New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-12

as II is technically called of the big Willis-ave
bridge, which is intended to span the Harlem
River. collapsed yesterday afternoon. carrying
with It into the river below large number Of
workmen who were employed In the construc-
ton of the bridge. Four men are known TO have
been killed, one is thought to be fatally
hurt six sustained serious injuries while seven
teen others received more or less painful wounds
Although 1t is stated that every one who was at
work on the part of the structure that gave way
has been accounted for it is believed by some of
the workmen that other bodies are buried be-
neat the mass of fallen timber.
THE DEAD.
Those who are known to be dead and whose
bodies have been recovered are:
BEATTE Ns mason who lyrd a. tne and Third
ays HS.e'' o"e -"un''en-a"n- twenty
DELANEY. William sixy-nve years old. of No i2i East
one-hundred and ninth-st
DELANEY. Walter Of the above. twenty-five years
old same residence
GRADY. Thomas. address unknown. masons helper
THE INJURED
ANDERSON. John, of No 25a Hamilton ave, Brooklyn
serious; taken home
AUSTIN Frank Of No 671 East One hundred thirty
fourth-st. injured by flying splinters; taken home
BROOKS Edward. a mason. address unknown. slightly
CLAIR Walter OF No. i79 Tenth ave; cut by hyns
debris: taken home.
EWING C r. hlrtyOne years old Of No 10 l,y1is wliis
ELLIN Frank W. engineer, no address; not seriously
hurt taken home.
GAINES Walter. thirty years old Of No 1876 WillIs-ave
seriously injured: taken the Harlem Hospital
HEADRICK James, superintendent, Of No. 1s7 Wills
% not T crSus ppGsSs qn%fy s5Isss
HuDEBRANDT Thomas Of No 67l East one hundred -
and r,y-fourth ST.; not seriously taken home
JOHNSON. Charles Of No. 1853 Forrest ave. not seri-
ously: taken home.
JOHNSON. william. of No. 800 East One hundred and
twenty second St; not seriously taken home
MS MR B. ossp ssS''' Of NO 81 as %
thirty y-fourth-st.; not seriously taken home
known: njurie: triGing; taken home.
MDONALD. --. OF No. 30 vsndewater-s slightly
taken home.
MEpBo simon twenty eight years old Of No s71 East
one hundred and thirty fourth St. seriously taken
10 the Harlem Hospital.
PERRY Joseph twenty years Old Of No 8Il East
one hundred-and thirty fourth-st' seriously; taken
TO the Harlem Hospital
PURsIEY. Charles, thirty years old Of No. 40
Wills ave skun fractured believed believe. to be fatally
East one hundred and thirty-dftist,: seriously
taken to the Harlem Hospital.
sHARKEY Harry No 67 East one-hundred and
thirty -fourth-st.; slightly taken home
sTANBERG: George Of No 600 East one-hundred and
thirty hfth-st. slightly; taken home
WOLF. $. G.. thirty years Old Of No s4s East one
hundred and thirty sxthst; seriously taken to the
Harlem Hospital
The accident occurred about 2:30 o'clock yes-
terday afternoon. Without warning. save for
sudden rending Of cables and a splintering Of
tmbers. the huge wooden structure across which
a heavily laden crane was being moved col
lapsed, and dropped in tangled mass into the
river below As the men at work felt the first
, Adrch OF the bridge they rushed wildly toward
the shore, but not one of them succeeded in
reaching entire safety. The direct cause Of the
mshap is not yet known. but the charge Is
generally made by those living In the vicinity
of the bridge, and by some Of the men who were
employed on the structure, that 1t was too
himsily built to bear. the weight of the heavy
travelling crane used for carrying ironwork and
other materials. This accusation would seem to
be borne out by the conditions prevailing yes
terday
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
Inasmuch as the accident cannot be ascribed
to any extraordinary stress Of weather or to the
flooding or rushing of the river it is certain that
the structure gave way either because Of i'm
perfect support or the weakness of the frame
work While the responsibility rests In the
first place with the contractors. it is significant
just at this time, when the incompetency and
worse OF the Tammany municipal officials is
being ventilated by legislative committee that
an inspector of the Buildings Department "ex-
amined" the bridge only two minutes before the
crash came and as he made no complaint of
any kind he presumably declared II sound.
The plans for the bridge provide for COM
posite structure Of masonry and steel TO con-
meet the junction Of Wis-ave. and One-hun-
dred- and thirty-second-st north of the Harlem
River with the junction of First-ave and One
hundred and twenty y-ninth-st.. on the south side
Of that stream The span. bridge proper. is
to be 300 feet In length. All that is constructed
at present Is the north pier. upon which the
end of the drawbridge will rest: the north shore
sustaining wall, or abutment about three hun
dred feet from the pier in question, and parts Of
the steel viaduct running back from this abut-
ment over the tracks of the NewYork. New
Haven and Hartford Railroad, and connecting
with the massive stone approach from Willis
ave. and the approach in part.
Connecting the abutment with the pier three
hundred feet distant and in deep water. was the
falsework or supersructure which gave way. II
was constructed piles and built in three
sections one above the other. all rising to a
height of about sixty feet On top OF this super
structure which was made Of tmbers and had a
very fimsy appearance. was a track. upon which
was operated a massive travelling crane or car
rier" The crane was built to carry and dis
tribute the great steer Deams 10 any part on the
bridge. The structure was supposed to sustain
not only the great weight Of the crane, but the
additional weight of beams and masonry with
which II might be loaded
ABOUT THIRTY MEN EMPLOYED.
About thirty men were employed at the time Of
the accident. Their occupations varied. There
were bridge builders. carpenters. masons. iron
and steel workers and laborers. with the
usual foremen. The men were all on the pier or
deep-wate end when the collapse occurred
Some iron was called for by the men at the far
end OF the works. and the ''pushers" were sent
to load the crane and bring 1t out. They had
placed heavy load upon 1t. and had reached