Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-16

ing the false work and tnat part uL sue
middle spaa q the Louisville and JEFF
fersonvlIle Bridge Company in place
gave way and all the workmen were
precipitated 10 feet into the water be-
low.
There was but a moments warning,
and those who escaped going down with
the mass Of iron and timber started for
the piers after the FIST trembling that
indicated the giving away of the false
work.
The accident was horrible one and
is the last Of a long list Of catastrophes
that have marked the construction Of
this bridge. The foreman, in beginning
work, noticed that during the night the
''traveler" which had been put in place
last hight had been worked loose by
the wind. An order to draw 10 back
into place was given and the men and
engiEes started.
vac wind was high at the time and
the gentle swaying Of the falsework
gradually forced the traveller OF the
piles on which it was resting. When
she end slipped the whole work tum-
bled, and the men realizing their dan
ger started for the piers.
As luck would have it, the central
bent was first to give way and the men
on this bent went down to be covered
By the mass Of iron and timber Of the
other bents which fell almost immedi-
ately after. carrying with them the
other wOrkmen
WHO FAILED TO REACH THE PIERS.
The north bent, or the one attached TO
the Indiana pier. did not fall for fifteen
minutes after the other parts went
the alarm was given By the engineer ia
charge OF the work. OF this number
several succeeded 10 reaching the piers.
or those that went down some
we're covered by a mass Of timber,
from beneath which it will be days
before the bodies are recovered. The
first crash, when the centre bent gave
way, was at 1925, and 70 was then that
the great number of fatalities occurred.
A few minutes later q bent on which
there was but little Of the bridge prop
er gave way on the Indiana side. In
this IL is believed that but one unknown
man was killed. He was caught by
rope and dragged beneath the water
The crash attracted the attention OF
those on the shore, and many turned
away their eyes as they saw the men
struggling in the mid-air in their mad
egOrts 20 climb out Of danger. When
the huge mass of material struck the
water all was.cOncealed for an instant
by the spray shat was thrown high I'm
the air. As the wSter subSided, here
and there men could be seen struggling
desperately 20 climb upon the timbers
that thrust their ends above the
water. A few succeeded Go clinging 90
the place of safety and were quickly
rescued by boats that put out from the
shores. Others struggled desperately
and we're carried off by the current TO
sink almost es
RESCUE WAS AT HAND.
A few minutes after the accident
she news was sent 60 an parts of the
city. Near the bridge were the wives
and children Of many OF the workmen.
These were soon sc the river bank.
Many were wild with grief and rushed
frantically about wringing their hands
aud tearing their hair. The
Office Of the bridge company on
Campbell street was beSieged with
anxious mothers and wives iuQuiriDg
Tor their loved ones. Half an hour after
the accident there were at least 1900
people on the river bank aud as the
news spread they still poured in a
steady stream towards the place Of the
accident.
To whose door must be laid the re-
spOnsi0ility fer the terrible disaster :
will probably never be known TO is /
doubtless one OF those Unforeseen accI- Z
dents that occur In spite of all Drecau-
tiOnary measures Tue bridge probably /
more than any other thing is fraught /
with manifold dangers, and the work I
men whose iaoors are utilized in the /
work practically take their lives in /
! their own hands.
General opinion ascribes the cause OF \
tho disaster 90 the stiff wind that has
been sweeping the river all day. 1t
bore With great force on the pOnderOuS
frame work, which necessarily became
loosened from the constant strain aud
swaying Of the heavy timberS. A great
number o. people before the first span
fell could see the great traveller ris.
log eighty feet above the piers, swaying
and
QUIvERING IN THE WIND,
10 what appeared to te 10 a most
alarmiLg manner 90 those on the shore.
The motion, however, was hardly no
ticeable to the workmen, and they had
no idea Of their deadly peril until the
great mass Of wood and iron began to
sink and the awful cracking and crash
ing OF the timbers Smote upon their
ears.
That the structure was otherwise
than safe never occurred 60 either
the engineers In charge or the
workmen. Every precaution had been
employed 90 insure the stability of the I
frame work and the only thing lacking, /
as the accident proved, was the failure
to take into consideration the action Of Q
the wind, the force Of which was per- S
sistent and DOWeriui.
IA she great traveller alluded 50 q