The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-18
All Day Sunday Thousands Thronged
the bridge, 100 Feet Above Where
the Divers Were at Work.
ONE GRIEF-CRAzED FATHER
THROWS HIMSELF IN THE WATER
TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
Motormon Rogers Charged with Man
sIauEhter-Story of Man Who
Was on the Rear Platform.


this city stood appalled, to-day when they
realized the full horror of the terrible
cident which occurred last evening on the
big Central viaduct. 1t was the worst ac-
cident that had ever happened in this city,
and the story of how the motor car loaded
with men. women and children had plunged
through the open draw, straight down
hundred feet into the river, was told over
and over again. Thousands of people re-
manned by the river bank all last night.
and thousands were there early this MORN
ing. Great crowds are still standing on the
bridge above the wrecked car and about the
place where the wreckage is buried in the
river. eagerly discussing every detail of the
accident.
The first reports of the disaster have been
verified in every particular. with the pos
which is a trihe smaller than was at first
supposed. The work of rescuing the bodies
of the victims has gone on steadily since
9 o'clock last evening, and it is now believed
that nothing more can be done until the last
bit of the wreckage of the car has been re-
moved from the river
The scenes about the river late last night
while the work OF rescue was being prose-
cuted were pathetic in the extreme The
thousands of people who had assembled
waited with bated breath for the discovery
of bodies. 1t was a sad crowd. and out of
respect for the unfortunate dead but very
little noise was made. Occasionally the
scream of some frantic woman who believed
some one dear to her was among the un-
fortunate ones would echo over the flats,
only TO be taken up at a distance by some
other woman whose heart was breaking
over her loss. 1T was almost impossible to
get to the river Patrol wagons dashed this
way and that, their bells changing, adding
to the din and confusion. Ambulances
dashed up TO the scene. only to turn and
drive away again, carrying the remains of
other unfortunates. 1t was almost impos-
sible to work with any system. The crowd
pushed its way as near the scene as pos
sible. and the efforts of the large force of
police TO maintain order were almost in
vain.
REMOVING THE DEAD.
1t was with great difficulty that a body,
when recovered. was taken to one of the
dead wagons. -Four bodies were found al
most at the same time. They were placed
on stretchers. and the solemn march to the
ambulance started. AS the bodies were
passed from the fire boat to the willing
bodies passed along Every few feet some
woman would step out from the crowd, peer
into the face of body as it passed, and
ITS not him. thank Godv' she would say.
And so the sad procession moved on.
AS the body of a young boy was taken
from the fire boat an old lady nearly fell
into the river in her anxiety TO see the
face of the dead boy She would not be
put back. She threw herself on the body,
looked into the face, and cried: THANK
Godr'
Falling upon her knees, she raised her
voice to heaven and prayed as only
mother could under the circumstances.
Pressing close around her were anywhere
from 1000 to 5000 people. Those who could
see her raised their hats, and not few
Joined her in prayer.
At another spot two men were trying to
hold an almost distracted woman. She be-
lieved her husband was on the Inflated car.
and was almost insane with grief.
On board the fireboat, alongside of which
was the raft containing two divers, Coroner
Arbuckle and several of the boat hands,
all were busy graphing for bodies and all
was confusion. A hook would catch on
something on the bottom Of the river The
man handling it would shout, 1--WE got
another" The crowd on shore, who could
see what was going on aboard the boat,
would take up the cry. But in many cases
the man was wrong. His hook would bring
to the surface an old board a piece of
rubbish. Again the news would be carried
to the anxiously waiting crowd.
All the time the search was going on
cars kept running over the viaduct Both
rails from the west to the east approach
In the center of the bridge men, women
and children went this and that way,
screaming, jostling each other. women
save their dear ones. Women tainted and
were trampled on by the mad, rushing and
insane crowd. 1t was impossible to keep
finally abandoned. 1t was a crowd with
common grief. Not one of the multitude
but knew that perhaps a brother. mother,
father or sister at the moment lying
cold in death at the bottom of the river
Everybody tried to sympathize with every
body else, and as result it was hard to
From the dizzy height the thousands of
people who occupied positions on the bridge
view was unobstructed. and they saw ev-
erything that took place. The second a body
was brought to the surface. those on the
bridge reported to those in the center OF
the bridge and then a rush for the rail
was made by hundreds.
BRIDGE CAPTAINS STORY.
Among the people who gathered at the
viaduct to-day the blame for the frightful
calamity was laid at the door of motor
man Rogers and Conductor Hoffman Nearly
all the blame, however, was placed with
Rogers. who had been In the employ of the
big Consolidated Street-railroad Company
for several years. The following is a de-
scription of the accident as related by
Bridge Captain Charles Bremen:
II was on duty at the time. 1t was about
7:3D o'clock when a boat coming up the river
whistled for the drawbridge. L then gave
the signals to engineer Patterson and the
gate guards. / shut both gates at the
north approach myself. ran up the red
light on the pole and hung the red lanterns
on the gates. These red lights, as Is we'll
known. signify danger-that the draw is
open. Then gave the engineer the signal
to draw the wedge and also gave the signal