The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-16

For tho Results 1hat nave hollow'
cd the Undertaking.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec 15.-At few
minutes past 10 o'clock this morning
the false work and part OF the middle
span OF the Louisville and Jedersonville
Bridge Company in place gave way
md with it all the workmen were pre-
ripitated ITO feet into the water below.
There was but moments warning and
those who escaped going down with the
mass OF iron and timber started for the
piers after the first trembling that indi-
Gated the giving away OF the false work.
The accident was a horrible and is
the last Of long list OF catastrophes
that have marked the construction oil
this bridge. The foreman, in begin
ming work, noticed that during the
night tho traveller" which had
been put in place last night
had been worked loose by the
wind. An order to draw it back into
place was given and the men and en-
gines started.
The wind was high at the time and the
general swaying OF the false work grad
ually forced the traveller off OF the piles
on which twas resting. When the end
slipped the whole work trembled, and
the men realizing their danger started
for the piers. As luck would have 1t
the central bent was the first to give
way and the men on this bent went
down to be covered by the mass OF iron
and timber OF the other bents which
fell almost Immediately after carrying
with them the other worEmen who fall
cd to reach the piers. The north bent,
or the one attached to the Indiana pier,
did not fail for fifteen minutes alter the
other parts were down.
FEW WE'RE SAVED.
As near as can be ascertained there
were fifty-one men on the bridge when
the alarm was given by the engineer in
charge Of the work. OF this number
several succeeded in reaching the piers.
OF those that went down some were
covered by mass of timber from be-
meath which it will be days before their
bodies are recovered. The first crash
when the centre bent gave way, was at
1925. and it was then that the great
number OF fatalities occurred. A lew
minutes later bent on which there
was but little OF the bridge proper gave
wayion the Indiana side. In this 1t is
believed that but one unknown man
Kill hed. He was caught by rope and
dragged beneath the water.
The crash attracted the attention OF
those on the shore and many turned
away their eyes as they saw the men
strugglingin mid-air in their mad efforts
TO climb out OF danger. When the huge
mass OF material struck the water all
was concealed for an instant by the
spray that was thrown high in the air.
As the water subsidized here and there
could be seen men struggling desperate
" to climb upon the timbers that thrust
their ends above the water. A few sue
ceeded in clinging to the place OF safety
and were quickly rescued by boats that
put out from the shores. Others strug-
gled desperately and were carried on by
the current to sink almost as rescue was
at hand.
THE EXCITEMENT.
A few minutes alter the accident the
news was sent to all parts OF the city.
Near the bridge lived the wives and
children OF many OF the workmen.
These were soon at the river bank.
Many were'wild with grief ard rushed
irantically about wringing their hands
and tearing their hair. The oiilce Oh
the bridge company on Campbell stree !
was besieged with anxious mothers ana
wives inquiring for their loved ones.
Half an hour after the accident there
was at least 1000 people on the river
bank, and as the news spread stu they
poured in a steady stream towards the
place Of the accident.
To whose doors must be laid the re-
sponsibility for the terrible disaster
will probably never be known. 1t IS
doubtless one OF those unforeseen acci-
dents that occur in spite Of all precau-
tionary measures. The bridge PROB
ably more than any other thing Is
fraught with manifold dangers ana the
workmen whose labors are utilized IN
the work practically take tnelF h'es III
their own hands.
THE CRASH.
General opinion ascribes the cause OF
the disaster to the stiff wind that had
been sweeping the river all day. 1t
bore with great force on the ponderous
frame work which necessarily became
loosened from the constant strain and
swaying OF the heavy timbers. A great
number of people, before the first span
fell, could see the great "traveler" ris-
ing eighty feet above the piers, swaying
and quivering in the wind. The mo-
ton, however, was hardly noticeable to
the workmen, and they had no idea OF
their deadly peril until the great mass
otwood and iron began to sink and the
awful cracking and crashing OF the tim
bers smote upon their ears.
To the great traveller" alluded to, is
i9 directly attributable the falling Of
the span. The constant wind bore it
from its resting place on the last pier