The age-herald., 1900-04-30
Three Men, Two Women and
 a Child Killed.
ABOUT FORTY MORE INJURED
Immense Bridge in the Paris Exposi- ton Grounds Fell, Crushing the Unfortunate Pedestrians to
 Death-Narrow Escapes.

Paris. April 20, 1o:45 p. m.-An accident l that threw pail over the happiness of an immense throng, who had proftted by the magnificent weather to visit the exposi- l tion, occurred within the exposition grounds this afternoon. A temporary | bridge, unable to withstand the immense crowd, broke It Is now known that six 1 persons were killed and about forty oth- CTS injured. Today's was probably the rec 1 ord attendance. Not merely the interior of | the grounds, but the precincts also, were | crowded, and the concourse playing along the avenue De Suffren, which forms the northern boundary of the grounds. Here Is situated big side show, the Ce- lestial Globe. A foot bridge on which the
 finishing touches were being put today,
 crosses the avenue De Suffren, connecting
 the side show with the exposition. It was constructed of wood, with a stucco Yacade, and with plaster-made tower at each end. Strangely 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 persons were walking beneath the bridge when sud- denly an ominous crash was heard. Before those underneath could turn aside, the structure fell with fearful crash. buryins | nearly 50 people. z shout of Horror Rose | A shout of horror arose from the specs | tators mingled with the cries of the vic- tims For moment nothing could be dis 1 tinguished but a cloud of dust and plaster. A scene of the greatest excitement and confusion followed. But this was only foF
 a few seconds Almost immediately the
 crowd attacked the debris in an effort to
 release those lying beneath. The workmeh
 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 attirS
 and covered themselves with dirt ana
 grime in tearing away the rubbish with
 their hands Wooden beams and poles were
 brought from the half-finshed buildings
 near by, and were used as levers to raise
 the fallen mass.
 The victims first recovered were mostly only the injured, the dead being found later beneath the center of the structure. Messengers were dispatched to bring nre- men and supers with their equipment, ana | the first body was found after quarter OF. | an hours frantic labor. It was that or l little girl about years old whose head was horribly crushed. Victim after victim | were brought to light until a row of six rnutiIated corpses had been placed upon the sidewalk and nearly forty other pery
 sons. some badly and others less seriously
 injured had been carried in ambulances
 or driven to the hospitals
 Children Narrowly Escaped family composed of father, mother and two girls narrowly escaped destrucs ton. The parents, who happened to be 9 | little ahead, had gone under the bridge,
 the children following, just at the moment l of the collapse. The parents were killed,
 but the children sprang back and escaped with a few scratches cyclist had his wheel smashed, but himself escaped un-
 hurt.
 The dead are three men, two women and | one child.
 l The weighty plaster towers seem to be responsible for the fall of the structure. | Commissioner General Picard and other | high officials of the exposition arrived shortly after the accident and superintend- ed the work of relief President Loubet
 sent an officer of his household for infor@ nation. Several soldiers were among tho
 injured and many of their comrades were
 foremost in giving assistance. The disaster was the leading topic or discussion in the cafes and at the other
 Paris resorts this evening, and strong crlt- icism was leveed against the exposition officials for allowing an unfinished struct-
 ure to jeopardize the lives of citizens, fears being expressed that the incomplete state of the works within the exhibition grounds
 themselves might lead to similar acci- dent.
 It should be said, however, that the ex- position authorities are not responsible for the defective construction of the foot
 bridge, which was erected by the manages
 ment of the Celestial Globe.
 As a result of the accident, M. Lepine,
 prefect of police, has ordered the closing
 of several side shows, the structural ara
 engagements of which are considered dan-
 gerous.
 Several MoIe Have Died
 Some of the injured have since died at
 the hospitals and the corrected list shows
 that nine were killed, nine injured the
 injuries being mostly compound fractures
 of the leg. One woman and child are still
 unidentified.
 Several of the morning papers pronounce
 severe criticisms. The Matin says.
 There Is only one judgment to deliver
 on this sad event. It Is this: Those who
 did not think of preventing the public from passing under a card board bridgeA after having themselves recognized it as
 unsafe and those who have opened attrac- tions to visitors which are not protected against fire, are guilty of crime.' It calls upon the authorities to thorough ly inspect hastily-built buildings and to destroy those which present the least dane ger It also urges the closing of some buildings and the appointment of com~
 mittee of inquiry. declaring that this IS ~f ..tlN aAas