Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-21
DOWN INTO THE DEEP
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT AT LOUIS
WILLIE KENTUCKY.
BIG BRIDGE ACROSS THE OHIO
GIVES WAY.
Over Fifty WOrkmen Hurled With
the False Work of the Massive
Span They Are Constructing Into
the Water-Bridge Has Consumed
Thirty-Three Human Lives

! Louisville, Ky, Dec. 15.-rhe great
! bridge over the Ohio from this city
TO Jetfersonyille has played the role
| of devouring monster from its very
beginning. At the beginning of con-
StructiOn tWenty-one human lives We're
/ sacrificed. Since then one Life after
another has yielded up until the num-
! Der this morning reached thirty three
! More than Il hundred men went on
| the great span this morning and half
Of them were dashed into the merciless
waters below by the false work which
! proved tragically false. The timbers
crumbled under their load Of iron and
/ fell with their human freight a humid
red and ten feet to the river below
OF the one hundred or more on the
span that went down about half es-
capped to the piers and were rescued
How many of those who went down
were lost cannot at present be learned,
but it is feared there We're forty.
A few minutes past 10 o'cock
this morning the false work
and part of the middle span
! Of the Louisville and Jeffersonville
bridge gave way and with all the
workmen were precipitated 10 feet
into the water below
/ The accident was a horrible one and
! is the latest of a long list of catas-
trophies that have marked he construc-
ton of til bridge. The foreman in be-
ginning work noticed that the travel
en-" which had been put ia place last
night, had been worked loose by the
wind. An order to draw it back into
place was given and the men and en-
gines started.
The wind was high at the time and
the gentle sway of the false work
gradually forced the traveller off the
piles on which it was resting. When
the end slipped the whole work tremb-
led and the men, realizing their danger,
started for the piers. The central
bent first gave way and the men ON it
went down to be covered by a mass
of iron and timber and other bents,
which fell almost Immediately, carry
ing with them other workmen who
tailed to reach the piers.
AS near as can be ascertained there
were fifty-one men on the bridge when
the alarm was given. Of this number
several succeeded in reaching the piers.
Of those who went down some were
covered by a mass of iron from be-
meath which it will be days before
the bodies will be recovered.
The first crash attracted the atten-
ton of those on shore. Many turned
away their eyes as they saw the men
struggling in mid-air in mad efforts
to climb out of danger. When the
mass Of material struck the water all
was concealed for an instant by the
splash.
AS the water subsidized, here and there
could be seen men struggling to climb
upon the timbers. A few succeeded
in climbing the piers and were quick
ly rescued. Others were carried off by
the current to sink almost as rescue
was at hand. The wives and children
Of many Of the WOrkmen were soon
on the bank Of the river. Many rush
ed franticaly about, wringing their
hands and tearing their hair.
The disaster is generally ascribed
to the stiff wind that was sweeping
the river all day. The Worllmen had
no idea of their deadly peril until the
great mass of wood and iron began
to sink and the fearful cracking and
crashing of timbers smote upon their
ears.
The history of this bridge is a series
of disasters, financial and otherwise.
It was originally projected in 1879 and
failure overlook it in it's very in
cipiency. In 1888 it was revived and
ground was broken in October, 1889.
Two fatal accidents took place dur
ing the building of the piers. In the
first fourteen men were drowned and
the second caused the loss of seven
lives.
A pile driver was sent to the scene
this afternoon and the work of clear
ing the wreckage ard searching for
the dead was at once commenced.
The accident was seen by the look
out ON duty at the life saving station
and two boats were rowed as quickly
as possible to the rescue. The life
savers found that they were unable
to do much, as they could not get to
where the victims were imprisoned.
J. W. Baird, secretary and treasurer
of the bridge company, said: Il am
the originator of the plan on which
the bridge was built and / guess l
will be etermally damned for it."
George w. Brown, one of the fore
men, had thrilling experience. When
the crash came he made a dash for the
Kentucky side Of the bridge. Before
he reached safety the span fell. Brown
held his breath during the fall and re
members going to the bottom Of the
river. Debris was piled above him,
but he managed to crawl under this.
Grasping a floating piece Of timber he
held on till rescued. The left arm
was broken in three places. While
clinging to the timber several men
came near him and after struggling an
instant sank out Of sight.
James Trent, a painter, and several