The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-01-15

THE HORRIBLE DI..tt...EE,.. OF sS:A-
TEEN GciE.SHT ~ i.JI \;n...rs

TEEN .iI..22T ~ IUJ \ia..r;.
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I'd '.::,c Un,- II:i ,;ola--- :.e 80; ';""'c
Story Of o"" %: the survivor.
LOUISVILLE, Ky, JI.:aG4r. :,.-(4.
The caisson, within which Was Beng
built pier for the Louisville & Je1er~
sonville bridge, collapsed about six
o'clock yesterday evening and the
workmen in it were crushed TO death.
The caisscn, known as No. Il, was
about one hundred yards from the
Kentucky shore. As the Tor!scleii of
The pumping station "er- looking ioc
the men in the caisson to pu; oii II
their boats, leaving the work for the
night, they suddenly saw the low dark
structure disappear in the t"sElDs
white waves and heerd before they
could realize what had happened tbs
roar Of the furious maelstrcm. EigE-
teen men we're at work il the caisson
and four escaped.
At 1920 o'clock this morning toe
bodies Of three unfortunate victims Of
the caizson accident we're recovered BY
the workmen. The positions in
which they were found showed that q
desperate Struggle had taken place at
tha marrow door Of the escape. One
negro had succeeded in pulling bis
body through the aperture, but death
had overtaken him just when life was
promised. Another negro had crawl
ed partly through. His hands were
fastened by death il the clothing Of
negro in front Of him, showing that he
had made desperate effort to escape
first. Between the two negroes WIS
the body of the white man. 1t ap-
peared from his position tina: he was
trying to push back some one who
vas ciinging to his legs. The sand
accumulated at the door by the sud
den sinking OF the caisson had wedged
in the<<body Of the white man IN such
manner thati could not be removed.
At 11.3O this morning the work WAS
discontinued in order to allow the
workmen to rest and refresh them
selves. Later fresh force was put on
duty and the work renewed.
Abe Taylor, one of the negro labor
ers who survived the terrible catast-
rophe, was found at his home on Pres
ton Street by reporter. He had not
entirely recovered from the fright oc-
casioned by the late experience and
his voice trembled as he told what
happened at the bottom of the river:
'1As near as can remember" he said
there were eighteen Of Us who went
down. Some of US had candles in our
hands and others carried the tools we
worked with. The engine was pump
inc air into the caisSon. We were not
thinking ofdanger and didn't have any
idea there WIS weak point in the
| caisson. We were talking and running
or with each other, just as we always
| do. Somebody said we would be re-
lieved in about two hours and repli-
ed that wished it was now. | looked
! TO see how near the caisson was to the
sand bottom. was standing Close 70
the little door when heard somebody
say Great God, men, she is breaking:
Just then the water commence to rush
through the she'll doors and it seemed
as if everything gave way at once.
II broke for the door. ! hardly
know how I did, but managed to get
through. The men behind re were
rushing and tunblinS over each other.
and I coula near them crying, We are
lost. Help, help; my God save US.
BADLY frighterd az l was, l could
not help but pity them. l coalA do
nothing for them, SO l helped myself,
could hear the water rushing in on
the poor fellows as climbed up
through the man-hole, but their. cries
sounded louder than the roar Of the
waters. l got out safely, and thanked
God for ny deliverance. l never VII,
forget that awful sight as long as
live"
TAYLOR was asked If he thought by
any possib!. means they could live un
til help reached them.
"No SIR" he said, they couldn't
live. The water is running in faster
than all the engines can force it out
There is not any way for them to Is
Cape"
Further investigation shows two
more men to have lost their lives
Hamilton Morris and Louis Coke
making q total of fsixteen.