Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1890-01-18

TERRIBLE DISASTER
Fourteen Men Are Crushed and
Drowned in a Bridge
CaissOn.
The Caisson Settled in the Quick
sand and Filled With
Water.
Whc WorkmeR Who Escaped Say
John Knox, the Gang Boss,
Was Responsible for
the Accident.
Only Four

LOUISVILLE, Jan. 10.-Ihe most APP
sailing accident known here in many
years occurred last evening about 6
O'Clock. Cassion No. /, about 100 yards
from the Kentucky shore, used in the
construction of the new bridge between
louisville and Jacksonville, suddenly
gsve way, and the workmen employed
I'm il were either drowned or crushed to
death by the stone and timbers. As the
"workmen at the pumping station were
Hooking for the men in the cassion to
put of in their boats on leaving for the
might, they suddenly saw the low
dark structure disappear in the
xfashing white waves. The life
saving station was Immediately
notified Of the accident and three
skiffs were manned and pulled to the
scene of the wreck. Word was also
sent to the police station and a squad
was at once ordered to the ground to
aid in the work OF recovery. The site
of the bridge is at the upper end of the
city, just below Tow Head island.
Within an hour from the disappearance
of the caisson 5000 people were on the
shore and strained their ayes trying TO
see something Of the wreckage. Dozens
OF boats were plying about over the spot
where the caisson had stood and lights
danced TO and fro with them, but there
was no trace of the massive structure Of
stone and timber. 1t was soon known
that only four of the eighteen men who
were at work at the time of the accident
had escaped.
The killed are:
William Z. Haynes, aged 40 years, Hyde
Ozark, Ia.
John Knox, aged %, Hyde Park, Pa.
McAdams, aged 26. Hyde Park, Pa.
Frank Mahar, aged %, a native of New
Jersey.
Pat Naylor, aged 81, Philadelphia.
Thomas Ash, colored, aged 80, Hender-
tson, Ky.
Monroe Bowling, colored, aged "a, Hen
Gderson, Ky.
Chas. Ciiles, colored, aged 30, Hender-
rSon, Ky.
Thomas Johnson. colored, aged -, Hen
rderson, Ky.
Joseph Gordon, colored, aged %, Hen
S1ersoa. by.
Hamilton Morris, aged 20, Henderson, Ky.
Thomas Smith, eyed ~, Henderson, Ky.
Frank Soper, colored, aged 25, Hender-
Gon, Ky.
Robert Tyler, aged 16, Hen lerson, Ky.
The last man out of the ~caisson was
Frank Haddix. He was barely say by
Murray, who dragged him from where
he was caught waist deep in the quick
&znd. Abe Taylor, one of the saved,
says he stood nearest the ladder by
which they got in and out. lie heard a
1nmbling and there was a rush of air al
Guost at the same instant. lie jumped
- -
She other men. They had hardly got
clear of the caisson when the water
burst through the manhole, knocking
them all into the river, where they Were
picked up.
Haddix says he saw Morris. who was
climbing next below himself, swiftly
drawn under by the SAND and heard his
cries for help, but could do nothing.
The caisson is not wrecked, as at first
supposed, but has settled down in the
9ed of the stream, completely filled with
sand and water. The pumping station
as hard at work clearing the way to the
bodies, but none will be reached tonight.
There. seems absolutely no hope for any
of those caught within the caisson.
The negroes who escaped say John
Knox, the gang boss, had them dig too
deep before letting the caisson settle
and the digging was too close to the
shoe of the caisson. just before the
accident Knox gave some order to the
Hseeper in charge of the upper door to
the exit He opened this door and the
U5ompressed air which kept out the
r-iver rushed out, letting in the stream.
The q say they were working in ugly
quSe&sand at the time. The caisson
was 40 feet by 90 and built Of timbers
Twelve inches square.