Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-12-21
AWFUL ACCIDENT.
Conoree Of a New Bridge at Louis
vile, KY.
Fifty workmen Fan over one Hundred
Feet Into the River More Thana
Score Perish Cause of
the Disaster

| false work and that part OF the middle
span Of the Louisville & Jacksonville
Bridge Co in place gave way, and with
all the worlSmen was precipitated 11O
feet into the water below. There was
but moments warning, and those
who escaped going down with the mas.
of iron and timber started for the piers
after the first trembling indicated the
giving away OF the nlse work. The
accident was a horrible one, and ia the
last of long list of catastrophes that
have marked the construction of this
bridge
The foreman in beginning work no
ticed that during the night the "trav.
eler." which had been put in place tho
night before, had been worked loose
by the wind. An order 10 draw IL back
into place was given, and the men and
engines started.
The wind was high at the time, and
the gentle swaying OF the false work
gradually forced the traveller" off Of
the piles, on which IL was resting.
When the end slipped the whole work
trembled, and the men realizing
their danger started for the piers.
AS luck would have IL the central bent
was the first TO give way, and the men
on this bent went down to be covered
with the mass Of iron and timber OF the
other bents. which fell almost immedi.
stely, 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 fifteen minutes after
the other part went down.
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 men who went down, some
were covered by a mass of timber from
beneath which it will be days before
their bodies are recovered.
The first crash. when the center bent
gave way, was at 1925, and il was then
the great numbc- of fatalities occurred.
Then, a few minutes later, another
bent, on which there was but little of
the bridge proper, gave way on the In
diana side of the river. In this II Is
believed but one unknown man was
killed. lie was caught by u rope and
dragged beneath the water
The crash attracted the attention of
those on the shore, and many turned
away their eyes and they saw the men
in mid air in their mad ef-
forts 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
into the air. As the water subsidized
here and there could be seen men
desperately TO climb up on
the timbers that thrust their ends
above the water. A few succeeded in
to the places OF safety, and
were quickly rescued Try boats from the
shore. Others struggled desperately,
and were carried off by the current TO
sink almost as rescue was at hand.
At whose doors must be laid the re-
sponsibility for the terrible accident
may never be known. 1t was one OF
those unforeseen accidents that oc-
Cured in spite Of all precautionary
measures. Bridge building, probably
more than any other thing, Is fraught
with manifold dangers and the work.
men 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 swift wind that had |
been sweeping the river all day. 1t |
bore with great force on the ponderous |
irame work, which necessarily became |
oosened from the constant strain and |
'waying of the heavy timbers
1t is estimated by the engineers Of |
he Phoenix Bridge Co, that the loss 10
.he bridge will be at least StOO, 900.
The third span of the bridge collapsed |
Vt SEQ last night So far as known
here was no one injured This will be
IN additional loss of about S75, 600 TO |
he bridge company. The span had
been completed, but the collapse Of the
'ourth span is supposed to have
oosened and displaced It.
The bridge had been under construc-
ion for number of years. Several
lines work was suspended for lack of
unds Two years ago the Masonic
savings bank failed because of its con.
iection with the bridge company. Re-
,ently financial assistance was OBJ.
aimed and work was resumed. Three
ears ago in constructing the piers
welve men were killed in a eaisson.
Incidents have been frequent and from
irEf m last HffV man have haar, lrf1I.1 |