The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-16
DASHED DOWN TO DEATH.
THIRTY LIgEs losTIN nv ACCIDENT
The False Work on New Bridge Between
Covingson and Newport. Ky, Gives
Way With Awful Results.

/ tween toNtDgtOn anu newport. Ny, ieli ttl5
morning. Thirty lives were lost by the acci-
dent. The false work is gone from the pier.
Sixteen bodies have already been taken out.
Assistant Superintendent William Wilson is
badly hurt. probably fatally. his back being
broken aud otherwise injured. William
Flack, of Coyington, was hurt about the
head. John O'Neil's leg was broken and be
Is internally injured aud dyiug.
The false work was erected by Baird
| Brothers. of PIttsburg, at their own risk
| They were putting IN iron beams on the floor
| when the weight caused the false work o.
/ give way, carrying with it the workmen.
about thirty in number The bridge was
built by the Kenton q Campbell County
Bridge Company.
HORRIBLE SCENE.
When the crash came it was but a few no
| ments until both banks were lined with peO-
pie. big portion Of the false work was sub
merged aud with IL were the unfortunate
| wOrkmen. The scene was horrible one. In
a minute the air was filled with the shrieks
OF the injured and dying. Those who could
free themselves from the tangled network OF
timber struggled 70 the surface of tho
water and tried to get ashore One
after another gave up the desperate and
uneven struggle and sank into tho muddy
water. Though the banks were crowded not
a soul could go TO the rescue OF the poor fel-
lows. As soon as possible police aud voun-
teers went TO work to get out the dead and
dying. 10 was grues1 me task. Among tho
first to be taken out wes one of the Baird
brothers. His body was in a horrible cOndi-
tion, his back being crushed. Next to be
taken from the water was John sponsor He
was wedged In among a lot OF timbers on the
Newport side. The man died a horrible
death, a log, weighing a couple of hun
fnrOuUh oh
men, driving them through his back.
The look Of pain on his face was
horrible, and silently told OF the terrible
pain the poor fellow suffered before he died.
One unknown man was taken out on the
CovingtOn side. He was found wedged in 80
tightly that n portion OF his hand had 10 be
chopped off before he could be taken out
All Of tho dead bodies. as they were taken
out. presented terrible pictures. The bones
were crushed broken and spintered in many
instances were forced through the flesh. pre-
senting sickening sight.
CAUSE or THE ACCIDENT.
The terrible calamity is due directly 10 the
recent heavy rains. The traveller was fully
seventy feet high. and the false work sixty
feet Two men were At work on the top cord
Of the false work when the crash came They
fell into the river, but escaped with few
scratches They were J. p. Lynch (colored)
aud Bruce Conas. Lynch fell with the bridge
and landed on top of IL. Conas fell under
meath the work. but singuarly enough
escaped with a few bruises. Superintendent
Sullivan says there were sixty three men at
work on the bridge when the crash came
Those who escaped were at work on the up
stream side of the work, which 10 TO the
south. They fell with the wreck, but for
tunately fell on top OF it, Those on the down
stream side fell under tho wreckage and were
killed and injured. 1t is certain that those
who cannot be found are lying at the bottom
of the Licking river Ii is thought that in
addition to the workmen caught in the wreck
were q number Of spectators who were watch
ing the men al work. At this time their
names cannot be learned.
STATEMENT or AN EYEWITNESS.
William Wilson, an iron work Inspector of
Covngton was on the fated structure and
had thrilling escape from death. although
considerably injured about the head aud
back. He made the following statement im-
mediately after being rescued. and then re-
lapsed into Inconsistencies:
Il was standing on the false work, near the
traveller. on the Newport side. talking with
Any Baird, one Of the contractors, who had
Just arrived and we were chatting together.
Suddenly we felt the structure sinking bo-
nesth us and with common impulse we
started TO run for the Newport end. We had
scarcely gone ten feet when the whole
thing went down and We we're thrown head
long through the air. | lost consciousness.
and did not recover my senses until rose 10
the surface of the water. The first thing
saw was the form of Baird. fearfully mangled.
wedged ia between the timber. lie groaned
severa. times and died 1 managed then TO
seize piece Of drifting timber and 10 hold on
until a small boat came 10 my rescue. | can
not tell the cause Of the accident
BRNGNG IN THE DEAD.
Ats o'clock this evening the steamer Her
cules Carrell commenced the work Of remOy-
ing the iron and timbers from the river
in tho hope of recovering the bodies
pinned under the wreck. Although the ex-
element caused by the accident was intense
there was noticeable absence Of
the heartrending scenes usually accompany
ing such catastrOphes Ost OF the men
were strangers and few had families
wives and children on the scene 20 add
their tears and cries 10 the grim spec
tacie As the accident occurred on the
dividing line between Covington and
Newport the coroners Of both counties
will hold inquests. Bodies landed on the
Coyington side were taken in charge by Coro-
ner Wilson. while those landed In Newport
were placed under the care OF Coroner DAVIS.
Much sympathy is felt for poor Jack
Pierce. the veteran newspaper man. When
the news OF the accident reached him the
mans anguish was pitiful. His eldest son.
Fred, formerly secretary OF the builders ex-
change. was on the Inflated bridge when II
fell. having gone to work last Monday.
Congressman Lawson-Cotton Compress.
NORFOLK, Va. juno Is. Especial. I-The
best information from the Second congress
sional district Is 10 the effect that Or. lawson
will receive the nomination for Congress with
out opposition. and that his competitor will
be Bowden. who was defeated by him in the
last election. vigorous fight is being made