The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-07
MANY men DROWNED
BRIDGE SPANNING ST. LAWRENCE
RIVER COLLAPSES
SIXTY MEN FALL WITH 1T
over Thirty Taken From the Water
and Twenty-Seven Are Still Miss
ing -- Washing Away of II Pier
Caused the Accident-Inadequ
Means of Rescue Cost Many Lives
Sad Scenes at the Hospital.

HOGANSBURG, N. Y, Sept. 6-About
noon today two short spans of the Interna-
tional bridge of the New York & Ottawa
railroad, now under construction across the
ST. Lawrence river about three miles above
St. Regis Indian village, fell without warn
Ing with sixty at work on the bridge,
all being thrown into the river. some sixty
feet below. Over thirty were picked up and
taken to- Cornwell hospital and twenty-seven
are now missing.
The bridge consists of three spans, two of
which were completed, and the third was
nearly finished when the south pier gave
way at it's foundation, causing both spans
to fall into sixty feet of water, taking its
load Of humanity with 1t.
The names Of the killed and drowned can
not at present be ascertained, as they were
mainly from Pennsylvania, excepting few
Indians from the st. Regis reservation.
The scene of the accident is about four
miles from Hogansburg above the St. Regis
Indian reservation. The bridge that gave
way was being built across the st. Lawrence
river at the foot of Long Sault rapids. The
water at this point is known to be as swift
as in any part Of the river.
The immediate cause Of the disaster and
the giving away Of the span of the bridge
seems to have been from the washing away OF
one of the big piers. The pier in question
begun last fall and work continued
all winter and finished this summer. 1t had
been accepted, but it would seem that the
swlftness Of the current was underestimated.
Late reports from COrnwell hospital say
that thirty-ive men have been taken out Of
the river and transferred to the hospital.
Eighteen of them have since died.
The latest information makes it probable
that the death list will reach thirty. AS far
as can be learned eighty-seven men were on
the pay roll Of whom eighty-two reported for
work this morning. OF this list only thirty
eight have actually been accounted for.
Among those thrown into the river was the
foreman, Thomas F; Brady Tor BrcerIy).
whose home is in Pottsville, Pa. He has
not been accounted for up to a late hour to-
night
All efforts to get list Of the workmen
and those missing have proved futile as yet.
Just before dark the dead body OF an In.
dian laborer was picked up on the Cornwell
side. There was only slight bruise on his
forehead. He probably was stunned by the
fall and drowned.
STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
CORNWELL, Ont, Sept. Gan eyewitness
of the fall of the New York Ottawa rail-
way bridge says he was sitting on the bank
of the river watching the workmen above
him, when there came fearful crash. Two
spans of the bridge collapsed, the immense
mass Of timber and iron dropping. He saw
bodies coming to the surface, and the work
Of rescue began. This was hop eless,y made
quate, there being but few boats in the vi
cinity, and but few men who would under
take to swim out in the turbulent waters.
Many who might have been saved were
drowned before help could reach them. Even
those who got to land were in such condt-
ton that many died on their way to the hos
pital 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.
Almost fifty Of the men employed on the
span 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 work. Many Of those who
ESCAPED climbed up the iron work, which
The scene at the hospital where the dying
and wounded were taken was heartrendins.
Wives and relatives were anXiouSly lnquirlng
after their loved ones.
Following is list of the dead and wound
ed made up at midnight;
J. Jackson Columbus O.. Louis Baumon,
j. D. Craig, POI Franklin street, Detroit.
Mich; Pat Murphy, Toronto; Thomas Birm-
ingham; Dan Hughes, Cleveland; Frank
Loigne, Ogdensburg, NJ v W; sherman:
Plttsburg; Cyril Campbell, Cornwall, Ont.
Injured-John Wilson, Maiden, Mass, leg
broken; George Bloxin. Peekinsvil.e, Vt, leg
fractured: Bert Brant, Toronto, Ont, bruised;
Peter O'Keefe, Cornwall, leg and chest in
Reeves, Cornwall serious; Andrew Smith,
Rochester, N. Y, serious; w. Thompson,
Montreal leg broken John Frazer, Quebec.
leg cut off; John Bero, Indian, Cornwall, in
ternal injuries; P. Delevant, Elkhart, Wis,
M. Burke, townsville, slightly hurt; P. White.
Cornwall slightly hurt.