The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-29
DOWN WITH THE BRIDGE.
A False Structure Falls in Ken.
lucky With Fatal Results.
Fifty Workman Plunged into a
River and Many Drowned.

Two spans Of thu new bridge being built
over the Licking River, in Kentucky, be-
tween Covington snd Newport, collapsed q
few mornings since. The bridge is being
constructed for the Kenton and Campbell
County Land Company by the King Iron
Bridge Company. 1t was bsgun, last fall,
and two spans, each 100 feet long, had been
completed. Fifty-two men were on the
false bridge putting in the iron braces for
the floor, when at 1925 o'clock the eutire
structure gave way, carrying ths men down
with it. Only seventeen men escaped death,
and some Of these were fatally injured.
Not stick Of the false WORK, from pier to
pier remained. The river was filled with
timbers and iron work and with men struz.
Cling for life. Besides the ffty-two men
employed on the bridge at the time Of the;
accident, several spectators we're on tha
spans that fell. and a dozsn or more boys
bathing beneath the bridge were also car,
ried away. The number OF dead beneath the
$50 tons Of debris could not be told until 1t
was removed The steantus Carroll imms-
diately began this WORK. p.
There was, on the day after the Academia
discrepancy in the death list, due to the fact
that the majority OF the dead and missing
were single men and strangers, and also be-
morzue. Some wers in Newport, some in
Covington, some In private houses others Id
undertaking establishments.
The workmen had no chance for escape.
The bridge seemed tocrumble into the water
beneath. Both members OF the hrm build
ing the bridge were drowned.
A few idle men were sitting on the river
banks watching the tall traveller as II
slowly worked out upon ths apparently solid
trestle. One man sat within fifty feet Of the
great machine, watching Contractor Baird
and Inspector Wilson as they stood talking
on the trestle. The timbers toppled toward
the north, and the piling en- the down stream
side Of the structure began to settle. Ihsn
the traveller careenei and the corner OF the
Newport pier split with q cracking noise.
Almost instantly the false work descended
to the river fifty feet. As went down sew
eral men were seen running franticaliy Tor
a few steps and were then thrown violently
into the stream. Tho workmen were seen to
leap far out from the bridge with arms ex-
tended. Both were struck by falling pieces
Of the debris and injured, but not sufficiently
to prevent them from attempting to SWIM
ashore on the Covington sade. Ihey kePe 10.
pether until within about ten feet OF tne
Shore. when both threw up their hands ana
sank. E9.
After the crash came 1t was only few
moments until both banks were lined with
neopIe. Those Of the woun1 led wno could
free themselves from the tangled network
of timber struggled to tbs surface OF the
water and tried TO get ashore. One atter
another gave up aud sank into the muddy
water. Although the banks were croWdsd
no one could get bcats so as to go TO the
rescue of the wounded. In few minutes
the police arrived, and one Of the first to be
taken out was ono of the Baird brothers, tns
contractors.
Ali of the dead as they wers taken out
showed signs of great suffering. Business
in both Newport and Coylngton was almost
wholly suspended. 1t was not until o'clock
that the steam tug Carroll arrived on the
scene and began pulling out the heavy
timbers and irons. -. G3
The foods of the past month are, however.
the remote cause Of the accident. The hign
water prevented the proper bracinS OF tue
piling, which was forty feet long, thirty ieec
in water and ten in thu bed OF the river. Ins
lack OF bracing AMI the welgnt OF IRON
proyed too much for the false WORK. 80
The bridge has had an unfortunate his
tory. The work has been greatly delayed
at times by city ordinances aad several
men have bean mural by falling from tne
trestleworx. -,
The very bsst information oa the day
after tae tragedy was rnat twehty-eignt
dead bodies had been recovered, that from
five to seven persons vera mortally hurh
and q score, mora or less seriously M
jured. ,,,
completed would reach at least forty. Au
tho men were insured by the contractors
Tor $l5O0 eaGe.