Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-09-10
BRIDGE FELL.
W0rsmen lad no Time 10
Seek Safety.
APPALLING Death LIST.
Appealing Faces Sink Before Eyes of
Helpless OniOpkers-Ni Seeking
The T. Husbands and Mothers Seek.
tng Sons Many Local Men Employed
in the Work.

Cornwall Ont, Sept. IA most ap-
palling disaster occurred near here yes-
terday, and its results will probably
make a death list of 40 to so. The great
railroad bridge, now being erected across
the st. Lawrence for the New York and
Ottawa railroad gave away about noon,
sending upwards of 90 workmen with
the debris into the mighty, rushing river
90 feet below. That d single man sur
wives Is almost marvellous. Thirty
three of the victims were brought to the
hospital here, ard 18 died. 1t Is believed
that over 20 remain in the river. and it
Is expected that the roll will not be COM
pleted for many days.
A witness of the terrible affair was
sitting on the bank of the river watching
the busy workmen above him, when
suddenly, without warning, there came
fearful crash, and two spans of the
bridge collapsed; the immense mass Of
tmbers and iron dropped down and the
agonizing shrieks of the men who were
being crushed in the wreck were
drowned by the rushing waters. Then
he saw floating bodies coming to the
surface.
The work of rescue was helplessly in
adequate, there being only a few boats
III the vicinity, ard very few men who
would undertake to swim out into the
turbulent waters. Many who might have
been saved were drowned before help
could reach them. Pitcously appealing
faces sank beneath the waters before
the eyes of helpless orlookcrs. Broken
bodies came to the surface for a moment
and then passed out of sight, perhaps
forever 1t was terrible and heart
rending scene. Even those who were
got to land alive were in such condition
that many died on the way to the hos
pital Some had their backs broken,
others both legs, while others were
crushed by the heavy irons.
The town is in a terrible state of ex-
.itcment owing to the number Of local
men employed on tho work. Women
are looking fer husbands; mothers after
sons and friends after frierds. About 40
of the men were Americans, who came
here to work for the Phoenix Bridge
company. The remainder were mostly
Indians. who acted as assistants. Every
man on the division went down with the
climbed up the iron work which still
rested on piers at either end.
The latest information concerning the
tragedy makes it probable that the death
list will reach fully 80. AS far as can he
learned. s. men We're on the payroll, of
whom 81 reported for work yesterday
morning. or this list only IS have actual
ly been accounted for. Allowing that
some of those uraccourted for will turn
up after the excitement. the probable
list of dead and injured will in all likeli-
hood reach over -. and it may reach 30.
Among those thrown into the river was
the foreman, Thomas +. Brady or Rricer-
ly. whose home is in Pottsville. Pa. He
has not been accounted for up to a late
hour and is supposed to be in the bot
tom Of the river.
All efforts to get list OF the names
Of the workmcn and those missing
proved futile. Everything was in a state
of great excitement all the afternoon.
ard tho effort Of all was to care for the
injured ones and get them to Cornwall
hospital as fast as possible.