The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-09-09
BRIDGE FALLS.
Sixty WOrkmen Precipitated Into the
River Sixty Feet Below.
At Least Thirty of Them Were Either Killed
DrOwned-The Crash Came Without
Warning and Every Man on That
Section Went Down in the Wreck

international bridge of the New York
& Ottawa railroad, now under con-
struction across the st. Lawrence
river about three miles above st. Regis
Indian village, fell without warming
with 60 men at work on the bridge,
all being thrown into the river,
some sixty feet below. Over thirty
were picked up and taken to Corn
wall hospital and % are now
missing. The bridge consists of three
spans, of which two were completed
and the third nearly completed when
the south pier gave way at its founda-
ton, causing both spans to fall into
60 feet of water, taking its load of
human freight with it.
The scene of the accident is located
about four miles from Hogansburg
above the St Regis Indian reserva-
ton. The bridge that gave way was
being built across the St Lawrence
river at the foot of Long Saulte rapids
near Reinhardt's island. The water at
this point is known to be as swift as
in any part of the river The imme-
diate cause OF the disaster and the Civ
ing way of the span Of the bridge
seems to have been from the wash
ing away of one of the large
piers. The pier in question was
begun last fall and work was contin-
ued all winter and finished this sum-
mer. The contract work was in charge
of Messrs. Sooy, Smith & Co., who are
well known as extensive and careful
contractors in their line and known to
have had instructions from the rail-
road company to build for ''perman-
ency." The pier had been accepted
as perfectly reliable and safe.
1t would seem from this that the
swiftness of the current was under
estimated.
Late reports from Cornwall hospital
says IS men have been. taken out of
the river and transferred to the hos
pital. Eighteen of them have since
died
The latest information makes it
probable that the death list will reach
| 80.
AS far as can be learned 81 men were
on the pay roll of whom 50 reported
for work Tuesday morning. Of this
list only So have actually been ac-
counted for. Among those thrown
into the river was the foreman, Thos
F. Brady Tor Bricerly) whose home is
in Pottsville, Pa. He had not been ac-
counted for up to late hour Tuesday
night All efforts to get list of the
names of the workmen and those miss
ing have proved futile as yet
| Just before dark the dead body of an
Indian laborer was picked up on the
Cornwall side. There was only slight
bruise on his forehead. He probably
was stunned by the fall and drowned.
p CORNWALL, Ont, Sept IAN eye
witness Of the fall of the New York &
Ottawa railroad bridge says he was
| sitting on the bank of the river watch
ing the workmen about him, when
without warning there came fearful
crash. Two spans of the bridge col
lapsed, the immense mass of timber
and iron dropped and the agonizing
shrieks of the men who were be-
ing crushed in the wreck were
drowned by the rushing waters.
Then he saw bodies coming to
the surface and the work of rescue be-
gan. This was helplessly inadequate,
there being only few boats in the
vicinity and very few men who would
undertake to swim out into the turbu-
lent waters. Many who might have
been saved were drowned before help
could reach them. Piteous appealing
faces sank beneath the waters before
the eyes of helpless onlookers.
Mangled bodies came to the surface
for moment and then passed out of
sight. 1t was a terrible and heart
renolng scene. Even those who were
got to land alive were in such con-
dition that many died on the way to
the hospital Some had their backs
broken, others both legs. while others
were crushed by the heavy irons
Among those who are missing are
Cyril Campbell William Jackson,
Craig and w. Cubby.
About fifty of the men employed on
the span were Americans, who came
here to work for the Phoenix Bridge
20. The remainder were mostly In.
dams who acted as assistants. Every
man on the division went down with
the wreck. Many of those who
escaped climbed up the iron work.
which still rested on piers at either
end. The scene around the Hotel
Dieu. where the wounded and diving
were taken, was heartrendinr. The
wives and relatives of missing mel
are anxiously inquiring after their
loved ones.
Miss Letter Will Christen the Illinois.
CHICAGO, Sept 7.-Ex-Gov Tanner