Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-31
AWFUL
A Passenger Train Plunges Through an
Open Bridge in California
1t IS Estimated Twenty-Five People are Los
HeartrendIng scenes st the Morsue-
Seeking for Lost OnsS.

Il
an open bridge over the San Antonio creek
at Webster. The yacht Juanita had just
passed through the draw when the train
appeared going In the direction of Ale
NADIA. The drawkeeper endeavored at
once to close the bridge, but it was too
late and the engine and first cars, which
were filed with passengers, plunged into
the river, which is deep here. The en-
gineer, Sam Dunn, and Fireman o 'Brien
went down with the engine. The former
when he saw the bridge did not close
REVERSED THE LEVER,
but the momentum of the engine
was too great to be stopped
in time. The weight of the
engine and first car broke the couplings
and left the other two cars OF the train
standing on the track. The second car
ran about third of the way across the
bridge and stopped, but the jar was
sufficient to break open the front of the
car, and many OF the passen-
gers were thrown into the water.
The first car, which had
followed the engine to the bottom of the
river, soon rose, and such of the pas
sengsrs as had escaped we're picked up
by the yachts and small boats which had
gathered ut the scene. The train men
and rest of the passengers lent their aid
to the work of rescue, and when
the wrecking train arrived from Oakland
the car was d avn into shallow
water and the boats began dragging the
creek for bodies. The train was in
charge of Conductor Rerath, and an ex-
ira crew,
IT BEING A HOLIDAY.
The conductor stated that probably
twenty-five persons had met their
DEATH The top of the passenger coach
was cut open as soon as 1t
was raised above the water
and the work of removing the bodies
commenced ten being taken out in quick
succession. Engineer Dunn was not to
be found land it was believed he persisted
beneath his engine. The fireman, it is
thought, escaped by jumping. Three 4
women aud three girls were taken from
the water alive and removed, to the
receiving hospital. Another young
lady died soon after being
taken from the water. The news of the
accident created intense excitement in
tlocke ed to the morgus and scene of the
wreck. At the morgue bodies were laid
out as soon as received, to await identifi-
cation. The body of E. P. Robin
son, who was among those taken
from the car, was one OF the
first removed, and. was taken in
charge by the coroner. The bodies of
six men and two women were brought in
soon after. some of the bodies being at
first left at the receiving hospital, where
the injured were also taken. In short
time thirteen bodies lay on the floor and
on the marble slabs of the morgue await
ing identification. Many heart-rend-
ing scenes were witnessed as friends
came forward
TO CLAIM THEIR DEAD.
The list of identified is as follows:
Martin Kelly, Oakland, assistant chief
Wharfinger for state.
W. H. Austin of Austin & Phelps, of |
san Fran cisco.
Miss Florence Austin.
Mrs. Bryan O'Connor, widow of the |
deceased member of Moffat, O'Connor & |
Co.
; J. D. Comen, sewing machine agent
st Oakland.
E. B. Robinson, San Francisco.
Luigi Malesta, San Francisco.
Capt. John O'Dair, Sacramento.
Mr.. Williams, San Francisco.
HtyW. Aud, eolored, Honolulu. i
Thd two Misses Kennen of San Fran
ciscoA
TheA thirteenth body was that Of
Japanese boy supposed to be a. Ma
lerta of San Francisco.
A late dispatch says both engineer and
fireman are saved. Thousands of peo-
pie f1ocked to the scene of the disaster,
aud the street leading to the bridge was
with vehicles and men and
So great was the crowd on the
draw bridge that the police had to drive
people off for fear the great weight would
upset it, and cause another catastrophe.
The widest rumois of the extent of loss
Of life were circulated, au1 many peo-
pie from San Frcncsco went across the
bay to look for friends who were on the
train. The news of he disaster reached
Mountain View cemetery, where hun
ireds!of Oakland people were decorating
graves. panic was created, and men,
women and children rubbed into town
LEAVING THEDEAD
and dropping boquets as lhey ran. The
cars of the narrow gauge road seat about
fifty persons, and thssseats are very
close. Conservative estimates place the
number of people in ths car at about
thirty, thirteen of whom bst their lives.
The water over which the bridge
IS built is an estuary of San Francis
20 bay, and is commonly cilled the Oak
land creek. strong current runs in
the stream, which at the punt of the ac-
,ident is about 800 feet wide and 20 feet
deep.
Both sides of the creek are lined with
Shipping, and the boatmen frDm vessels
we're of great assistance In resJuing those
who escaped from the car.
The drawbridge is about 100 feet long,
and just before the train fromSan Fran
cisco gets here it has to cone around a
sharp curve, and usually travels
1t high rate d speed.
A passenger train eossed the
bridge every half hour during the day,
and when the bridge is opq the keeper
IS supposed to signal bi(hoisting red
dag. J. N. Dunlap is the Aridge tender.
The experience of PASSENGERS in the
first coach, as related BY those
who fortunately escaped, was terrifying.
E. f. Finley of San Fran cisco ,one of
The passengers, told graphic sorry of
the disaster. "We left the city - he
,aid, con the rs train for Alamedaon