New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-08
BRIDGE WRECK A MYSTERY.
FIFTEEN LIVES WERE LOST IN THE ST.
LAWRENCE DISASTER.
TALKS WITH OFFICIALS OF THE CONTRACTING
COMPANIEs-FURTHER DETAILS OF
TILE WRECK

Hosanssurg. y. Y. Sept Further particulars
a. the wreck a. tho in,erna tional bridge over the
81. Lawrence River near the 81. Regis Indian vii
laCe are forth coming to-day. The exact cause OF
the acciden, IL difficult to arrive at. The p.ers 81
tho bridge built last fail ny the Sooysmth
Company. OF New-Ycrk. The crib work put
together some distance up TIE river and foatei
down 10 TIE proper location. where Il anchored
and sunk TO the bottom. The cribs were 81 by Is
feet. They were filed with stone and concrete 10
within few feet Of the top. after which the water
pumped out and tho layers OF stone begun.
The locating OF the cribs accomplished Wi'h
considerable difficulty. owing n the depth 81 the
water and ttn-nile an hour current. The three
spans Of the bridge each so feet long and
abou: thrty-seven feet above the water. Each ~
the spans weighed about three hundred and fifty
thousands pounds The span nearest the American
shore settled on the false work but the span
toppled on its side. The accident happened a
few minutes before the noon hour. and several
men who had been on the bridge had Just walked
ashore. Among them Mr. Simmons. the
Phonix Bridge Compeny's chief engineer He said
to-day:
Il can hardly realize that the bridge s gone I
told F. n Anthony. the chief engineer % tho Now
York and Ottawa COMPANY yesterday morning that
the bridge was practically ready for trains to cross
All that remained In their way was the hosting
engines the shore span. 4 gang 81 mon were
rivetiers were finishing the rivetting 7 had Just
gone ashore. and was looking townrd the bridge
when all at the pier in the centre NJ the two
south spans seemed 10 cruno!e away, and tho two
completed and finished spans. with the twenty odd
working them. tumh,ed into tho water.
Most Of the men caught in the iron. and are
probably pinned To the bottom 81 the river which
Of this point Is thirty feet deep. None ~ the
bodies have been recovered. although the tug
Beaver. with scows. divers and gang OF men.
worked al afternoon in the wreckage. Many o. the
wounded hurt by jumping down IN the banks.
The loss Including the necessary delay is said TO
be about 500 nr
Revise! lists o. the Killed and iniurei show that
fifteen mon were Killed and sixteen injured.
There arc several distressing circumstances in con
rect ION with this affair. W. !. Cuhby. Of Pater-
son. y J.. who Killed. married only a few
months ago 10 Miss Macdonald. Of Cornwall F.
r. Jackson. Of Columbus. Ohio. who also was killed.
went To- Bellows Falls only TWO weeks ago and was
married
Louis White the Indian prominent as n lacrosse
PLAYER with the CoTnWas. whose spine Was badly
i0iured In perfect safety on tho pier next the
American shore. ~" apparently became panic
stricken and tried n jump. HaCCerty, the driver
% the dummy engine. who was near by. called -
him that he all right. hut White jumped 90 the
rocks nearly forty feet below and VAS almost killed.
whereas IT. he had remained whore he was he would
have been sale.