Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-12-21

o'clock yesterday morning, crushing to
death or drowning between twenty
and thirty men, and injuring about
| twenty more, some of whom will die.
| Only six bodies have been recovered.
Those Known to be Killed Are.
Lester Gailock.
| Frank Miller.
Charles Murphy. Chicago; died IN
City hospital
C. w. Cook. Mantua, O.; died in City
| hospital.
J. B. Burns, Franklin, Pa.
Frank Burns.
Fred Miller
The Missing Are:
Henry Plaiss. Eighteenth street,
New Albany.
Pat Kelly.
Frank Simmons, Jeffersonville.
Russell Durfinger.
w. A. Sharp.
A. Soden.
J. Kregan.
NJ. Solen.
e. H. Henkle.
L. Pierce.
J. l.. Wilson.
J. Scott.
P. Sheridan.
George Lilly.
The Injured Are:
Sam -. of o2o Spring street, New
Albany; AL Moore, engineer of the
traveller" both arms broken; G. w.
Brown, Irvington, arms broken; D. f.
Shehan, Greenup, Ky.;C. F. Hall, Bris-
toll, Tenn; Harry Hughs, Mercier. Pa,
both arms broken, back hurt and in
ternally injured; Harry Lee, Jefferson
vile, cut about head and injured by
shock; Ed. Haben, Chicago, slightly in
jured; T. n. Galloway, 937 east Market
street, ankle broken; John Meyer.
Lexington, KY, leg amputated; Ed
Scheers, South Pittsburgh, Pa, will
die; Ed Hildebrand, North hampton,
Pa. spinal injury; G. Thorpe, in
jured about knees and side, and E. D.
Hard.
just on the Eve of Completion.
For weeks past large force of men
has been at work on the big 500-foot
span over the middle of the river. The
iron work was all up and resting on a
heavy framework of piling driven
down into the bed of the river and Sc
SuIO1y Oo1CCu iAo uAoSCo.
afternoon the last bolts were to have
been put in place in the iron super
structure, and the gigantic span would
have supported its own weight.
The "Traveler" Worked Loosei by the
Wind.
The foreman in beginning work yes
terday morning noticed that during
the night the ''traveler,'' a huge der
rick, used for placing iron in position.
had been worked loose by the wind,
and he ordered it drawn back into
place. The wind was high at the
time. and the gentle swaying of the
false work gradually forced the tray
eler" off of the piles on which it was
resting.
The Central Bent Goes Down.
When the end slipped, the whole
work tre:nbled, and the men realizing
their danger, started for the piers.
AS ill-luck would have it, 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 tim
Der of the other bents. which fell al
most Immediately, carrying with them
the other workmen who failed to reach
places OF safety on the piers.
The north bent, or the one attached
to the Indiana pier, did not fall for
five minutes after the other parts went
down.
The Central Span Falls
The last pier, the partial span. did
not fall for twenty minutes after the
first span fell. The great strain occa-
stoned by the sundering and rending
of the bridge naturally communi-
Gated itself to the unfinished span,
and it took its plunge like the first
into the water; but, being mostly
framework, did not sink, but foated
slowly down the river. There was
said to be four men on it when it fell,
and one was subseque~ tly killed. The
small traveller on this span foated
down several hundred yards. and then
gradually the heavy timbers splintered
like matches, showing the terrific
force of the fall.
Witnesses InvOluntarily Close Their Eyes
Upon the Awful Scene.
The crash attracted the attention of
those on the shore, and many turned
away their eyes as they saw the men
struggling in mid-air in their mad eff
the huge mass of material struck the
water all was con cealed for an instant
by the spray that was thrown high
into the air. AS the water subsidized
here and there could be seen men
struggling desperately to climb upon
the tim bers that thrust their ends
above the water.
a few succeeded in climbing to
places of safety and We're quickly res
cued. Others struggled hopelessly
and were carried off by the current to
sink almost as rescue was at hand.
To the Rescue.
The ferry boats City of jefferson
vile and the w. C. Hit and the life
saving crews were the first to reach
the wrecl1age, which completely
blocked the channel OF the river. Men
with broken arms ant legs were found
clinging to pieces of timber They
were pulled into boats and hurried to
hospitals in this city and jefferson
vile. Five bodies were recovered from
the wreck.
Narrow Escape OF the Steamer Hotspur.
The steamer Hotspur, with Supt.
George Fisher on board, came near be-
ing caught by the falling span. The
boat was making for the false work
when Supt- Fisher heard some timbers
creaking. Looking up he saw the
great span shaking, and gave orders
to back the steamer. 1t was none too
coon fo,. tho ton of tho hura ssfrav.