The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-12-20

LOUISVILLE, Dec 15.-At few min
utes past 10 this morning the false work
and that part Of the middle span of the
Louisville and Jeffersonville bridge in
place gave way and with all the work
men was precipitated 10 feet into the
water belly
There was but moments warning and
those who escaped going down with the
mass of iron and timber started for the
piers after the first trembling that in
dictated the giving away of the false
work. The accident was a horrible one
and is the last of a long list Of catas-
trophies that have marked the construc-
ton of this bridge
The foreman, in beginning work MOTTO
ed that during the night the traveller
which had been put in place last night
had been worked loose by the wind. An
order to draw it back into place was
given and the men and engines started.
The wind was high at the time and the
swaying of the false work gradually
forced the traveller off Of the piles on
which it was resting. When the end
slipped the whole work trembled and
the men, realizing their danger, started
for the piers.
AS luck would have it the central bent
was the first to give way and the men
son this bent went down to be covered
by the mass Of iron and timber of the
other beuts. which fell almost i'm
mediateIy 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 fif-
teen minutes after the other parts went
down.
FIfty-One Went Down.
As near as can be ascertained there
were ffty-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 that went down some were COW
cred 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 it was then
that the great number Of fatalities oc-
Cured. A few minutes later a bent, on
which there was but little of the bridge
proper, gave way on the Indiana side
In this it is believed that but one IN
known man was killed. He was caught
by a 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 midair in their mad efforts
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 in the air
As the water subsidized here and there
could be seen men struggling desperate
" to climb upon the timbers that thrust
their ends above the water A few sue
ceeded in cIinefng to the places Of safety
and were quickly rescued by boats that
put out from the shore. Others strug-
gled desperately and were carried off by
the current to sink almost as rescue
was at hand.
Scene of the Accident.
A few minutes after the accident the
news was sent to all parts Of the city.
Near the bridge lives the wives and chill
dren OF many Of the workmen. These
were soon on the river bank. Many
were wild with grief and rushed fran
tically about wringing their hands and
tearing their hair. The Office of the
bridge company on Campbell-st. was be-
sieged with anxious mothers and wives
inquiring for their loved ones.
Half an hCur after the accident there
were at least 1000 people on the river
bank. and as the news spread they still
poured in a steady stream toward the
place Of the accident.
To whose doors must be laid the re-
sponsibility for the terrible disaster will
probably never be known. IT is doubt
less only one Of those unforeseen acct
dents that occur in spite Of all precau-
tionary measures Bridge building prob
ably more than any other thing is
fraught with manifold dangers, and the
vorkmen whose labOrs are utilized I'm
the work practically take their lives in
their own hands. General opinion as
cribes the cause Of the disaster to the
stiff wind that has been sweeping the
river all day. IL bore with great force
on the ponderous framework which nee
essarily became loosened from the con-
slant strain and swaying Of the heavy
timbers. a great number of people, be-
fore the first span fell. could see the
great traveller. rising eighty feet above
the piers. swaying and quivering in the
wind In what appeared to be the most
alarming manned 10 those on shore The
motion, however. was hardly noticeable
10 the workmen and they had no idea Of
their deadly peril until the great mass