The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-02
1T OF THE BRIDGE.

charles cutter OF oZi Jersey avenue
College Hill. was on bicycle riding west
on Douglas avenue, near the bridge at
the time of the accident. He says;
Sunday afternoon I hurried to catch
the car, which passes my house, but
when rushed out it had passed me and
I could not get the motorman to hear
me- I went into the house, took my
wheel and followed the car down towards
| town saw the car all the way down
| Douglas avenue, as it was only few
wards in front of me. 1t was running at
| a good rate Of speed and when we
reached the bridge I happened to have
nv eye on it, There were more people
| on the back end Of the car than in front.
I saw the front end of the car kind a
jerk and then Immediately after thu
hind wheels and the back of the car go
down hard. simultaneously the front OF
the car seemed to fairly leap forward
into the air. 1t was 8 regular leap.
The car then bumped along the ties. I
expected it to be stopped, of course, but
I kept watching and 1 heard no screams.
The car, when it jumped up on the
bridge, was still going pretty fast, l
judge. and ] expected 1t to go clear
across the bridge, and it never entered
my head that bad accident was near.
However, the car seemed TO careen on
the wheels to the south. I know It is
not true that the wheels on the north
lifted from the bridge flooring, but 1t
looked like it. and quicker than one can
tell it the car had rushed against the
railing and was over the edge OF the
western part OF the bridge. l was par
alyzed and involUntarily I tumoled of
my wheel The crash OF the railing and
the louder bang Of the car as It struck
was succeeded by an instant's silence
It seemed. and then the fearful screams
and means and cries OF those in the
car went up and people came flying In
every direction to help. Right In front OF
the car as it started across the bridge
was a man and his wife in a buggy and
when I saw the car 1 considered him
and his wife IN more danger than the
car. but he whipped up and escaped. 7
do not know his name, but he went to
the nearest post. tied his horses and
came back and helped. I did not see
anybody jump but suppose that some
did
When I arrived on the bridge the peo-
PIE were crawling out and they, with the
cries and means which arose and fell,
and the poor little children with Their
pale faces. made the scene unspeakaoie
in its aspect, The people seemed to Re
all iammed up into the lower end and
were in every position imaginable, some
OF them wedged in. As the ladies came
out every one looked alike. torn muddy.
some OF them pleading ard all deataIy
white Not one Of them had her hat
on and I saw several OF these crushed
out OF all shape floating down the little
stream.
In a very short time all thu people
we're out. The place where the car fej
was bare and it was easy to Be seen
that no one had been caught beneath Il
and that all ware cut The lover end.
when cleared. was mass Of broken um-
brellas. pieces OF dresses. crushed hats.
pockat5ooks. gloves and broken glass
'front.' porch. Boys have a haa:t q con
gregating CT the little bridge and max 4
ing a good deal of noise, and when sas I
heard the screaming she th7uEht tia, 4
the boys were having q tine again 4 4
moment later some one called her 20 70 /
q the bridge quick When she arrived 6
the people were already craving oct
Ms Dodd said: "Tou coudn't tell any
body Two or three women came ~ % .
ne wrsnrf1g their hands crying on. Afrs
Dod5.' and eoul5n't recognize them q.
TIE tine. gos down and took personal
sGects and handed than % The pe7pie. 7
sIcke5 Up one straw Rat, ard z lady whs
sas saying that she had lost a gray fsTt