Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-31
RADF0RD'S BAD DAY.
Destructive Fire Followed BY theCol-
lapse Of q Bridge.
THREE MEN KILLED, FIVE INJURED.
They Fell Through Crashing Timbers q
Distance of Ninety Feet-Gloom and
Grief In the Town.

RADFoRD, VA, March So.-(speciaI.)--
To-day has been "a bad day for Radford.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon the cry OF
fire was raised. and II was found that
the Commercial House, long. two-story
hotel, belonging to the Bib heirs, was
on fire on the roof. There Is no water
works and no fire department, and the
flames made rapid Roadway. The Nor
folk and Western shop-mens with hose
and engines. were run along the track
near the building and the water thrown
on the fire. The hotel was total loss,
as was one or two other buildings occu-
pied by negroes. All the furniture was
saved. The house OF ID. l.. Pile, on the
next lot. was saved, as was the house
of Henry Weller.
COLLAPSE OF A BRIDGE.
While the fire was at its height. the
cry was heard that the heavy wooden
bridge across Connolly Run. connecting
the two towns, had fallen, carrying
down with it a number Of workmen and
contractor. This proved too true, and
buried beneath the timbers were eight
men. 1t was learned that +. y. Nc
Culloch, n contractor, was taking down
the bridge and had seven men at work
with him. A large crowd was on the
high banks watching the work. Mr.
McCulloch was underneath the roadway
and called to some Of the workmen TO
20 with him to the top Of the bridge
and help start the doorway, but 1t seems
the force did not all go.
EIGHT MEN GO DOWN.
McCulloch went with seven men, and
as the heavy timbers were swinging out
he threw a piece of timber. which struck
one Of the braces; that loosened the
whole structure, which crashed down.
carrying with 1t the contractor ana men,
burying all in a mass OF ruin and dust.
The bridge was about ninety feet high.
and. as the timbers are heavy. the crash
was terrific.
THREE KILLED OUTRIGHT.
Work was at once commenced to re-
iieve them, when it was found that Ed
ward Maybes and II. ii. Andrews were
killed outright; Charles Thompson was
so badly hurt that he lived only short
time; and w. a. Hedrick Of New River;
Frank 4. McColluch (white), and James
Conner. Thomas Price, and William
johnson (colored) were badly hurt.
THE INJURED.
McCulloch's leg was broken and he
was badly bruised about the head and
face. HedriclS was the least hurt, while
the colored men had broken bones ana
bruised bodies. Drs. jeffrey, Moore
Farmer. and Smith did all they could TO
relieve the wounded. who were soon
moved to their homes.
Work was commenced on the debris
10 see If any others had been caught by
the falling timbers. but none were found
McCulloch and Hedrick are married
men. as were also Thompson and Maybes.
The Coroner empanelled jury to view
the dead bodies.
HOW ANY ESCAPED.
The town is wrapped in gloom, and
men. women. and children are hurrying
backward and forward between the fire
and the bridge. Hundreds have gathered
in the ravNe and the common express
sion is, How did any escape alive? Men
who were watching the work say that
the structure went down in an instant,
and that the men could be seen falling
through the doorway and among the
timbers. until all struck in one pile in
the rayine, and there was no chance to
escape.