Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-10
EASTERN HAPPENINGS.
Terrible Disaster at
Louisville.
THE COLLAPSE OF A CAISSON
Fourteen Men SmOthered to Da.,,
in the Quicksands Of
the Ohio.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.


pallipg accident known here in many
years occurred this evening about 6
O'Clock. Caisson No. /, about one hum
dred yards from the Kentucky shore,
used in the construction of the new
bridge between Louisville and Jefferson
vile, suddenly gave way, and the work.
men employed in it were either drowned
or crushed to death by the stone and
timbers. As the workmsn at the pump
ing station were looking for the men in
the caisson to put off in their boats,
leaving for the night, they suddenly saw
the low, dark structure disappear in tie
dashing 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 q squad of officers 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 disap-
pesrance of the caisson three thousand
people were on the shore, and strained
their eyes trying to see something of the
Nreckage. 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 who were at work at the time
of the accident had escaped.
THE VICTIMS.
Following are the names of the vic
tins:
William Haynes, 40 years old.
John Knox, % years old.
McAdams, aged 26, Hyde Park. Pa.
Frank Mahar, % years old, native of
New Jersey.
Pat Naylor, 81 years, Philadelphia.
Tomas Ash (colored), aged 80, Hender-
son. KY.
Monroe Bowling (colored), aged "a,
Henderson, KY.
Charles Chiles (colored), aged 80,
Henderson, KY.
Thomas Johnson (colored), aged 80,
Henderson, KY.
Joseph Gordon (colored), aged 25,
Henderson, KY.
Hamilton Morris, aged 20, Henderson,
Ky.
Thomas Smith, aged 27, Henderson,
Ky.
Frank soaper (colored), aged %, Hen.
derson, Ky.
Robert Tyler, 16 years old, Hender-
son, KY.
STORY OF SURVIVORS.
The last man out of the caisson was
Frank Haddix. He was barely saved by
Murray, who dragged him from where he
was caught waist deep in the quicksand.
Abe Taylor, one Of the saved, says he
stood nearest the iron ladder by which
they got in and cut. He heard rum.
bling, and there WIS rush of air almost
at the same instant. He jumped up the
rungs of the ladder, followed by theoher
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. Had
dix says he saw Morris, who was climb
ing. next below himself, swiftly drawn
under by the sand, and heard his cries
for help. but could do nothing.
NO HOPE FOR THE UNFoRTUNATEs.
The caisscn is not wrecked, as at first
supposed, but has settled down in the
bed Of the etream, and is completely
filed with sand and water. The pump.
ing station is hard at work clearing the
way to the bodies. but none can be
reached tonight. There seems abso-
lutely 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
shore of the caisson. Just before the
accident Knox gave some order to the
keeper in charge of the upper door to the
exit. He opened the door, and the com.
pressed air, which kept out the river,
rushed out, letting in the stream. The
men say they were working in an ugly
quicksand at the time. The caisson was
about forty feet by twenty, and built of
timberg twelve inches euuare