New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-16
TWO SCORE MEN KILLED.
A FRIDGE FALLS INTO LICKING RIVER WITH
TERRIBLE RESULTS.
MORE THAN FORTY wORKMEN EITHER CRUSHED
no DEATH OR DRowNED-TAKING OUT
THE DEAD AND DYING-CAUSED BY
THE WEAKENING OF
FALSE WORK.
FALSE. WORK.

Cincinnati June 15-The bridge which was
in course of construction over the Licking hiNer
between Coyineton and Newport. KY, fell to-day
Forty-fve workmen were on the structure oo
far as is now known, only two escaped uhhure
The others were either killed, crushed under the
iron and timbers, or were drowned IN 'he r'ei'
The cause is thought to be the weakening of the
wooden falsc-work. The high river has washeo
out the earth about the supports, and, II is sald'
one Of the contractors remarked day or TWO ago
that he was afraid the structure would not s'ahd
unoer the weight of the heavy material. But
tbev kent at work To-day force of forty-three
men under the direction Of Robert and William
baird the contractors, was engaged IN put'ihg
in place the heavy iron work on the man SPAN
Suddenly, without warning, there was cracking
sound of breaking timhrs, sudden swaylng OF
the structure and headlone plunge of the whole
mass of tmbers, iron and helpless workinen INTO
the muddy waters of the Licking River. nifty feet
below. 1t was almost like the laundering of
ship A few forms were 10 he seen struggling
ON the surface, the others were drowned, or
crushed by the material.
In short time the river was lined with res
cuers both sides.
The bodies of the following were recovered
Richard German, Covington Thomas Burke,
Ohio: William IIartner, Jacksonville, Ind; John
UNeil, CovingtOn; Charles Schampon, Robert
Baird Cleveland; Thomas Downing, Newport;
Richard Spooner Newport: Frederick Brent, Cin-
cinnati Charles Duveneck, Newport James john
son, Richard Jennings, George Burge, n w.
Burton, Dennis Harlow, B. F. Phelps, c. W. faf-
fenbach and B. Thomas, Pittshurg.
The following are known to be missing: Prank
Muir. Charles Tarr. William Barton. William AL
Wis, Harry Kramer. Albert lieingley, e. E. Shee-
han, b. Krauee. Ed. Nolan. Ed. Sullivan. Daniel
Brinkley William Baird, Patrick Murray and }.
j. Murray.
Those fatally injured are follows Andrew
Baird. Cleveland; William Wilson, inspector John
Phillips. Newport; Elmer Barber, w. ID. Robe and
Henry Osborn.
Those slightly injured are Charles T. Netters,
Ironton: Frank Wallas and W. L. Clark
The two men who escaped are Murray Rairden
and James Caldwell 1t is said that two water
bows. lust at the end of the falling span, saved
themselves by flight.
The bridge was being built by Cleveland syn
dicate which has in view the building and oper-
alton of belt electric line of street cars IN Cow
ington and Newport in connection with Cin-
cinnati line 1t crossed the river at Twelfth-st..
Covington and was TO be used for vehicles and
foot travel.
The work of rescuing the injured and of recov-
erng the dead was attended to with humane
promptness by the organized forces of the three
cities of Cincinnati, Covington and Newport. The
patrol wagons of Cincinnati sent over an efficient
CORDS while the police forces Of both Covlngton
and Newport We're on hand to do all that couio
he done. In addition to this all the volunteer
hoatrnen along the river bank were there and did
valuable service in getting the living from tie
ruins and in recovering the bodies of the dead.
While most of the workmen were from aDroad'
,bere were enough from this vicinity to make
the scenes on shore of the most ptiful character
Teorful faces of women were to be seen eagerly
necrinr into the counenances of the recovered
bodies as they were borne TO the shore, ana eVerA
and then pltiul W @ 1a on gyecoan1ed Il
WAS slow work 10 get the bodies from the wreck
The big span seemed 10 have fallen directly dow1
into the river and the confusion 0l ,inipers alu
bars Of iron made the wreck look as y 'oInauo
had TWISTED il into a sh1Eclcss mass; Here poor
unfortunate pinned between heavy IN umohls In
and his life crushed out Others were ilciI oe
low the surface and drowned although tnelr hurts
By the wreck were slight, and n-t sulhceht "
disable the victim if only the water haa not f c}N thc
cred his heal. Everywhere were evidences OF the
suddenness of the accident and Of the utter heip
essneSs of the WOrkmen Al,
Among the dead we're the two contractors wv
Baird brothers. of Cleveland who were on thc
bridge with their men, experimenting the WoiN
al the fatal moment. The body OF one Mas
amone the first recovered the other lies buried
in the river beneath the ruin OF his own Wort
The span between the two piers is about 800
feet The height of the truss which was 10 form l
the bridge span was siXty-iive feet above ioW
water Falsework of piling and timbers nan Itl
been constructed in the river. On the top Of this
false work the construction of the iron truss began
exactly midway between the two piers, ana the
work was pushed from the middle both ways
The five bents sections Of the pondcrons IRON
work had been constructed. Each bent or Sc-
tion was thirty feet long, making nearly hall the
span On the top of this was nn apparatus
known to bridge men as the traveller, whlch
Is used 10 extend the structure from ttr
ends This traveller some thirty
feet above the main structure. II was full of
men at / 80 this morning and some of them
near the top OF it were nearly loo Loo icct apoVs
the false work were beams about sixteen inches
square. They were old and weatherbcaten ana
had evidently been used before However. III
bukness and TO all outward appearances, they
were strong. The facts show they were not
strong enough for the immense weight they were
required TO bear The burden of thrty-hve or
thirtysiX men, or, for that matter. Of $500
men. would have been as nothing for these great
beams of yellow pine. II was the mass Of iron
weighing hundreds upon hundreds Of tons that
crushed them. wrought ruin and gathered an aw-
iul harvest for death -
Bruce Thomas was working on the truss le
says: - | sitting in IA sling working ratchet.
The first thing knew ! was falling. ! heard no
cracking OF the tmbers, no outcry of human voices.
/ only knew ] was going down | had hardly
time TO think when found myself on the bottom
of the river in ten feet Of water about twenty
feet from the shore: ] arose TO the surface.
don't know how Then heard cries for help.
young near me; whose name | don't know;
shouted I'm killed! Pm kiled' lie Only had
an arm broken. l helped him out. ] helped
three others out. only got bruised Il little on
the legs. / saw several others hat escaped.
don't know their real names. We know each
other by nickname.
At cottage on Thornt0n-st., Newport. not 200
wards from the bridge. lie the bodies Of John r.
Roby and his brother William Roby. Mrs. Gather
inc Baer, the occupant OF the house, the
mother-in-law Of John Roby, eturdy Of
thirtv-two, who leaves n wife and two children.
The two brothers were taken thera 10 die John
died first His diving brother William said TO
the young widow: Don't cry. Annie. John will
get we'll" When told that John was dead, he