The morning call., 1890-05-31
An Oakland Train DaSlaS
Into an Open DraVbridgG
With Awful Results.
A CATASTROPHE CAUSED BY SOME
B0DYS GkRELESSMESS.
ThiTt08DPeOple Drowned
Prominent Citizens Perish
Beneath the Waves.
Intense Excitement at the Webster
Street Bridge - Miraculous Es-
cape of Many Passengers From
Death = Distressing Scenes at
the Morgue.

few minutes past o'clock yesterday after.
noon The narrowgauge train from San Fran.
cisco 10 Oakland, which left the city, at 40
p NJ, plunged into the open drawbridge at First
and Webster streets, Oakland.
The locomotive and front car went to tile
bottom, but their weight broke the train in TWO
and Tie rest was saved.
THE LAST WHISTLE.
Little is knOwnrof the disaster save that thir-
teen or more lives were Instantly hurled to
eternity. Just before the locomotive made Its
fatal leap there WAS one long whistle, which was
silenced as the comotiye plunged into the cold
depths
Officer Tom Downey, Brdge-tender j. n
Dunlap, Boaiman LigBtman J. NJ. Heinold and
CALL reporter were probably the sole wit
nesses Of lie disaster, and all were within a few
feet Of The scene.
II was 50 instantaneous that its awful horror
could hardly be appreciated, and the spectators
Stood bIeathieSs while the rising tide swept over
the silent car and It's imprisoned dead.
BOATS TO THE RESCUE.
A few minutes later fully twenty boats were in
-''N 'fetSA ftiN b~AAS AbhCu AohaAN ALC SuuAcu
car, but not a sound was heard nor was there a
signal beneath the yawning gap that even told
that loved ones were below.
The rescuiug party was absolutely helpless
untii too late, and then all that could be done
was 10 cut open tile Top Of the ear and take out
those who were dead.
BRAVE DIVER.
In few moments a swarthy young man
named Lightman pulled of his coat and dived
down by tie side OF The car TO see if lie could
break the windows, but the waves rolled the car
so that be was almost drowned.
1T seemed loo bad to know that they were
dying there" he said, "but had to give up the
attempt aud I am fortunate to be here myself
i had narrow escape"
This young mans desperate attempt to rescue
The unfortunate was of the earliest and bray
est incidents of The disaster.
a SALOON MoRGUE.
Within twenty minutes the saloon of j. NJ.
Heinold, just at the north end OF the bridge, was
thrown open TO the dead aud dying aud four
women were taken from the water Drinking
men and rough men became gentle, while tears
rolled down their cheeks.
Many women from The neiehborhood rushed in
ter 10 their lasrearthly wants were spared.
TENDER HEART.
Anxious groups surrounded them, and little
johnnie Heiuold cried out Sell no more whs-
Ky Take everything in the house If it VIII
save a life or make even one poor woman die
easier"
HOLY MEN TOO LATE,
Next came the priests and Sisters OF Mercy,
fastening 10 minister 10 the wants OF the diving
but not one was conscious and the light in every
eye had grown dim before tie anxious holy faces
looked upon them.
The priests and sisters wrung their hands In
great agony aud hastened to the Receiving Hos
pltal, where other Catholics were dying. These
good people then devoted themselves to cOnsol-
ing the friends OF The dead.
IDENTIFYING THE DEAD.
As they lay on rude boards placed on chairs
in the Heiuold saloon, hundreds OF women came
IN to see If they knew the aubuIn-hal and
pale-iaeed dead girls, whose faces notwithstand-
Ing the suddenuess of their taking of, were
wreathed In smiles.
Old women wept as they worked over them.
Willie men spoke in whispers and moved quickly
TO do what they could.
One girl lasBed and gave signs OF life for a few
moments after being lolled on barrel, buI soon
passed away, and her face, with those of her
companions, was covered with some kind stran-
gers handkerchief
THE CROWD COMES.
Within hall an hour news had spread TO all
parts oil Oakland that something awful had Oc-
cured Iheu came the rush of horsemeu and
vehicles, while the long, broad street was Hooked
with men aud women aloot
Patrol wagons dashed TO the scene and a hum
dred express wagons followed them, but all tney
could DO was 10 tenderly carry the dead bodies to
the MOrgue.
fpa nf fla fret
the narToW-gauge operator, Grover Tinkham,
whose Office Is at Fourteenth and Broadway who
Charged down In lie middle OF the railway track
on a sWift-iooted Willie sliced. He dashed back
10 inform The railway officers OF what had hap
pened.
PATHETIC INCIDENT
man whose bare head and bleeding face told
That lie was on the train swan ashore, carrying
little grl on his shoulders. The child was cry
iHg Where is mamma? where is mamma ?" and
hundreds, believing the child's mother had been
Killed, were moved 10 tears. The mother how
ever was unharmed, and the excited father ex-
capped with his Child before his name could be
learned.
A MARVELoUs ESCAPE.
One of the most marvellous escapes was made
BY Captain john C. Hackett an Oakland Couu-
Gilman He was in the Inflated car but he
broke open window with his hand. which was
badly cut, and not only did lie himself escape
Dut lie rescued Miss May Austin, whose sister
was lost Al late hour last night Captain
Racket was suffering so Intensely from ner-
Vous pfOsIration that his physicians forbade eu-
trance 10 his room.
AT THE BRIDGE.
1t was nearly an hour before locomotive ar
Iyed from tile wharf TO drag the sunE en- car 10
shallow wafer. Thousands had by this time
crowded onto The bridge, onto the wharf and TO
every nigh view point within the vicinity. While
The water was black with boats.
LIFTING THE CAR.
CALL reporter rOwed out to the supken car
10 get view OF lie interior, and whea the long
rope fastened the car began to lift 1t out OF The
wafer. rescuers entered 1t and lifted the dead
into their boats.
A toy locomotive was the first thing found.
and then came hats and coats. A few more lifts
aud the dead came fully ih view lying peace
fully as they had died. While the sea- weed and
debris drfted over them.
THE BLAME OF IT.
j. N. Dunlap, the county bridge e-tender, was
seen at his post OF duty in the middle OF The
pildke AT late hour last night.
ne Whole Thing took place 80 suddenly" he
SAID that 1t is impossible for me 10 describe
II. but The bridge was closing when the train
plunged ID. AT the time Of the accident think