Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-06-16
DEATHS HARVEST.
1t Goes on with Most Awful
Persistence.
TWO SCORE MEN SENT TO ETERNITY

Way, Carrying the Victims, MangIed,
Bruised and Broken, to an Awful Doom
in the Dark Waters of Licking River
-Twenty-one Known To BE Killed.
Fifteen Badly Wounded and the Death
Roll Likely TO Reach Forty-A Fright
full Scene for the Helpless Spectators.
CINCINNATI, June ia terrible disas-
ter, which caused the death of forty-one
workmen, occurred at the new bridge
which is being constructed over the Lick
ing river between Covington and New
port, yesterday morning. The entire false
work fell with crash, hurting large
force OF carpenters and ironworkers into
the river. Most of the men were disabled
by the falling timbers and were drowned
The bridge was built by the Kenton and
Campbell County Bridge company, and
had been in course of erection for about a
month. Tuesday the laying of the iron
floor was begun. The heavy iron beams
proved too heavy weight for the false
work, and with scarcely minutes warn
ing it gave way yesterday shortly after the
men got TO work.
Rush to the Scene of Disaster.
The force of men employed by the bridge
company on the structure numbered over
100, most of whom lived at Covington and
Newport. The river is quite deep at that
point and the current is strong Word
was at once sent to Covington and New
port and there was stampede of citizens
10 Of h.
Stewart, civil engineer of this city, had
charge Of the work, but was not on the
ground at the time of the accident His
assistant, John Wilson. was on the bridge
when the structure gave way and was
fatally injured. His back is broken and
lying tlmbers rendered him unconscious
Carried Under by the False Work.
The scene was a terrible one A great
portion Of the false work was submerged,
and with it were the unfortunate work
men. The men We're horribly mangled. In a
minute the air was filed with the shrieks
of the injured and dying Those who
could free themselves from the tangled
network Of timbers struggled to the sur
face of the water and tried TO get ashore
One after another gave up the desperate
and uneven struggle and sank into the
muddy water. Though the banks We're
crowded not a soul could 20 to the rescue
of the poor fellows. rs soon rs possible
police and volunteers went to work to get
out the dead and dying 1t proved a grew
some task. Among the first to be taken
out was one of the Baird brothers. His
body was in q horrible condition, his back
being crushed AID br0.,en.
Horrible Death Of = ohm sponsor.
Next to be taken from the water was
John Sponsor. lie was wedged in among
10. of timber. The man died a horribi
death, log weighing couple Of hundred
pounds having crashed through his alb
domen. The look Of pain on his face was
horrible, and told OF the terrible suffering
of the poor fellow before he passed away.
One unknown man was taken out on the
COvinGton side. He was found wedged in
so tightly that portion of his hand had
to be chopped off before he could be taken
out. All Of the dead bodies as they were
taken out presented terrible pictures The
bones were crushed, broken and splintered
and in many instances were forced
through the flesh, presenting a sickening
sight.
Two Miraculous Escapes
Two men were at work on the top chord
of the false work when the crash came
They fell into the river, but escaped with
few scratches. They were j. p. Lynch,
colored, and Bruce Conas. Lynch fell
with the bridge and landed on top of it.
COnas fell underneath the work, but, sim
gularly enough, escaped with few
bruises The false work was erected by
Baird Bros, of Pittsburg The structure
had been extended from the bank and was
used as a scaffolding by the workmen in
putting the iron beams and Orders in
place. The combined weight of the work
men and material proved too much for
the platform.