Evening journal., 1900-05-31
Was Returning From FeSti-
val With Companion
No GUARDS At THE BRIDGE
J. Rooney Cunningham Managed TO
Reach the Shore After a Hard
Struggle in the Water

george HugglnS, aged 30 years, OF
Glasgow, met an unexpected and horri-
BILE death at the Buck bridge last night.
Huggins, in company with Rooney
Cunningham, had been attending a
festival at the Buck yesterday
afternoon. and left for their homes in
a team shortly before 10 o'clock last
evening. Upon their arrival at what is
known as Buck bridge, over the Della
ware and Chesapeake canal, the horse
plunged over the open draw and the
carriage with its occupants fell fifty
feet into the waters below. Huggins
was drowned. but Cunningham, al
though badly broken up by the acci-
dent, escaped without serious injury.
From what can be learned Huggins
and Cunningham were engaged in a
race with another team occupied by
Irving Dayett and bud" McMullin.
Higgins horse was the first to reach
the open draw and before il could be
controlled. dashed overheard. The ami
NAL was also drowned and the carriage
which was a new one. completely de-
molished.
Upon seeing their companions dash
over the bridge, Dayett and McMullin
at once pulled up and gave the alarm.
Searching parties were organized, arm
ed with graphing irons, and after an
hours hard work Higgins body was
recovered. Upon his face was an ugly
looking cut, supposed to have been
caused by his head coming in contact
with the piling of the bridge and fen
dering him unconscious. Cunningham
although bruised by the fall, was able
oh III fr, fr-
ty He has been partially unconscious
from the shock, however, ever since,
and has been only able to give an inco-
herent statement Of the occurrence.
CUNNINGHAM'S STATEMENT.
When questioned regarding the acci-
dent Cunningham says that the last he
remembers was when the horse reach
ed the platform of the bridge he began
to shy, springing from side to side and
at last made the fatal plunge that
ended Higgins life. After that all was
a blank until he found himself on the
bank of the canal. wet to the skin.
How he reached there he cannot tell.
When Huggins' body was found it was
discovered that his watch had stopped
at 1920 o'clock. At that hour the acci-
dent is supposed to have occurred.
GLOOM CAST ON COMMUNITY.
The sudden and unexpected death OF
George iHuggins has cast a gloom on
the entire community surrounding
Glasgow, as he was one of the most
popular young men in that section OF
the country. He was unmarried and
was employed at Dayett's mills, located
about two and a-half miles from Glas-
gov, and boarded with the Dayett fam
lily at the homestead near the mill. He
was the son of Levi Huggins, of Glas-
gov, who is well-known there, being
engaged in the wheelwright and black
smith business at that place. He is also
well-known in Wilmington, having a
sister. Mrs. Merritt Paxton, living in
this city, and an aunt. Mrs. John Nc
Coy. who resides on a farm near Will
mington.
J. Rooney Cunningham is also wide
Unknown throughout this section, be
ing the nephew of Martin Cunning
ham, a farmer of BrandyWine hundred
He was employed with Higgins at
Dayett's mill, and occupied the same
room in the Dayett house with his
dead companion.
AUTHORITIES CENSURED.
AS has been stated. the Buck bridge
IS located about six miles from Glas-
gov. over the Delaware and Chesa-
peake canal. It is frequently opened
for the passage of vessels, and yet there
are no guard gates to prevent a run
away horse or unmanageable animal
from dashing overheard, as was the
case last night. At the bridge and on
the approaches it is said there are sew
eral lights, but beyond this there is
nothing to indicate whether the bridge
is on or off. Had there been any safe.
guard it is probable that Huggins
would be alive to-day. The residents oi
the vicinity are much aroused at the
condition of affairs regarding the ap.
proaches of the bridge.
Coroner Vandever was notified of the
accident. and went to the scene to-
day to investigate. The dead body oi
the horse. which was a valuable one
and owned by Cunningham, is mcored
to the bank of the canal near the scene
of the accident