The herald., 1896-02-07
THE BRIDGE. BROKE DOWN
Precipitating Twenty Men Into
the Icy Water
SEVEN REACHED THE SHORE
All Of the Others Are Believed to be
Dead
The Fierce New England Storm Had Weak.
ened the Structure-It Fell Without
q Moments Warning

Associated Press Special Wire.
New BRITAIN, Conn, Feb. Ga bridge
on the New England railroad over the
Pequebuck river, near Bristol, collapY I'd
about 8 o'clock tonight, carrying with it
twenty workmen, of whom thirteen are
believed to have perished. At midnight
two bodies had been recovered and eleven
men were missing. Among the dead is
John O'Briep, foreman, of East Hartford.
The names of the missing are unknown.
The fierce storm which swept over the
state played havoc with New England rail-
road bridges and the swollen waters of the
Pequebuck river threatens to carry the
bridge away. At 5 o'clock special
wrecking train, with forty men. left East
Hartford and were put to work on the new
bridge which the company is building over
the river, and which is almost completed.
1twas intended to put the new bridge in
shape at once. SO trains could cross the
river. The old bridge was declared un-
safe about o'clock and since then no
train had crossed the river.
Twenty workmen were put on each
bridge. About o'clock one of the fcre-
men, lohn Barry, called the twenty men on
the old structure toward the cnnter to asnist
in tearing up the ties, which were wanted
for the other bridge, and without mo-
ment's warning it collapsed, precipitating
sixteen or seventeen of the men into the
raging waters of the river. Three or four
were caught by falling timbers and eer-
ously injured. Three managed to cling
to fragments of the bridge and we're
rescued by number OF their COM
rades, who rushed over from the new
bridge as soon as they realized the extent
of the disaster. The tottering condition of
the remaining portions OF the old bridge
~ - oh tno i'm,
possible and had q boat been at hand
nothing could have been done in the raging
waters. The unfortunate men in the
water attempted to seize sticks and por-
tions of the abutnlents which had broken
loose but not more than five or six were
successful. The others we're carried down.
stream and were quickly lost to sightin the
darkness.
Two men were able to swim ashore, but
fell exhausted as soon as they reached
land. John Barry, the foreman in charge
of the old bridge, was extricated from the
mass of wreckage and debris which col
lected when the bridge gave way, and was
found to be badly wounded. He and the
other rescued men were taken 10 farm
house and cared for. The foreman was
unable to give the names of the men who
were on the bridge at the time,
As soon as the officials of the railroad
were notified of the collapse, speciai
train was sent out from East Hartford with
two surgeons, and another gang Of work
ers A gang of twenty men rig2ed inn
promptu RATS ard made searcn for the
bodies. Others were sent down both sides
of the river to see if any of the unfortunat tes
had reached the shore. At late hour no
more bodies were found and it is the gen.
eral opinion that the men had no chance of
reaching the shore alive. Most of the men
live in Hartford and East Hartford and
nearly ali have families,