The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-30
VICTIMS OF FALLING BRIDGE.
NINE KILLED AND MANY INJURED
AT PARIS EXPOSITION.

Bridge Had Been Condemned and the
Public Was Not Allowed Upon 1t.
Many People Were walking Un-
derneath II When the Crash Came.
Six ,Bodies Taken Out From the
Debris and Many People Were Sent
to the Hospitals.
Paris April 29 s:15 p. m.-An accident
within the exposition grounds caused the
death of six persons and injured many. A
| temporary bridge, unable to Withstand
the Sunday crowd, broke.
1t is known that six persons were kills
ed, and about forty others injured.
The accident threw pail over the hap
piness of an immense throng who had
| prohted by the magnificent weather to
visit the exposition. To-days was proba-
bly, the record attendance. Not merely
the interior of the grounds, but the pre-
oincts were also crowded, and the cons
course was particularly great along the
Avenue de Suffren, which forms the north-
ern boundary of the grounds
Here is situated a big side show, the
| Celestial Globe. A foot bridge, on which
the finishing touches were being put to-
day, crosses the Avenue de Suffren. cons
Meeting the side show with the exhibition.
1t was constructed of wood with stuccd
facade, and with a plaster-made tower
at each end.
Strangely enough the bridge had been
condemned only this morning, as unsafe
by the exhibition authorities. The pubs
lie was therefore not allowed to go upon
the structure. and in this way disasteT
even more terrible than that which oc~
CURED was averted.
Buried Fifty People.
The gay crowd was passing along the
avenEe and some hundred or more per-
sons were walking beneath the bridge
when suddenly an ominous crash was
heard Before those underneath could
| turn aside the structure fell with fear-
ful crash, buryins nearly fifty.
A shout of horror rose from the specta-
tors mingled with the cries of the VIC
tins. For a moment nothing could be dis
! tinguished but cloud of dust and plast-
er. A scene of the greatest excitement and
confusion followed. But this was only
| for 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, together with
| quite a number of soldiers joined in the
rescue work. The promenaders forgot
their Sunday attire and covered them-
selves with dirt and CRIME in tearing away
the rubbish with their hands. Wooden
beams and poles were brought from the
half-finished buildings nearby, and were
used as levers to raise the fallen mass.
Recovery of the Victims.
The victims first recovered were most
ly the injured and the dead were found
| later beneath the center of the struc-
ture. Messengers were dispatched 90
bring firemen and sappers with their
equipments and the first body was found
after a quarter of an hours frantic la
| Dor. II was that of a little girl about 7
| years old, whose head was horribly crush-
ed. Victim after victim was brought to
light, until n row of six mutllated corpses
had been placed upon the sidewalk, and
nearly forty other persons, some badly
and others less seriously injured, had
been carried In ambulances or driven to
the hospitals.
A family. composed of father, mother
| and two girls narrowly escaped destruc-i
tion. The parents, who happened to be
little ahead, had gone under the bridges
| the children following, just at the mo-
ment OF the collapse. The parents were
| killed, but the children sprang back ana
escaped with few stratches. A cyclist
| had his wheel smashed, but himself es-
| capped unhurt.
The dead are three men, two women
| and one child.
The welghty plaster towers seem tn
have been responsible for the fall of thN
| structure. Commissioner General Picard
| and other high officials of the exposition
arrived shortly after the accident and SUI
perintended work Of relief. President
1 Loubet sent an officer of his household for
information. Several soldiers were among
| the injured and many of their comrades
were foremost In giving assistance.
Caused Much Criticism.
The disaster was the leading topic OF
| discussion in the cafes and at the other
| Paris resorts this evening, and strong
criticism is leveed against the exhibitions
authorities for allowing an unfinished
structure to jeopardize the lives of citi-
zens, fears being expressed that the in
complete state of the works within the
exhibition grounds themselves might lead
| to a similar accident.
| II should be said, however that the exc
hibition authorities are not responsible for
| the defective construction OF the foot
bridge which was erected by the manage
ment of the Celestial Globe.
AS a result OF the accident NJ. Lepine,
prefect OF police, has ordered the closing
of several side shows, the structural ar
rangements of which are considered dam
| gerous.
Nine Were Killed.
April 30, 4:sO a. m.-ssome of the injured
have since died at the hospital.
The corrected list shows that nine were
killed and nine injured, the injuries being
mostly compound fractures Of the leg. One
woman and the child are stil unidenti-
| fed
Several OF the morning papers pronounce
| severe criticisms