Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-16

The Kissing of Water i'm n Gaisson
Causes "A Terrible floss OF EItfc.

The Kissing OF WNter i'm GaissOn
Causes "A Terrible aIons OF EIifc.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Jan. 1e-Fourtoen
men wsre drowned Of 6 O'Clock last even
ing by the rising OF water in u cRisaon of
the new bridge across the Ohio conneot-
ing Louisville and Jacksonville.
The caisson at which the accident 90
Cured is about 100 yards from the Ken
tuoky shore, and WAS built by MeBsrs.
Sooy, Smith j. Co., of New York who
nre the bridge contractors. IL Wns time
to knock OF rests, and aome OF the lab
orers had started in bargs for the
shore, leaving eighteen men IN this Gals
son.
The caisson was Runh 10 about So feet
OF water ind was seven feet high. II
hid two pipes leading TO the air, one
through which the exeavatai material
was scot out aud .Be other Tor the passage
OF the men.
The men in the caiasoD, int es they
were preparing TO leRve, heard the rush
OF escaping cir from tbs raiaaOG Ono Of
the dooIs OF the air saait had beeG left
open.
Robert Baldwin was in charge Ct tho
latter, but il is said that Kuax, tho :Gte.
nan WHO Was dEo n'Esi, lGd given linn
some other duty Ni.ah took lln away
from the shat. Al ine str escaped the
water rushed intn ;ha c,lEIoa from the
bottom and rapidly filled TIC ccIrpart-
nlent
The men made Yuah for the air
SHAFT. Four of them feLChad j ana got
, to th5 surface III the wNte!, lgtiy .SI ttet
above. Tie men in the lat.a AGA bacn
notified Of the accident by tua spafsinS
Of the water through tLa ,SsinE sir rhhit.
They pulled bRui. % rsscu3e Hs Rsany as
! possible, spd suaceeduQ in ge't'a% into
their h.rEs tha FOUR who Aaa CONT
| throagh tue 5lnit. rte latter were Abe
| Taylor, LoW.J UnHch James murray an,
Franz EYdtih, MI solaftd
The renaaining IA we're overwhelmed
4 by tire Water Gni wers drawasl.
LuU'svuLr, Ky Jea. 10. AT IL %
O'Clock this mafliHg Che bodies 81 taFee
Of the unfortunate victims Of .aG cais4oa
Rsnidput ware recovered '.y tho voJsNeu.
The positions ia which they wtre tound
showed that desperate struggle hsd
/ taken place a The narrow 1a2r q tsnAve.
One negro bgd suouae,led in putting
his body through the aperture, but death
I LANNt SfNsNnhFh AlAAi JtlHA N"StAA hhV Wa
promised. Another negro nad crawtcd
partly through. lila hands wers fat
enpd By death in the clothing Of the
negro in front OF him, showing tkat he
had died in desperate endeayos to es-
caps. Between the two negroos WIS tho
body OF white mnn. Il kppssroi from
his position that he was trying to p 81
hack some one who was oiingipg % hit
| ri .st.r4 ak 4
door by the sudden sinking D. the caissot
had wpdged in this body of white MA:
IN Oh manner that il oouid cot bt
removed. At 1870 q. nj. work was dis
continued in order 10 allow tho Rorkmer
to rest and refresh themsgiv s. Later !
fresh force Was put on duty and the wori
renewed.
ABB Taylor ora Of the negro iahoreri
who survived the terrible catastrophe
was found 1t his home by q reporter
lie bad mot entirely rec9Vesed tr3oI th'
fright incident to his late experience Gnt
his voice tssmblnd as no told what hap
pened 1t the bottom of the river. "a
near as can remember" re said, ".her
were Is OF us who went down. Some o
Us had candles in our hands ant
others carried the tools. The engine wa
pumping air into the caisson. We wer
not thinking of danger and didn'
have any idea that there was weak poin
inthe oaisson. Wa were talking and run
ming on with each other just as "
always do. som body said We would
relieved in shont two hours Hnd rspiie
that wished it was now. looked
zee how near the caisson was to eAr
J bottom. | Was standing ciose to the litil
door when heard somebody say, 'Grea
God, man, she IS breaking Juet the
the water commenced to rush throus
she shell. doorB, aud it seemed as IL tvery
I thing gays way at once. l broke for Ia
door. | hardly know how did it, but
managed 70 get through, The men be
hind rue were rushing and tumhling Owe
each other, and | could hear them crying
'We'ra lost, help, help, my God, cav
] us Badly frightened IS i was could nj
$ help but pity them. l could do nothin
!; TO. them, 30 ! helped lnyaelf. coul
hesr the water rushing in on the poor fe
loEsRs climbed up tasouRh the man no
: but their cries sounded louder than ii
: roar OF the water. got cut Hafely IN
: thanked God for my deiivsrauce. nevt
|. Will forget that awful sight AZ Ions as
hva.n
!. Taslor was asked il he thonsht thi
: by any possible moaus tbs mon 0oul
! 1--we until help reached them. mo, 81
!, they couIa not live. The wutsr is mi
= = ming in faster tken all tle eagiEeH ca
: force it ont. There ID net any way Il
!, thGm TO escape"
Y