The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-30
BRIDGE COLLAPSED
Unfinished Structure on Paris Exposi
ton Grounds Gives Way.
PEOPLE UNDERNEATH CAUGHT.
Nine Persons Killed and Forty or More
Injured.
STRUCTURE HAD BEEN CONDEMNED.
''sDonslbilily Charged to Celestial Globe
'efsity Side Show
!, mn ll5155Ssssas
tM. o''lsoo &ITlES ARE CRITICISED
rnrisinns Fear Unfinished Structures
May Result in other Accidents
| of Serious Nature.
pnrisinns Fear Unfinished Structures
May Result in other Accidents
of Serious Nature.

fATls, ApIll ~, W. 40 p Il.--siu dNNluthI
that threw a pail over the happiness OF
an immense throng who had prohted the
magnificent weather to visit the exposi-
tion occurred within the exposition
grounds this afternoon A temporary
bridge unable to withstand the immense
crowd. broke. 1t is now known that
six persons were killed and about forty
Others injured.
Today's was probably the record at
tendance. Not merely the interior of the
grounds but the precincts outside also
we're crowded and the crush was particu-
larry great along tbs Avenue DE sufren,
which forms the northern boundary of the
grounds
Here is situated big sideshow, the
Celestial Globe. A foot bridge. on which
the finishing touches were being put today
crosses the Avenue De Sufren connecting
the sideshow with the exposition. 1t
was constructed of wood with a stucco
facade and with plaster made tower AZ
each end Strageiy enough the bridge
had been condemned only this morning
as unsafe By the exposition authorities
The public was, therefore not allowed to
go upon the structure and in this way
disaster even more terrible than that
which occurred was averted.
The gay crowd WAS passing along the
avenue and some hundred or more per-
sons we're walking beneath the bridge,
oh
heard. Before those underneath could
turn aside the structure fell with a fear
full crash, hury1ng nearly tlfty.
A shout OF horror rose from the spec
tators. mingled with the cries OF the Vie
Tins. For a moment nothing could be-
DISTINGUISHED hut cloud OF dust and
plaster. scene Of the greatest ex-
ctement and confusion followed. hut
this was only for a few seconds Al
most immeditely the crowd attacked the
debris in al effort to release those lying
beneath. The workmen within the grounds
who had witnessed the accident, the police
and the republican guards, together with
1uite a number OF soldiers, Joined In
the rescue work The promenaders for
got their Sunday attire and covered them
selves with dirt and CRIME in tearing
away the rubbish with their hanos,
wooden beams and poles were brought
from the half-fnished buildings nearby
land were used as levers to release the
fallen mass.
The victims arst recovered were most
'Iy only the injured, the dead being found
later beneath the center of the structure,
Messengers were dispatched to bring
lhremen and supernumeraries With their
equipments and the first body was found
/ =. 9 ~ Mt Ia Ia IA
In was that OF q little girl about Z years
old. whose head was horribly crushed.
Victim after victim was brought 10
light until row Of six mutilated 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 u
e the hospitals
A family composed OF father, mother
and two girls narrowly escaped desiruc'
tion. The parents. who happened to b
a little ahead. had gone under the bridge
. the children following, Just at the moment
' o.. the collapse The parents were killed
. but the children sprang back and ESCAPED
d with few scratches. A cyclist mad ms
7 wheel smashed, but himself escaped IN
I hurt.
h The dead are three men, two women ant
I one child.
D The weighty plaster towers seem e
!. be responsible for tho fall of the structure
:, Com m lssioner General Picard and othe
u high officials Of the exposition arrived
d sbortIv after the accident and superin
tended the work OF relief Presiden
! Ioubet sent an officer OF his household 10
. information. Sex oral soldiers we're amohi
d the injured and many OF their eomrade
were foremost in giving assistance
d The disaster was the leading topic 0
y discussion in the cafes and at the othe
p Paris resorts this evening and strong crit
: klsm was levelled against the exposition au
thorities for allowing an unfinished siruc
- lture to jeopardize the lives o. elt,Le ,
| fears being expressed that the incompltt
state of the works within the exhibition
Il grounds themselves, might lead to s-slmi
liar accident
II should be said, however. that the ex
Y hibition authorities are not responsiDi
for the defective construction OF the foot
bridge which was erected by the manage
lment OF the Celestial Globe.
AS a result of the accident ~ Lepil'
prefect OF police. has ordered Inc elosll
Of several sideshows, the strusturEi ~
rangements OF which are consiueFfu u7H
gerous. A.. .
, some OF the injured have since oied
y the hospitals and the corrected list sho"
that nine .<<,.s killed and nine inJure'
the injunes being mostly compound ira 4
lures OF the leg. One woman ana ~
child are still unidentified.
Several Of the morning papers pro
nounce severe criticisms.
The Matin says There Is ON. on
Judgment 20 enter on this SAD even
is this; Those who did rot thinh o. y
venting the public from passing unaer
cardboard bridge after having themselss
recognized II as unsafe. and those M
have opened attractions TO visitors Nni'