The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-21
BRIDGE GIVES WAY
A Crowded Bridge Breaks at an
Algiers, La, Wharf.
A Hundred and Fifty People
Thrown Into the Water.
THIRTY ARE INJURED
Three More Are Supposed to
Have Been Drowned.
Screaming Women and Crying
Children Make Frantic Scenes.

New ORLEANS, Oct, 21-There came
near being horrible calamity about six
o'clock yesterday afternoon and as it is
there are about thirty persons suffering
from injuries, more or less serious while
there are fears of three people being
drowned. This 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 ferry boat is accustomed to land
The following is a list of the missing
and iujured:
Annie Mason, aged years, Mary
Lauer, aged 1 years,
Injured: D. Meehan, leg broken: F.
c. Champagne, head cut and bruised
Joseph Altina, leg broken; J. J. Carroll,
court officer, leg injured; Mrs. August
Camper, bruised; Mrs. NJ oss, bruised; Mrs.
w. 5. Garvey, leg and arm injured; Mrs.
Sarah Condor, hip injured; Mrs P. Mac
Mahon, bruised; Laura Wagner, head cut;
Miss Jennie Wagner cut on the head,
John Courtney left arm injured; Joe
Gregory, leg broken; Miss Lulu Law
man, internal Injuries; Henry Acker
right arm broken; Ralph Patton aged 8
years, injured about head, VIM. Brooks
injured about body; Louis Margiosky,
unknown lady, hip injured.
1t is stated that an unknown woman
was drowned,
Some three weeks ago the owners of
the ferry line began to construct new
ferry house at the Algier5 and Canal
street ferry and few days ago it was
sufficiently completed 70 be used. Yes
terday morning for the first time the
building was placed in use. The iron
hriA iob 10 Fastened fO q
the shore and has support on the other
end of the floating wharf was a week
ago moved to its position in front of the
ferry house.
There was considerable care taken in
the fitting of the bridge, for it is upon
this one companion way that all passen-
gers are supposed to cross the hundr d
of feet water and shore. At the shore end
of the bridge there was IA large clam .
which held it in place, and in addition
long belts were added to increase the
safety of the passage way.
The bridge itself proved the weakest
part of tho entire structure, and just as
the ferry was landing it parted very near
the middle, throwing about 150 people
into the shallow water. near the bank of
the river. The distance between that
portion of the bridge which gave way and
the surface of the water and the bank
| OF the river measures ABOUT uILO6Q I66t.
1t was nearly dusk and people of all
descriptions were hurrying back to the
| ferry and TO their homes. There was d
rush for the wharf as soon as the ferry
| was in sight, and before the steamer had
landed there crowded on the pontoon
wharf as many people as that structure
would hold hen the mass of human
ity crowded down through the door of
the ferry house 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 Tor the steamboat. The ferry
boat, Thomas Pickles, was also crowded.
| The engines were slowed down on ap-
! preaching the wharf and she, as usual,
! almost drfted to her landing. However
the stern of the vessel bumped against
the end of the pontoon, and with a crash
| the span parted and a hundred or more
frantic people were literally dumped into
the water among the piling and drifting
| timb bers
! Fully thirty men. women and children
were injured, while there are missing
two 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 The cries OF the little
ones could be heard the oaths of many.
The men on the pontoon bridge and
those in the ferry house did not wait a
moment before they began to look toward
assisting those in the water. While hun
dreds of strong hands grasped every
plank within reach on the puutoon and
dashed them into the water for the I'M
fortunates to cling to for safety, dozens
devoted their efforts to pacifylng the
women and children on the pontoon.
The mate and passengers crew on the
Thomas Pickles hurried to the pontoon
took an active part in rescuing the peo-
pie in the water. Several men on the
pontoon divested themselves of their
coats and vests and were ready to make d
dive into the water and swim to the un-
fortunates and help them to shore.
SNOW IN CHICAGO.