The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-01-17

11AIIf I<tAVtN~~ ne ss**4tH% - ~"ttsH -
tho Nietlsns Recovered
Lori~virif. Ky. Jan. 10. Sixtcel
men working in q caisson used in tn
excavation Of foundation for pier 81
the new bridge across the Ohio river
between this city and Jcffcrsonyills
were caught BY sudden burst 81 water
caused. IN il thought. ~ too rapid cx
cayation. and are believed 70 have beer
drowned Engines and workmrn have
been at work all night trying 10 pump
out the water. repair the break and cx'
tricate the men. but thus far without
success. The caisson Is located TIVE
hundred yards from the kentucky bank,
In about twenty-five feet Of water
Twenty men were at work in it. The
water and is reached hy man-hols
shaft, which projects above the waters
surface. This shaft is reached by four
trap-doors from the interior Of the Gals.
son.
shortly before six o'clock last even
ing while the men were excavating in
the bottom of the caisson the water
from the river burst under the
edge Of the huge machine. and the
unfortunate workmen were caught
like rats in trap. OF the twenty
men in the caisson when the flooding
was first noticed Frank IIaddox. Louis
Couch. James Morrell and Abe Taylor sue
cecded in reaching the traps TO the man
hole shaft and escaped. The fate OF the
others j. as yet unknown. but there Is
hardly possibility that any 81 them
are alive.
Those still in the caisson are: Thomas
Johnson. Monroe Boiling. Foreman John
Knox. Frank Mayer, Fred Soaper, Jos.
McAdams. Tom Ash. Hamilton Morris,
W. +. Haynes. Reuben Tyler. Chris
Childs. ThoS smith. John Gordon. Louis
Cox and Peter Taylor.
Abe Taylor. one Of the survivors. tells
the following story 81 the accident. and
tho horrible fight for life OF the panic
stricken workmcn imprisoned in the
air chamber beneath the bed OF tho
river. The men were al work in the
soft bottom 81 tho river. They made
such rapid progress yesterday in the
muddy surf that tho excavation went
down faster than the caisson. whose
great weight was expected to carry IL
gradually down. keeping pace with the
work Of excayating. 70 rock founda-
ton Yesterday afternoon an unusual
quantity 81 water began 70 triclzle from
under the cais>on's edges. but the pumps
were at work taking il out and no an
apprehension was felt. Gradually the
incoming tide Increased until suddenly
from under the c2iSson on every side a
food gushed in The men. too late. re-
allied their deadly peril and all rushed
for the exit into the escape pipe. Immc-
iiately around the little trap door which
admitted 70 liberty and life. the frantic
unfortunates fought like demons. all
that bur few Of them could
pass through the inner trap before the
air chamber was completely filled bv
the in-rushing tide. Only one could 90
through at time, and as ono man
gained prc-emincnce he was snatched
BY his frenzied COMPANIONS and drawn
back into the struggling crowd. Mean
while the flood rose swiftly and relent-
essly. The caisson roof was scarcely
higher than the mems heads. and 10 be
eft behind was thought to be certain
leath- Taylor says he was the last OF
he survivors to escape into the outer
ock- As he escaped from the clutches
4 dozen hands and leaped through the
loor into the outer trap he heard Knox.
he foreman. shout: For Gods sake
hurry. boys. it's getting over my head
4et the shortest men 20 first"
The trap fell hack behind Taylor and
hut his doomed comrades from view.
I Is supposed that before anv Others
ould escape they were all drowned.
The workmen al the pumps. at a late
our last night. however. thought there
'as chance that some OF the impris-
ned workmen were still alive. The
ir gauge on the engine which pumps
ir into the caisson shows strong and
'eady pressure OF air in the air shaft
nd caisson. and il is thought possible
lat the compressed air in the caisson
i'll be sufficient to keep the watcr from
using TO the top and that some Of the
en- may be able 70 keep their heads
bove water until released.
At one o'clock this morning the outer
lamb Der OF the caisson was reached and
lrce bodies were found. All the men
the caisson proper are known 70 be
lad.
Messrs. Sooy 4 Smith. Of New York.
e the contracting engineers IN charge
the caisson work. The Phoenix
ridge Company. Pennsylvania cor
,ration. have the contract for the con-
ruction Of the bridge.
The engineers theory Of the accident.
hich is partially supported BY facts .
,taincd from the workmen who cs- ,
ped. Is that the foreman. who. 1t Il
legged. had been drinking. while at ,
mpting to reduce the air pressure
Irned the valve OF the supply pipe toe
r and the pressure Of the air on the
terror u the caiSson became 80 low
at the caisson settled in the mud 81 ,
: own weight. at the same time admit
ng the water.
Released on HAIL.
CmcAoo. Jan. fO.-W. II. lsidgood, {
e Englishman who clerkcd in N. c.
land Office and was in Z
cted with him a. accessory in his 4
audulcnt mortgage transactions. was \
leased on 81. 900 bail yesterday. II Is '
i'd that the receiver Of the Frederick 4