The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-18
Sad IN THE EXTREME
The Work Of Recovering the Bodies
Is Still in Progress.
IT'S A FRANTIC MULTITUDE
Women. Half Craxed. Rush Through
the Crowd Crying and Tearing
Their Hair The List Of
Dead or Missing.

Cleveland. Nov. 1.-THE people of
this city stood appalled, to-day when
they realized the full horror OF the
terrible accident which occurred last
evening on the big Central viaduct 1t
was the worst accident 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
100 feet into the river was told over
and over again. Thousands of people
remained by the river bank all last
night and thousands more Were there
early this morning. Great crowds are
still standing on the bridge above the
wrecked car and about the place where
the wreck Is buried In the river, eager
ly discussing every detail of the acci-
dent. The first reports of the disaster
have been verified in every particular.
with the possible exception OF the
number of victims. which is some
what smaller than was at first sup
posed.
The work of rescing the bodies of the
victims has gone ON steadily since 9
O'Clock last might. and is now believed
nothing more can be done until the
last bit Of wreckage of the car has
been removed from the river. The
scenes about the river late last night.
while the work of rescue was being
prosecuted, were pathetic in the ex-
treme Thousands of people had as
sembled and waited for the discovery
OF bodies. 1T was a sad crowd, and out
OF respect for the unfortunate dead
but very little noise was made Occa-
uf.a
woman who believed some one dear to
her was among the unfortunate 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 impossi-
bic ITO get to the river. Patrol wagons
dashed this way and that way, their
bells changing, adding to the din and
confusion. Ambulances dashed up to
the scenes only to turn and drive away
again, carrying the remains of other
unfortunates. 1t was almost impossi-
BILE to work with any system. The
crowd pushed its way as near the
scene as possible. and the efforts of the
large police force to maintain order
were almost in vain. 1t was with great
difficulty that a body. when recovered,
was taken to one of the dead wagons.
Four bodies were found almost 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 will
ing hands on shore. an aisle was made
and the bodies passed along. Every
few feet some woman would step out
from the crowd. peer into the face of
the body as 1t passed along, and with
1T is not him. thank God" she would
retire. And so the procession moved
on. AS the body of young boy was
taken from the fire boat, an old lady
nearly fell into the river in her hurry
to see the face of the dead boy. She
would not be put back. Falling upon
her knees. she raised her voice to
heaven and prayed as only a mother
could under the circumstances. Press
ing close around her were anywhere
from 1000 to 5000 people. Those who
saw her raised their hats, and not a
few Joined her in prayer.
At another SPOT two men were at
tempting to hold an almost distracted
woman. She believed her husband was
ON the dll-fated car and was almost in
boat, alongside Of which was a raft
from which two divers were working.
Coroner Arbuckle and several of the
boats hands were busy graphing for
bodies and all was confusion. A hook
would catch ON something In the bot
tom of the river. The man handling 1t
would say: "Tve got another" The
crowd on shore who could see what
was going on on board of the boat
would take up the cry. But in many
cases the man was wrong; his hook
would bring to surface an old board
or 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 OF the bridge
were blocked with people. In the CEN
ter OF the bridge. men. women and
children went this and that way,
screaming. jostling each other. women
tearing their hair and calling upon
God to save their dear ones. Women
tainted and were trampled on by the
mad. rushing and insane crowd. 1t
was impossible to keep up any kind
of order and the effort was finally
abandoned.
1t was a crowd with a common grief.
Not one of the multitude knew but
that perhaps a brother. mother. father
or sister was at the moment lying cold
in death at the bottom OF the river.
Everybody tried TO sympathize with
everybody else. and as a result IL was
hard TO distinguish any one. From the
dizzy height the thousands Of people
who occupied positions on the bridge
stself watched the proceedings below.
Their view was unobstrucoed and they
saw everything that took place. The
second a body was brought 10 the sur
face there az the rail on the bridge Il
was reported 10 those in the center