New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-16

/
SHARP. w. A.
| SHERIDEN, Z.
sIMoNs, Frank, Of Jacksonville, IND.
SODE.N, A.
sOLEN NJ.
WILSON J. L.
INJURED.
BROWN G.. W.. Of Irvington. both arms broken
GALLAwAY. T. N. Of No. oS7 East Marketst., Louis
VILE. ankle broken.
HALL. e. r., OF Bristol. Tenn.
uAvEBES Edward OF Chicago slightly injured
nILpEBRAND. Edward, of Northampton. Penn, intr
nal injuries.
LEE Harry NJ Jeacrsonyie. Ind. cut about head and
MEYER. John. o: Lexington Ky, leg anputatcd.
MOORE. Albert both arms broken.
PAID F. ID.
PUtiU Harry. Mercer Penn both arms broken back
hurt Internally injured.
scHEENERs. Edward. OF South pittsburg. win die
SHEEHAN. d. L., of Grccnur. Ky.
THORPE. g.. injured about knees and side.
-. sam. OF No. go Srring-st. Ncw-Atany Ind
The south channel span OF the bridge. about $50
feet In length. was blown down shortly after 8
o'clock tonight So far known no one was
injured. This will entail total loss Of $4,000
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
For weeks past large force Of men have been
ut work on the big 5Oo-foot span over the middle
OF the river The iron work was all up and was
resting on heavy framework of pillng driven
down into the bed OF the river and securely
bolted and braced. This afternoon the last bolts
were to have been put in place in the iron super
structure and the gigantic span would have sup
ported It's own weight. The foreman this morn
ing noticed that the traveller. huge derrick used
for placing iron In position. had been worked
loose by the wind during the night. 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
usoe IL nj cit,
the whole work trembled. and the men. realizing |
their danger. started for the piers AS luck would
have II. the central bent first to give way
and the men this bent went down, to be COW
cred by the mass OF iron and timber OF the other
bents. which fell almost Immediately. carrying
with them the 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 fifteen minutes
after the other parts went down. There were
hfty-one men on the bridge when the alarm
given by the engineer in charge OF the
work. or this number several succeeded In
reaching the piers. OF those that went down.
some covered by mass Of timber from
beneath which 1t will be days before their bodies
are recovered. The parted span. the last one,
did not fall until fifteen minutes after the first
had gone down. but 1t was the direct result OF
the falling Of the first. The great strain
occasioned by the sundcring Of the bridge
naturally communicated itself TO the un-
finished span. and 1t took it's plunge like the
first. into the water but. being mostly frame
work. did not sink. but foated slowly down the
river. There were said 10 be four men on 1t
when 1t fell. and was undoubtedly killed.
The small traveller on this span iloated down
several hundred yards. and then grounded on
the heavy timbers which were spintered like
matches, showing the terrible fcrcc OF the fall.
SCRAMBLE FOR LIFE.
The crash attracted the attention Of those on
the shore. and many turned away as they saw
the men struggling in mid-ar In their Efforts to
climb out Of danger. When the huge mass Il
material struck the water all was concealed for .
an instant by the spray which thrown into
the air. AS the water Subsided and the mist | ,
was dispelled, here and there could be seen men
desperately 10 climb upon the tim
bcrs that thrust their ends above the water. y
few succeeded In climbing To places Of safety
and were soon rescued Others struggled hope
essly and were carried off by the current to ,
sink almost rescue was at hand. The ferry | I
boats city OF Jcnersonvillc and c. w. Hit | ,
and the fe-saving crews were the first to reach
The wreckage. which completely blocked one
channel Of the river Men with broken arms
and legs were found cnging to pieces Of timber. @
They pulled into boats and hurried to hos |
)itals In this city and Jcifcrsonvile. Five bodies
we're recovered from the wreck. ,
The steamer Hotspur. with superintendent ,
George Fisher on board. came near being caught .
by the falling span. The boat making }
|
leard timbers creak. Looking up. he +
saw the great span shaking and gave orders c
TO back the steamer. II done too q
soon, for the top Of the huge traveller fell :
within twenty feet Of the boat. AS the Il
pilot realized what had happened he ran the n
boat up to the wreckage, and the crew saved $
nine men. who were SO badly hurt that they b
.ould not have kept afoat five minutes. Captain
Dcven and his two crews of life-savers were the I
heroes of the day. dashing here and there into e
he drift and wreckage to pull out the dead y
md injured. a
Captain Deven thinks that some OF the bodies +
lave been carried over the falls. IT. will take n
everal days to recover the bodies most OF Il
hem pinned down by the heavy iron trusscs
which fell top of the false work. The bridge y
ompany had 100 men at work. and will extitcate :,
he bodies from the wreck possible | h
When the second part Of the false work fell an G
ngine and boiler went with 1t. and when the IL
oiler struck the wreckage IL exploded. but no
ne Is known to have been struck by the flying
The lives OF the bridge workmen 4
we're insured for 81 500 each.
To whom must be laid the responsibility OF the
isas ster will probably never be known II Is l.
ghy probable that 1t is but OF those un-
oreseen accidents that occur in spite Of all pre-
autionary measures. Bridge-bullding Is fraught
nth more than ordinary danger and the work.
nen whose labors are utilized in the work prac- B
ically take their lives In their own hands. =,
ieneral opinion ascTtbes the cause of the dis
ster TO the stiff wind that has been sweeping !.
he river all day. II bore with great force on u
he ponderous framework. which necessarily be- IA
anne oosened from the constant strain and b,
waying OF the heavy timbers. A great number u,
people, before the first span fell. could see nj
he traveller rising eighty feet above the piers, =,
waying and quivering in the wind In what ap- m
cared 10 be the most warning manner to those re
n shore. The motion, however was hardly IN
oticeable to the workmen. and they had no he
lea OF their deadly peril until the great mass to
wood and iron began to sink and the awtui re