Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-10-23
DOWN WITH A BRIDGE.
More than One Hundred Persons
Are Precipitated Into the
River.

New Orleans, La, Oct. 21.-Therc
came near being a horrible calamity
about 6 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and
as it is there are about thirty persons
suffering from injuries more OF less seri-
Gus. while there arc fears of three peo-
pie being drowned. This terrible state
of affairs was caused by the breaking
down of the little iron bridge which
leads from the Algiers ferry-house to the
floating wharf, where the ferryboat is
accustomed to land. The following is a
list of the missing and injured:
Missing:
ANNIE MISSINA, aged s years.
MARY LAUER, aged II years.
Injured:
D.. Meehan, broken leg; F. G. Cham
payne, head cut and bruised; Joseph Alfno.
leg broken; J. j. Carroll, court officer, leg
injured; Mrs. August Campes, bruised; Mrs.
and arm injured; Mrs. Sarah Condor, hip
injured; Mrs. p. Mcmahon, bruised; Mrs.
Laura Wagner, head cut; Miss Jennie Wag-
ner. head cut; John Courtney, left arm in
jured; Joe Gregory, leg broken; Miss Lulu
Lawman, internal injuries; Henry Acker,
right arm broken; Ralph Patton, aged, =
years, injured about head; William Brooks.
injured about body; Louis Margioskey,
bruised; Thomas Lunday, left hand cut;
unknown lady. hip injured.
It is stated an unknown woman was
drowned.
Some three weeks ago the owners OF
the ferry line began to construct q new
ferry house at the Algiers landing of the
Canal street ferry and a few days ago 1t
was sufficiently completed to be used.
Yesterday morning for the first time
the building was placed in use. The iron
bridge, which is fastened to the pillng
on the shore and has support on the 9TH
er end of the floating wharf, was a week
ago removed to It's position in front OF
IL. GA---~ l4---o ENIA-A 49, ono NJ
care taken in the fitting of the bridge,
for it is upon this one companion way
that all passengers are supposed to cross
the 100 feet of shore and water. At
the shore end Of this bridge there was
a large clamp which held it in place and
additional long belts were added to in
crease the safety of the ~passageway.
The bridge itself proved the weakest
part Of the entire structure and just as
the ferry was landing it parted very
near the middle and threw about $50
people into the shallow water. The dis
lance between that portion of the bridge
which gave way and the surface OF the
water and the bank of the river meas
ureS about fifteen feet.
1t was nearly dusk and people of all
descriptions were hurrying back to the
ferry and to their homes. There was .
rush for the wharf as soon as the ferry
was in sight and before the steamer had
landed there We're crowded on the pontoon
wharf as many people as that structure
would hold. Then the mass of humanity
crowded down through the door of the
ferry house on to the iron wharf until it,
too, was packed with men, women and
children and there was another great
crowd in the ferry house waiting to rush
headlong for the steamboat. The ferry
boat, the Thomas Pickles, was also
crowded. The engines were slowed down
on approaching the wharf, and she as
usual almost drifted to her landing. How
ever, the stern of the vessel bumped
against the end of the pontoon. and with
Il crash the iron span parted and a hum
dred or more frantic people were literally
dumped INTO the water among the pIlIng
and drifting timbers. Fully thirty men,
women and children We're injured, while
there are missing two little children and
the statement Of two of those in the wreck
adds the drowning OF a young woman to
the list of casualties.
Women screamed, men shouted, and
above the groans of the injured and
frightened and cries of the little ones
could be heard the oathS of many. The
men on the pontoon and those in the
f~erryhouse did not wait q moment before
they began to look towards assisting
those in the water. While hundreds Of
strong hands grasped every plank within
reach on the pontoon and dashed them
into the water for the u~nfortunates to
cling to for safety. dozens devoted their
efforts to pacifying the women and hill,
dren on the pOnto0n. The male passen-
gers on the Thomas Pickles, with some
of the crew, hurried to the pOntoOn and
took an active part in rescuing the pe0-
pie in the water. Several men on the
pontoon Invested themselves of their
coats and vests and were ready TO make
a dive into the water and swim to the
u~nfortunates and help them to shore.