Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-05-28

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Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
Seattle, Wash, May 81. Tho Post.
! Intellgencer's special from Victoria, b.
O., says From the brightness aud
glory of holiday festivities Victoria was
yesterday plunged into the darkness
and horror of terrible accident, which
sent thrill of unutterable sadness
through the thousands OF guests and
filled the city with mourning. An
electric tram car. on its way from the
city to the scene of the military parade
and sham battle, crashed through the
Ellice Point bridge and without mo.
ment of warning GIL souls were plunged
into eternity.
The list OF identified dead follows !:
Mre. j. A. Trout, Seattle; Sophia and
Alice Smith, and James Thompson.
Patterson: Oracle Elford, Mrs. Fred
Adams, Fred Adams and Mrs. William
Heatherkell, Spring Ridge; Mrs. q.
ii. Woodhouse, Seattle; Mrs. ID. l..
Ballard, Providence, r. !. j. A. Van
bokkeien, Port Townsend j. X. Lever
idge, Spring Ridge; Gabrielle Marata
aud Giuseppe Mauro, Seattle; Mrs.
Thomas I. Phyisi1. Vancouver; B. W.
Murphy, son Of Foreman Murphy of
the City Water Works; w. j. Crowell
and Mrs. Priestly, Minneapolis; Mrs.
Provost, Seattle; Mrs. Edward Hoosen,
4. Edward Hoosen, - Edmonds, W. A.
Fullerton, Mrs. g. /. Post and her son,
Frank Oresta, Miss Minnie Robertson,
the Misses Bowness and Ida Florence
Goodacre, Tacoma; r. S. Holmes, Mrs
Frost and Miss Emily Nathan, Vic
toria; Mr.. and Mrs Simon Pearson,
Mr.. James and Mrs. Pietford, Shawn
gan Lake.
The carnival OF sports, which had
for nearly week been doing honor to
the Queens birthday, was Just closing
and the management had planned to
make the day the climax of the cee-
bration, A military parade had been
arranged to take place at Point Ma
caulay, the rugged promonotory that
half girdles the harbor to the west OF
the city, and afterwards a sham battle
was TO be given.
Early in the afternoon the crowd be-
gan making its way towards the parade
ground. Tho main route from the city
is by the electric line, which crosses
Victoria Arm on a bridge at E!ice
Point The first car got over Point FL
lice bridge safely but when the second,
which was heavily laden, was about
half way across an ominous sound was
heard that told of something giving
wsy. Tho next instant the middle
span of the bridge, about $50 feet in
length, swerved northward towards the
gorge and the car went down with a
terrific crash. The tide was high and
the car was completely submerged,
going down into fully % feet Of water
The people who were packed on the
platforms were in the most fortunate
position. The majority of those who
escaped injury from falling timbers
succeeded in saving themselves, as
there was sufficient debris floating
about to enable them to make their
way to shore. Soon boats and car
riages came to the aid, with men who
at once began the work Of rescuing
those who were struggling in the water
and the unfortunates who were cub
merged in the car. The fire depart
ment also turned out and assisted ma
terialiy In the work of rescue.
Capt. Grants grounds and house
were thrown open to receive those APP
pareptly drowned. AS soon as the
volunteers, acting under the direction
OF physicians. quickly began the work
of resuscitstion. In many cases their
efforts were crowned with success.
While many Victorians were ON the
fatal car the majority were visitors and
the work OF Identification, conse-
quently, is difficult. Fifiy-seyen bodies
have been identified. There arc others
whose names cannot be ascertained
and still more, undoubtedly, whose
bodies have not yet been recovered from
the water.
Thousands OF sorrowing friends and
relatives crowded around the ap-
proaches TO the bridge, eagerly scanning
each body az 1t was brought to the
land. Mothers, crazed by the loss OF
husbands or children, attempted to
jump into the water in their eagerness
to rescue their loved ones. AS body
after body was brought to the shore
crUwds rushed forward to gaze upon
the mangled face, yet dreading the pos
sibility that ii might be that of some
one whom they hoped had escaped the
death trap.
Twenty persons known to have been
on the bridge at the time of the acct
dent are missing and ii is supposed
that they have perished. The car regis.
ter shows 80 fares and it is probable
that over l25 people we're on board.
On the surface Of Victoria Arm strug-
Cling people fought TO gain the shore,
Strong men and frail women battled
for their lives. Husbands emerged
from the wreckage only to find thai
their wives had gone down to death.
Children we're carried down by those
who were stronger. The waters of the
Arm, for yards around, were dyed red
with blood and floating out to sea went
corpse after corpse, borne on by the
tide. The shrieka OF men and tht
screams OF women and children rem
tho air and nerved the crowd of res
cuers on to efforts that endangered life
and limbs.
The number Of carriages lost and the
passengers carried down in the wrecl
cannot be learped. 1t is claimed by
many that fully 200 people went dowf
with the span aud that more than hal
OF them persisted.
The rescue of some OF the victimi
was almost miraculous. Among thos,
saved were Mr.. and Mrs. Foster o
Seattle. MIR. Foster stood ON the out
side OF the electric car and his wifi
was seated within. When the car wen
down he jumped and dived. Cominl
up, and catching bridge timber, b.
saw lady rise near him. She was
Victoria woman who lad accompanied
himself and wife. He then saw BIZ
wife's clock appear upon the water
lie called to man to save her ant
not in vain, for the man swan to Mrs
Fosters reacue and bore her to th
land. Superintendent Wilson of th
Canadian Pacific railway telegraph wa
driving carriage, containing hi
wife and five children, behind the i'll
kated car. His vehicle was swept dow
and instantly the entire family wer