Evening journal., 1900-04-30
Collapse of a Foot Bridge With Disastrous Results
Changes Gayety Into Sorrow in the
French Capital
CONDEMNED, 1T FELL
ON THOSE BENEATH IT
Pail Thrown Over the Happiness Of an
Immense ThrOng Which Crowded
Big Show Grounds

Paris, April 3O.--An accident within
the exposition grounds yesterday caus-
ed the death OF nine persons and iniur-
ed nine others. The accident threw a
pail over the happiness of an immense
throng who had pronted by the mag
nificent weather to visit the exposition.
Yesterdays was probably the record
attendance Not merely the interior OF
the grounds. but the buildings we're
crowded. and the concourse was great
along the Avenue de Suffren, which
forms the northern boundary OF the
grounds. Here is situated a big side
show, the Celestial Globe. A foot
bridge, on which the finishing touches
we're being put. crosses the Avenue de
Sunren connecting the side show with
the exhibition. II was constructed Of
wood, with a stucco facade and with
a plaster made tower at each end.
Strangely enough the bridge had
been condemned only yesterday morn
ing as unsafe by the exhibition author
tiles. The public was therefore not al
lowed to go upon the structure, and in
this way a disaster even more terrible
than that which occurred was averted.
The gay crowd was passing along
the avenue, and some hundred OF more
persons we're walking beneath the
bridge when suddenly an ominous
crash was heard. Before those under
meath could turn aside the structure
fell with fearful crash. burying near
ly SO.
A shout Of horror rose from the
spectators, mingled with the cries Of
the victims. For a moment nothing
J could be distinguished but a cloud OF
dust and plaster. A scene OF the
greatest excitement and confusion fol-
lowed. But this was only for a few
seconds. Almost Immediately the
crowd attacked the debris In an effort
to release those lying beneath.
The workmen within the grounds
who had witnessed the accident, the
police and the Republican guards, to-
gether with quite a number of soldiers,
joined In the rescue work. The prone
naders forgot their Sunday attire and
covered themselves with dirt and
CRIME in tearing away the rubbish
with their hands. Wooden beams and
poles we're brought from the half fin
ished buildings nearby and were used
as levers to raise the fallen mass.
The victims first recovered were
ing found later beneath the center Of
the structure. Messengers were dis
patched to bring nremen and sappers
with their equipments and the first
body was found after a quarter OF an.
hours frantic labor. II was that Of a
little girl about years old, whose
head was horribly crushed. Victim
after victim was brought TO light until
the mutilated bodies OF three men, two
women and a child had been placed
upon sho sidewalk and nearly 40 other
persons. some badly and others less
seriously injured, had been carried
away in ambulances to the hospitals.
A family composed of father, mother
and two girls narrowly escaped de-
struction. The parents, who happened
to be little ahead, had gone under the
bridge. the children following, just at
the moment Of the collapse. The par
ents were killed, but the children
sprang back and escaped with few
scratches. A cyclist had his wheel
smashed, but himself escaped unhurt.
The weighty plaster towers seem to
have been responsible far the fall OF
the structure. Commissioner General
Picard and other high officials OF the
exposition arrived shortly after the ac-
cident and superintended the work OF
relief. President Loubet sent an Of
ticer OF his household for information.
Several soldiers we're among the in
/ jured and many of their comrades
we're foremost in giving assistance.
The disaster was the leading topic
of discussion in the cafes and at the
other Paris resorts last evening, and
strong criticism was leveled against
the exhibition authorities for allowing
an unfinished structure to jeopardize
the lives of citizens. fears being ex-
pressed that the incomplete state OF
the works within the exhibition
grounds themselves might lead 70
similar accident, 10 should be said.
however that the exhibition authori-
ties are not responsible for the defec-
tive construction Of the footbridge.
which was erected by the management
of the Celestial Globe.
As a result of the accident NJ Lepine,
prefect OF police, has ordered the clos
ing OF several side shows. the struc-
tural arrangements Of which are con-
sidered dangerous.