The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-16

LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec. 15.-At 1O.15
this morning whole span OF the Jeffer.
sonville bridge fell. The bridge is now
under construction by the Phoenix
Bridge Company, OF Phmnixville. Pa.
Fifty-one men we're at work on the
bridge, all of whom were precipisated
into the river The bridge has been
under construction for a number of
years, and several times work has been
suspended for lack Of funds Two veara
ago the Masonic Savings Bank failed
because of its connection with the
bridge company. Recently financial
assistance was obtained and work was
resumed.
The accident was due to the insecure
placing of the traveller" last night.
Inc wind still further .oosened it and
this morning the order was given 20
o1aw IL back In its place and the engines
were started. The wind was high and
blowing off the false work forced tina
traveller from the piles on which it was
placed When the end slipped off the
men realized their danger. The engineer
called to the men and ten of the fifty-
one on the span escaped. Forty.one fell
ITO feet into the water. So far as
known the following is list of the
ueau aHu injured:
Dead-Lester Carlock, Frank Miller,
rat Kelly Frank Simmonds. jefferson
vile, Ind; Chas. Murphy, j. b Burns.
Franklin, Pa John Courtney, Rus
sell; Bud Kavanaugh, an unknown at
CraIls undertaking tablishmeut; P.
a. Cooke, Mantulla Station, Ohio;Frank
Burns, Patrick Murphy, Chicago.
lnJured-Sam Aiken, New AIbany;A A.
y y. moore engineer, will die; G. w.
hrown' lrvington, Ky; M. E. Sheehan,
Greenup, Ky; G. f. Halls, Bristol,
Tenn; Harry Pugh, Mercer, Pa, will
die; unknown, JohnsoDville, internally
injured; w. a. Sharp, louisville, XIV
broken leg; L. N. Galloway, Louisville;
j. Ohm Myer, left leg and ankle broken;
Ed. Hildebrand, Northampton, Ky; Ed.
Scheers, Southside. Pittsburg, Pa.
fatally injured
Inc central bent wss the first to give
way ana tho mon on this bent went
down to be covered by tho mass of iron
and timber OF the other bents. which
fell almost Immediately, carving with
them the workmen who failed to reach
places of safety on tho piers. The
north bent, or tho ono attached to the
Indiana pier, did not fail for fifteen
minutes ate: the other parts went
down.
The crash attracted the attention OF
those on the shore and many turned
away as they saw the mon struggling
In mid air in their mad efforts to climb
out OF danger. When the huge mass of
material struck the water all was con-
cealed for an instant by the sprav
which was thrown into the air.
AS the water subsidized and the mist
was dlspelled, here and there could be-
seon men struggling despera .ely TO
climb upon tho timbers that thrust
their ends above the water. A few
succeeded in climbing to places of
safety and were quickly rescued
Others struggled hopelessly, and were
carried off by the current, to sink
almost as rescue was at hand
The span which fell would have boon
finished this afternoon, and after the
traveller had been fastened to the pier
there would have been no danger from
the wind or the current. The shocking
accident was witnessed by men em
ployed along the river front and on the
boats plying up and down the river.
Tho ferry company at once sent two
boats to assist in securing the bodies
of the dead and dying and rescuing the
workmen still alive.
In giving an account of the accident,
Il. w. Wilson tells the following story:
II was standing on the span that fell
near the Kentucky side and seeing that
it was about TO fall, I called to the mon
to got OIL as soon as possible. | had
JUST counted tho mon who were on the
span few minutes before and there
were tfty-one in all, not counting NV
sell When called the men dropped
their tools and ran toward me, but ONLY
ten OF them could get off. The others
went down III heap. | was so badly
frightened that l could no. tell how
many OF them got out, but only saw
one man swim to the shore.
The accident was mainly caused by
the wind. Thee was high gale blow
zig from the southwest Bill morning, and
| realized that at any time a span might
be blown down. Then, too, the pilings
under the span, by which it was being
supported, were weak. The current is
very swift, and large amount of drift
wood was damned against the sup
ports. II the wind had not been SO
high, however, the pilings were suf-
ticlently strong to have done the work
The bridge fell in like q pack OF cards.
/ became loosened on the Indiana side
nrst and swayed gradually across TO the
opposite side"
To add to the money loss sustained by
the company from the days disaster.
tho south channel span Of the big bridge
was wrecked to night. Shortly after 8
o'clock the great span, which is $50 feet
in length, collapsed from the force of
the wind and fell to the bottom of the
river. AS far as known no one was
injured. This entailed an additional
loss OF SIS 600. Tho total loss will be
Sl5O,000.
Body Unearthed.