Evening journal., 1895-11-18


m open Draw. Burying Its Passengers
In the River Hundred Feet Below. - -.
CLEVELAND, Nov. 1s.-The people OF
this city stood appalled, whom thoy real
ized tho full horror Of the terrible acoi-
dent ON tho big Central yladuct IL was
the worst accident that had over happen
ed in this city, and tho story Of how the
motor car. loaded with men, women and
children, had plunged through the open
draw, straight down 100 feet into the riv
or, was told over and over again. Thou
sands OF people remained by the river
bank all night, and thousands moro were
thoro early the following morning. Great
crowds arc still standing on the bridge
above the wrecked car and about the place
whore the wlockage is buried in the riv-
or eagerly discussing every detail of the
accident Tho work Of roscuing tho bod
les of tho victims Is on steadily, and IL is
now believed that nothing moro can be
done until the last BIT Of tho wreolago Of
the car has been removed from the river
The Central viaduot is a huge silt
bridge 3, 600 feet long and made OF iron.
IL connects the heights and the prosperous
residence section on the south side with
the business oontor of tho city. Directly
over the river is a drawbridge Of the pivot
sWinging pattern, and this is 10l feet
above tho surface Of the water. The South
Side Street railway passes over the BRIDGE
and on either side Of the draw there is
safety switch, which, unless the conductor
alights and holds up n handle, will send a
car into the guttor instead of allowing ii
90 90 on the draw.
AS is the rule, the car stopped and tho
conductor won't forward to release the
switch in case the way was clear.
He must have been blinded by the cleo
trio lights, for an eyewitness declares that
although the gates were closed and tho
draw was already in motion the conduct
or raised the switch handle. The motor
man applied the current and the car shot
forward and struck the gates with crash.
Down tho FrightfuI Abyss.
There was only moments pause and
then tho heavy car ground its way through
tho wreokago and plunged over the brink
into tho black abyss amid the screams
and frantic struggles OF the passengers,
who at tho first intimation Of danger
rushed for the rear door. Tho car struck
the water with a great splash, and then
thero was silonoe.
As tho car went over the brink Of the
abyss tho motormnn jumped from tho
vostibuled front He fell upon the abut-
mont Of the bridge, his skull being crush
cd by the fall. All the other occupants OF
the car with tho exception of the few
who had managed 20 jump as 1t toppled
oyor, went down to certain death The
car disappeared from sight as soon as 10
struck the water, and every one Of the
passengers was drowned.
Tho scenes about tho river while tho
work of rescue was being prosecuted were
pathetic i'm the extreme. Tho thousands
of people who had assembled waited with
bated breath for the discovery of bodies.
Il was q sad crowd, and out of respect for
the unfortunate dead but very little noise
was made. Occasionally tho wild scream
Of some frantic woman who believed some
ono dear TO her was among the unfOrtu-
nat ones would echo over the flats, only
to taken up at a distance by some 9TH
or oman whose heart was breaking over
her loss It was almost impossible to got
to the river Patrol wagons dashed this
way and that their bells changing, add
ing TO the din and confusion. Ambu-
lnnces dashed up to the scene, only to
turn and drive away again, carrying the
remains of other unfortunatos.
It was almost impossible to work with
any system. The crowd pushed its way ne
near the scono as possible, and the efforts
OF tho largo force of polioo TO maintain or
der were almost in vain. twas with grent
difficulty that a body when recovered was
takon to one OF the dead wagons.
List OF KILLED and Missing.
Killed.-James Mclaughlin, baseball
player, ~ Trowbridge avenue.
Horny W. Mecklenburg, merchant tail
or, 5s Mary street.
Edward Hoffman, conductor, 121 East
End avenue.
Mrs John A. sauornhoimer, 76 Pro-
fossor street.
Miss Bessie Davis, sohoolteaohor in
Saokott school, lived at l07 Noyes street.
Harry W. Foster clerk for Root q Nc
Bride Co. 5l Mentor avonue
Miss Minnie c. Brown, 10 Thurman
street.
Curt Lepehne SO jennings avenue.
Mrs. A. w Hoffman, 30 years old, 1908
Poarl street.
Harvey Hoffman, years old 10s Pearl
street
Mrs. Martha Palmer, i55 Kentworth
avenue.
Marie Mitohen, 81 years old, domestic,
Bell avenue.
Augusta sarinski, 207 Central avenue
Gcrtie Hoffman, AZ years old, 1908
Pearl street.
Louis r. Hulots, mail carrier, 8s Bre-
vior street.
Missing Miss Martha Sauernheimer
15l Merchants avenue.
--- Loonoy, years old, 37l5 Clifton
street.
B. c. Page, residence unknown.
Matthew Callahan, Hamilton street.
The Bridge Captains Story.
Among the people who gathered at the
viaduot the blame for the frightful calam-
ity was laidsit the door of Motorman Rog-
ers and Conductor Hoffman. Nearly all
the blame, however, was placed with Rog-
ors, who has been In the employ OF the
big Consolidated Street Railway company
for several years
The following is a description Of the ac-
cident as related by Bridge Captain
Charles Brcnner:
81 was on duty at the time. It was
about 7;2O O'Clock, when a boat coming
up the river whistled for tho drawbridge.
then gave the signals to Engineer Pat