Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-12-23

W hdF Z 9sSi nNt tuch W = n 80 -
ment Sc ri
Thu lives "a the toS = 7vorkmen
wercinsured for $3.50 ea.5 I
A perilous Occupa,it>id ~ Q
Iowhose doors must be laid the re- =
spoilsibility for the terrible disaster
win probably never be known. 1t is d
doubtless one Of those unforeseen acci-
dents that occur in spite OF allprecau-
tionavy measures. Bridge building,
probably more than any other thing,
Is flanght with manifold dangers, and
the workman whose labors are utll-
lied in the work, practically take their
lives in their own hands.
The Cause OF the Disaster.
General opinion ascribes the cause OF
the disaster TO the stiff wind that has
been sweeping the river all day. 1t
/ bore with great force on the ponderous
/ framework, which necessarily became
loosened from the constant strain and
swaying of the heavy tmbers. great
number of people. before the first span
/ fell. could see the great traveller
rising eighty feet aboye the piers,
swaying and quivering III the wind in |
what appeared to be the most alarm
inc manner TO those on shore. The |
motion. however, was hardly notice.
abe to the workmen, who Lad no idea
of their deadly peril until the great
mass of wood and iron began to sink
and the awful cracking and crashing
of the timber. smote upon their ears.
That the structure was otherwise
than safe. never occurred to the engi-
neers who were in charge, or the
worllmen. Every precaution had been
employed to insure the stability OF the
framework.
( An Account Of the Accident by Civil
Engineer.
| Mr. Erie Manchester, civil engl-
! necr. who is employed on the bridge,
, had very narrow escape from death
+ 70 a reporter for the United Press, IN
Giving am account of the accident, he
said:
'I was standing on the span that fell
II near the Kentucky side. and seeing
IT that if was about to fall | called TO
c the men To get off as soon as possible
a | had lust counted the men who were
n on the span few minutes before ano
e. there We're ffty-onc in all not count
v inc myself When ! called, the mel
'e dropped their tools and ran TOWARD
T. me. but only ten of them could get on
Il The others went down in heap.
WAS so badly frightened that ! conl'
,c not tell how many of them got out
but only saw one man swim to tint
s. shore.
" 'Erhe accident was caused by tn
r. wind. The pilng was strong enoug
H. to bear double the weight. III
ID, bridge fell like a pack of cards.
to hceam, loosened on the Indiana sid
he est ald swayed gradually across t
he the. other side
W "Th, span would have been con
as pleted by this afternoon, and after III
,.trav.ler" had been fastened to the PIE
there would have been no danger
,,e the wind or current breakingit 1t down
nT Tbhrp Were MANY NatToN s'o>"PS''
rs. Bnt he most thrilling was that OF
raj workman called Spider who brok
the the record for high jumping. lie WI
be ot 'tm top of the huge traveller. /
i'm feet from the water lie telt som
al thing give way and then saw IL
EN- ,yho'e span was falling. Placing IL
lch hand, above his head, he leaped hea
lone to the water, Strange To say
he'd was mot seriously hurt, and was ca
for ried coward the wreckagc' where
ent wasrescued by two fellow workm'
who had Just come from the shore.
The south channel span, about
did feet in length, was blown down short
the afttr s o'clock tonight so lar
,co. l,nown no one was injured This W
inr entail an additional loss OF S'''ooo'
uni Unusual Sight.
,an, One sirht that was unusual ana u
irst win he remembered as miraculous
silly the history of the lamenao Die oisaS'
'ted was the presence of eighteen men, w
was were saved by being on the great stc
fell, MAR when the iron span and its &C
The Meeting timbers went down, with
atcd d,cadful loss of human life. ft'
hen stood this great pier. rising ai'
cred f,,m the water over seventy feet
rife thp air. with the eighteen human p
ouers huddled together dazed with
Eyes uncomfortable fear, but saved. !
sioht was unique, but terrible. A +
N OF ladder was thrown up ana the i
fheo were rescued.
men Miraculous Escapes.
q ell John lIipsenheiger, of Port Inn
heh Mich. accompanied the Traveller
the It's plunge. just before it struck
slant ,yote, he rolled off and escaped
nisI DIR. D. C. Preston. of Jeifersonv
''oeo the physician of the PhGniX bri
'ieh co as soon as the first span
upon seized skiff and went to the as
eu''' ance of the unfortunate men,
the skitf was being rowed to the II
Z 10 of debris the second span, dlreet'S
res the sliiff of the physician, gave
esslV DIR. Preston, realizing ms oah
mt 10 iumped from his sllif into the l
E and was rescued unharmed'
The building of the l'onlsVli''
,rson- Ieffersonvilie bridge has been maj
life hv n series of disasters. No less
reach 6ftv men have been killed and inl'
letely in its construction, before the pre-
Men accident Three years ago the Mas
found savings bank, one OF the largest Il
They cial concerns in the city. was wfe
led to by holding too much of the orl'
erson- papcr. and the president OF ooth p'
from and bank, Jacob Il. krelger'
rnincd. he soon died and the brl
'tspur with one span completed, and the
Supt. niers standing like tomostones II
ar be- riycr--for such they were--rem'
The with no one to furnish the mon
work nusb the work to completion Sc
mbers months ago, however, arrangeh
" the we're made with the Big -Four
orders ether railroads to furnish the mon
ne too complete the bridge. and the worn
tray commenced by the Phoenix brioS.
of the Of PENNSYLVANIA. which contfac'
have the bridge up by January l.
| what accidcn. will cost the contractors
up TO 900. ~
ID nine The ,oss of life heretofore mas
At they renerallyin in the caissonN' II, "a 80.
s,soo ss,,, man were drowned Hike