Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-12-16
GREAT LOSS Of LIEF.
Collapse Of Portions of
an Unfinished Bridge.
FATALITIES NOT KNOWN.
But Few Of Those Who Were Thrown
Into River Escaped.

LOUISVILLE, Dec. 16.-The middle span
Of iron and timber false work of the
bridge now under construction between
East Louisville and Jacksonville, Ind,
collapsed at 1918 yesterday morning,
crushing to death or drowning many men
and injuring several others, some of whom
may die.
The accident was a horrible one and Is
the last Of long list Of castastrophes
that have marked the construction of this
bridge. The foreman, In beginning work,
noticed that during the night the "trav-
eler" which had been put In place had
been worked loose by the winds. An or
der to draw II back into place was given
and the men and engines started.
The wind was high and the gentle sway
gradually forced the traveller off the piles
on which 1t was resting. When the end
slipped the whole work trembled, and the
men, realizing their danger, started for
the piers. AS luck would have II 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 bents which fell almost Immediately
after, carrying with them the other work.
men who failed to reach the piers.
Buried Under Timbers.
The north bent, or the one attached to
the Indiana pier, did not fall for Is min
utes after the other parts went down. As
near as can. be ascertained there were 81
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. or those that went
down some were covered by mass of
timbers, and 1t will be several days before
their bodies are recovered.
The first crash when the center bent
gave way was at 1905 o'clock, and it was
then that the great number of fatalities
occurred. A few minutes later bent on
which there was but little of the bridge
proper gave way on the Indiana side. On
this it is believed that but one unknown
man was killed. He was caught by rope
and dragged beneath the water.
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 des-
perately to climb up on the timbers that
thrust their ends above the water. A few
succeeded In clinging to the place OF
safety, and were quickly rescued by boats
that put out from the shores. Others
struggled desperately, and were carried
of by the current TO sink almost as rescue
was at hand.
Who Was to BlameY
Near the bridge the families OF many
workmen live. Those were soon at the
river bank. Many were wild with grief,
and rushed frantically about wringing
their hands and tearing their hair. The
Office of the bridge company on Campbell
street was besieged with anxious mothers
and wives inquiring for their loved ones.
Half an hour after the accident there
were at least 2OO0 people on the river bank,
and as the news spread they still poured
In In steady stream towards the place
Of the accident. To whose doors must be
laid the responsibility for the terrible dis
aster will probably never be known. It II
one OF those unforeseen accidents that
occur In spite of all precautionary
measures. The workmen whose labors
are utilized in the work practically take
their lives In their own hands.
General opinion ascribes the cause of
the disaster to the stiff wind that had
been sweeping the river all day. It bore
with great force on the ponderous frame
work which necessarily became loosen ed
from the constant strain and swaying of
the heavy timbers.
Supposed to BE Safe.
That the structure was otherwise than
safe never occurred to either the en-
gineers in charge or the workmen. Every
precaution had been employed to insure
the stability Of the framework, and the
only thing lacking, as the accident proved,
was the failure to take into consideration
the action of the wind, the force of which
was persistent and powerful.
To the great traveller alluded to Is
directly attributed the falling of the span.
The constant wind bore il from its resting
place Oh the last pier but one of the
Jeffersonville side. The displacement
was discovered and the work of putting IL
back in place was begun, but it was too
late. The center of the great span began
to sink before the work was accom- plished.
The wind had done it's work, and the
heavy engines near the pier went crash
ing down TO the water, carrying with
them the mass Of humanity mixed In
horrible confusion with the timbers and
iron.
The partial span, the last one, did not
fall until 20 minutes after the first had
gone down, but it was the direct result of
the falling of the first. The great strain
occasioned by the sundering and rending
Of the bridge naturally committed itself to
the unfinished span, and IL took the plunge
like the first into the water, but, being
mostly framework, did not sink, but
foated slowly down the river. There
were said to be four men on IL when 1t
fell, and one was undoubtedly killed.
The small traveller on this span foated
down several hundred yards and then
grounded, the heavy timbers splintered
like matches, showing the terrific force of
the fall.
Was Almost Completed.
The span would have been completed by
yesterday afternoon, and after the traveller
had been fastened TO the pier there would
have been no danger Of the wind or the
current breaking It down. A pile driver
was sent 10 the scene, and the work of
clearing the wreckage and searching for
the dead under debris at once commenced.
The third span Of the bridge collapsed
at ego last night. So far as known there
was no one injured. This will be an addi-
tional loss Of about t75,OO0 to the build
ers. This span had been completed, but
the collapse Of the fourth span In sup
voaad IN have looaened and dianlacssi n