people could get out. 1t was terrible scene. Men,
women and children we're lying at the foot Of
the steps In a mass. We pulled some out OF
the crowd and helped them on the panks
Unfortunately The planks were too short and tho
people got on them they bent and fell down on tho
tracks Several women and children fell and were
bruised on the stone ballastlng but they all got up
and were able to get home. | had presence of mind
enough to send men to the New-York and Brooklyn
entrances to tell the toll-takers not TO pass any
more passengers. bnt they did not attend to the
warning After we had helped out some Of those
who lay at the foot of the stairs jumped up on the
rders that are the track on the Bridge proper
and leaning over helped some Of the women IN the
crowd TO got over the high and narrow Iron bcams
There were many young women and they wore
thoroughly frightened II Is wonderful that uons