The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-07-12

Inlar~d. Many. "a ). feared. FAtaiI,
They Had Assembled Ia wt.~>. a Ioat
ksc. which 90. Ju.t Nearing Its Con
slnsion.
EIKHAEr. Ind. July "a terrible
accident occurred az Bristol. a small
town six miles from this city late this
afternoon. Daring the progress Of
boat race on the ~. Joseph river
crowd OF probably co people We're
damned On "A ihrce-span iron bridge.
About q o'clock during the finish Of
an exciting race and while the
crowd wa, cheering tremendously
the bridge gave WY AMI the mass
OF humanity was prccipitatei into
the water forty fer. below. A. far a
known al present thirty-eight persons
have received serious injuries and il j.
feared tina; many ~ them will die.
Physicians from Elkhart. Goshen. La
porte and other nei-hb1ring cities
were hastily telephonei for and went
70 the ~cene with all possible haste
The race was the last cf series
that mad furnished the principal sport
Of 2 Fourth-of-Jnly celebration. When
the unfortunate> landed in the water
amidst "A mass 81 iron and wool frame
work. the groaus 81 the men. women
and children arose and spurreG 70 ac-
tiviiy those who seemed Gaxei By the
magnitude OF the catastrophe. Luck
ily. the water was bn- five feet deep
The cr3wd on shore saw many peO-
PIE IN the water fighting with each
either for place ~ vantage or some
means % escape from what seemed GER
tain death IL was some time before
effective aid could >. given. As soon
a. possible. however. planks ladders
and ropes were secured and a dozen
men waded out aud. helped by those
on the bank lifted the main girder
which held several people under the
water
One hy one the injured were brought
T. the shore. and those living at Bri>-
tol were taken care ~ by their friends
and hurried 10 their homes The
neighborin- stores and houses were
turned into temporary hospitals. and
many who lived a, distance were
taken care Of here.
owing the excitement. which
scattering ot the injured hv their
friends. il will be some time before
complete list 81 the injured can be OBJ
tanned. Those believed - BE- fatally
injured are.
Dr. Charles De,row. conclusion OF
the spine
Mack Little. both legs broken and
injured internally
Mr.. Mack Little badly injured about
head and shoulders
A e-year-oil son ~ Mack Little,
both arm, and one eg broken
4 daughter Of Mack Little both legs
broken
Jonas Eeprogle both arms and legs
broken.
Melville CarEnien. both legs broken.
The day was a pleasant one and
large crowd WAS in the city witness
ing the festivities the rural folks COM
Ing from all directions Those who
could not ret On til. bridge lined tie
banks and other points from which
good view " the sports could be had.
There were tub races. fat-boat races
ana shell races BY native talent The
DAYS sports We're Just ending when the
accident occurred
MANY of tine farmers. ~ soon as
their relatives and friends were Sc
cured, hastily placed ihem ia wagons,
and. without waiting sor the all q
physicians o. a. much a. leaving
names. departed ta- their homes. The
complete list % The dead ana injured
y IN. a. all events. not he known for a
week Tie town boasts Of but three
physicians. and one ~ them was s.
badly hurt that he could give no as
sistance.
Every train tonight brought from
surrounding towns relatives and
friends " visitors % Bristol. for the
news had spread over the country with
great rapiditv The houses al which
the wounded LAT were searched by
many anxious ones looking for some
one who mad no. returned from the
celebration. Those who were able 10
( ~ moved were taken home. while the
more seriously injured Will he at
tended al Bristol
The bridge which gave way has
been used sor MANY years. Only las.
spring * was rcnaired and considered
able % bear any strain that might he
put upon it, Examination ~ that
part % the structure which remained
intac, showed that the railing had
given away under the pressure 81 the
crowd and carried with il part u the
fcniway IN which the people were