Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16
A FEARFUL ACCIDENT.
Thirteen Men Drowned at Louisville, Ken
lucky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky, Jan. 1.-THE most
years occurred this evening about 6 o'clock.
caisson No. 1, about 100 yards from
the Kentucky shore, used in the con-
struction of the new bridge between Louis
vile and Jacksonville, suddenly gave
way and the workmen employed in it
were either daowned or crushed to death
by stone or timbers. AS the workmen
at the pumping station were looking for
the men In the caisson to put off in their
boats, leaving for the night, they sudden
ly saw the low dark structure disappear in
dashing white waves. The life saving
station was Immediately notified of the ac-
cident, 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; three
thousand people were on the shose and
strained their eyes trying to see something
of the wreckage. Dozens of boats were
plying about over the spot where the Gals
son had stood and the lights danced to and
fro with them, but there was no trace of
the massive structure of stone and timber.
1t was not known that only five of the
eighteen men who were at work at the
time of the accident had escaped. The
killed are:
VIM. E. Haynes, aged 40 years.
John Knox, aged % years.
Nc Adams, aged 26 years, Hyde Park,
Pa.
Frank Mahr, aged % years, a native of
New Jersey.
Patrick Naylo~, aged 81 years, Philadel-
phia.
Thomas Ash, colored, aged 80 years,
Henderson, KY.
Monroe Bowling colored, aged "a years,
Henderson, KY.
Charles ChiIes, colored, aged 80 years,
Henderson.
Thomas Johnson, colored, aged 80 years,
Henderson.
Joseph Gordon, colored, aged 25 years,
Henderson.
Frank Soaper, colored, aged 25 years,
Henderson.
Robert Tyler, aged Is years, Henderson.
The last man out of the ciasson Frank
Haddox, was barely saved by hurry who
dragged him from where he was caught
waist deep in the quick sand. Abe Tay-
Tor, one of the saved, says he stood near
est the iron ladder by which they got in
and out. He heard a rumbling and there
was a rush of air almost at the same in
slant. He jumped up the rungs of the
ladder followed by the other men. They had
hardly got clear of the caisson when water
burst through the man hole, knocking
them all into the river, where they were
picked up. Haddox says that he saw
Morris. who was climbing up 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
was at first supposed, but has settled
down in the bed of the
stream, completely filed with sand
and water. The pumping station is hard
at work clearing the way to the bodies,
but none will be reached tonight. There
seems absolutely no hope for any of these
caught in the caisson. The negroes who
escaped say John Knox, the gang boss. had
them dig too deep before letting the Gals
son settle and the digging was too close to
the shoe 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 this door and the COM