Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-21
THE BRIDGE CALAMITY.
Thirty Killed and Twenty Injured,
Some of Whom WIN Die.


Two Spans Fell, the second One Causing
no Loss of Life--How the Terrible Acct
dent Occurred.
ported that span of the Louisville and
Jacksonville bridge has fallen and that
a number Of persons were killed.
TWENTY-FIVE VICTIMS.
Twenty-Five persons are now known
TO have been killed by the falling of the
Jacksonville bridge.
Sixty men were ut work at the time
of the accident.
FORTY LIVES PROBABLY LOST.
LATER.-It is now believed 40 lives
were lost in the Jacksonville bridge
accident.
THE MOST FRIGHTFuL OF ALL.
At 1920 this morning, the fourth span
of the Inflated Louisville & jefferson
vile bridge fell into the river. This
proved to be the most frightful of the
many disasters to the bridge which has
wrecked the lives and swept away for
tunes in manner almost uncomfortable.
BODIES HORRIBLY MANGLED.
At II o'clock 20 dead bodies had been
recovered from the water. The bodies
were most horribly mangled. The loss
of life may go to 80. The shocking acct
dent was witnessed by many employed
along the river. The ferry company at
once sent two boats to assist in securing
the bodies of the dead and dying and
rescuing the workmen still alive.
About go men were at work on the
span when il gave way and plunged
them into the river.
Both banks of the river were soon
crowded. Lany women were in the
throng and it was apparent they were
| the wives and children of those who
had gone down to death. Three patrol
wagons were kept busy, and the guards
were assisted by the fire department in
carrying OFF the dead and injured. The
wagons could not go to and from the
hospital fast enough to receive those
| taken from the river
DUE 10 FAULTY MECHANISM.
The accident is attributed to the
| giving away of the girders, due to faulty
mechanism. The injured were taken to
the city hospital at the rate Of about one
minute. All were unconscious, and
as result their names could not be
learned. Some were white and others
colored.
| LOUISVILLE. KY, Dec. 15.-At least 30
men were killed by the falling Of span
OF the Jacksonville bridge, to-day, and 20
more were injured. some of whom will
die. Two spans fell. The FIRST the middle
one, 500 feet long, went down at II is
O'Clock, and caused the casualties. The
short channel span, about $50 feet long,
/ foil uInrflk Gstn l.,nls IN NIT
! injuring any person, so far as known. The
financial loss by the fall of the first span
was about S60,0O0, and by the second
$4,000.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
For weeks past a large force of men have
been at word on the big 500-foot span over
the middle of the river. The iron work
was all up aud was resting on \ heavy
framework of piling driven down into the
bed of the river and securely bolted and
braeed. This afternoon the last bolts were
TO have been put in place in the iron struc.
ture and the gigantic span would have
supported It's own weight.
The foreman in beginning work this
morning noticed that during the night the
traveller" huge derrick 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 traveller off the piles on which
it was resting. When the end slipped the
whole work trembled, and the men, realiz
ing their danger, started for the piers.
The central bent was the first to give
way and the men on this bent went dow i
to be covered by the mass of iron anC
timber OF the other bents. which fel
almost Immediately, carrying with then
the workmen who failed to reach place,
of safety on the piers, The north bent
or the one attached to the Indiana pier
did not fall for 10 minutes after the othe
parts went down.
There were 81 men on the bridge wher
the alarm was given by the engineer il
charge of the work. OF this number
several succeeded in reaching the piers
OF those that went down some werl
covered by a mass of timber, from beneath
which il will be days before their bodie
eau be recovered. The partial span-,th
last one-did not fall until 20 minutes ate
the first one had gone down, but it wa
the direct result of the falling of the first
The great strain 0ccasioned by the sunder
, ing and rendering of the bridge natural,
, communicated itself TO the unfinished
span, and it took its plunge like the frs
into the water but being mostly frame
, work did not sink, but tioated slowly dow
the river.
: There were said to be four men on j
! when it fell and one was undoubtedl,
killed. The small traveller" on the spui
i fioated down several hundred yards an,
: then grounded OH the heavy tmbers
which were splintered like matches, show
ing the terrific force.