, 1898-09-07
DEATH ON A BRIDGE
OVER THIRTY LIVES LOST BY THE
FALLING OF A STRUC-
TURE.
The Swiftness of the Current Loosened
a Pier, Which Gave Way. Precip-
itating Sixty Workmen Into the st.
Lawrence River, Near Hogans-
burg, New York.

Hogansburg, N. Y, Sept. 6.-About
noon today wv south spans of the In
iternational bridge of the New York and
Ottawa railroad now under construc-
ton across the St. Lawrence river,
about three miles above St. Regis In
dian village, fell without warning with
sixty men at work on the bridge, all be-
ing thrown into the river some sixty
feet below.
Over thirty were picked up and taken
to the Cornwall hospital, and twenty
seven are now missing.
The bridge consists of three spans,
OF which two were complete and the
third was nearly completed when the
south pier gave way at its foundation,
causing both spans to fall into sixty
feet OF water, taking its load Of hui
man freight with it.
The names Of the killed and drown
ed cannot at present be ascertained,
as they were mostly from Pennsyl-
vania, excepting a few Indians from the
St. Regis reservation. The bridge that
gave way vas being built across the
St Lawrence river at the foot Of the
Long Saulte rapids near R%einhardt's
island. 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 spans Of
the bridge seems to have been from the
washing away OF one of the large
piers.
The pier in question was begun last
fall and work was continued all win
ter and finished this summer. The
contract work was in charge of Messrs.
Sooy Smith & Co., who are well known
bridge builders. The pier had been &C,
cepted as perfectly reliable and safe.
1t would seem that the swiftness OF
the current was underestimate.
Late reports from Cornwall hospital
say 80 men have been taken out of the
river and transferred to phe hospital.
Eighteen Of them have since died.
The last information makes it prob
able that the death list will reach
thirty. So far as can be learned,
eighty-seven were on the pay roll, of
whom eight-two reported for work this
morning. OF this list only thirty-eight
actually been accounted for.
lAll efforts to get a list of the names
of the workmen and those missing have
proved futile as yet.
An eye witness of the fall Of the New
York and Ottawa railroad bridge says
he was sitting on the bank of the river
watching the workmen when there
came a fearful crash. Two spans Of
the bridge collapsed and the immense
mass of timber and iron dropped. Then
he saw bodies coming to the surface
and the work of rescue began. This
was hoplessly inadequate, there being
only a few boats in the vicinity, and
few men who would undertake TO swim
into the turbulent waters. Many
who might have been saved were
drowned before help could reach them
,Mangled bodies came to the surface
for a moment, and then passed out OF
sight, Even those who were got to
land alive were in such condition that
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
Foreman Thomas F. Brady. Cyril
William Jackson, Craig and
w. Cubby.
About five of the men employed on
the span were Americans who came
here to work for the Phoenix Bridge
The remainder were mostly
Indians who acted as assistants. Every
on the division went down with
the wreck. Many of those who escap-
ed climbed up the iron work which still
rested on piers at either end.
The scene around the Hotel Dieu.
where the wounded and dying were
taken, is heart-rending. The wives
and relatives of the missing men are
.anxiously inquiring after their loved
ones.
Following Is q list of the dead and