The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-17
A SIREN OF SUICIDE.
Les MiserabIes of Paris Jump From
This Bridge at sunset.

From the New York Press.
Paris, Aug. There is a pretty little
bridge called the ''Pont de Brigues' in
the park at Buttes-Cshaumont. This little
brick arch Is now known as the "Pont
Maudit," and the Inhabitants of the quar-
ter cross themselves every time they pass
under f.; for last month twenty people
committed suicide by jumping from the
bridge. Since its erection there have been
over 300 suicides from the para pet of the
Cursed Bridge"
There seems to be a peculiar fascinat ton
about it. one may see any day on the
benches near the bridge. or gazing over
the parapet. some of the miserable ones
always numerous in a big city. 1t is diff
cult to imagine wherein the morbid at
traction lies. The spot is a pretty one
where gloomy thoughts seem out of place
The bridge, which consists OF a single
arch, Is 10 feet above the bottom Of the
gorge. Far down below is pretty arti-
fetal lake, a grOttO, a cascade, and some
rocks. A fall from the bridge means GER
tain death. for the jumper lands either
upon the stone walk or the sharp rocks
which border the lake.
There Is a magnificent view of Paris
from the bridge and of the mountains in
the distance. At sunset the scene is par
ticularly beautiful. and SHUTDOWN is the
favorite time for people to take the fatal
leap. Last week, just about sunset,
young woman mounted the parapet, threw
up her arms, and leaped into the giddy
space below. An elderly man below saw
her falling and the sight so overwhelmed
him that he could only take three steps
before he fell dead from apoplexy. On
the previous evening another woman com
mitted suicide in the same manner and
from the same side or the bridge, just mis-
sing a man walking below and carrying a
baby in his arms He and the child We're
splashed by her blood.
Three days before that there were two
deaths there, and so the terrible list
goes back Most of the victims Jump over
he. cfs1 of he hrf6 A
either side is easy and surely fatal, but
the side toward the setting sun seems to
be preferred. tt arat
The good people of the Buttes- Chaumont
cursed, and have forwarded a petition 10
the municipality to have 1t demolished.
Another petition was forwarded some time
ago by the inhabitants praying for the
construction of high railing on the par
apet.
At present the parapet is only about two
and one-half feet high, and nothing could
be easier than to step over into space.
The reply of the municipal authorities
was amusing and fatalistic.
What is the use" asked the engineers,
of building a rail upon one particular
bridge when so many others existed from
which suicide is equally easy? 1t is i'm
possible to prevent people from killing
themselves If they want to do so. The eX-
pense of erecting a railing is wholly I'M
necessary and useless"
This reply seems to have somewhat
taken aback the Buttes-Chaumon people
and the affair rested for some months.
After last months fearful list Of TRACE
lies, however they are making efforts to
have the thing done away with altogether.
There is certainly more temptation to self
murder in a place which has seen many
self-murders.
Years ago a certain dark passage in the
Hotel de Vile was the scene of several
suicides. Man after man committed sui
eide in the same corridor until the author
tiles ordered 1t to be walled up. The cpl
demic ceased at once and II is believed
that the same would be true of the "Pont
de Brigues."
A cynical gendarme, who has been plac-
ed on post at the bridge, has said that an
elevator would solve the problem. "Peo-
pie who wish to descend to the lake can
do so now only by painful and fortuous
descent down rock steps. Wanting to de-
scend and despairing Of getting down the
steps the impatient Parisians jump off the
bridge ~td
The garcon at a cafe which commands
a good view of the bridge assured the
Press correspondent that since the recent
tragedies many persons sit at the little
tables for a whole afternoon in the hope
of seeing a tragedy. "Pont Maudit" has
attained such notorety that the munich
pality will be forced to do something to
break the evil spell which seems to hang
over it