The sun., 1901-04-07
BIG BRIDGE COLLAPSES.
TROLLEY CAR FJLL OFPEOPLE FAILS
INTO CANAL ar SYRACUSE.

Many Pedestrians and a Lumber Wagon Also
go Down with the wreck -Abont Thirty
Persons Badly Injured water Had Bee,
Drawn on or Man, would Have Perishei.
SYRACUSE. April 6.-While the Faster shop
ping crowd Of men. women and children wa-
hurrying home through James street. the
fashionable thoroushfare, at $50 this after
noon the big bridge over the Oswego Canal.
In the heart Of the city collapsed, carrying
with it to the bottom Of the canal. thirty feet
below, n trolley car loaded with passengers,
many pedestrians and a horse and lumber
wagon.
No one was killed. but about thirty were
seriously injured
The bridge was unusually large. being wide
enough 70 accommodate two drveways
street car tracks, two sidewalks and a tow
path. 1t was recently inspected by State
officials and declared safe. but local author
tiles had for some time been fearful OF an
accident The structure was built in 1857
The car was outward bound to the fash
ionable suburb along East James street
1t was crowded 20 the doors. probably nfty
persons being aboard. The majority were
women and children When in about the
centre Of the bridge the motorman felt the
structure sag. and opened his lever wide
In an effort to send his car across before the
threatened collapse came,
lie was too late. however and with a crash
the bridge fell The car struck the tow path
below and then slid into the mud at the bottom
OF the caual The water had fortunately
been drawn of or at least half of those aboard
would have pershed As It was tho car
was smashed o splintcrs
Shrieks and cries came from the wreck
| age. and the people above could see blood
| stained faces and bodies mixed together
In confused mass. The drop Of thirty feet
made II impossible to get at the Injured peo-
pie until ladders were brought. then the work
Of rescue was quick, hurry call for
hook and ladder trucks and ambulances
brought scores Of pieces Of apparatus TO the
scene.
squad OF policemen fought for ten min
utes to get ropes stretched across the sides
| OF the chasm left by the fallen bridge. and II
was with difficulty that they prevented the
| enormous crowd from pushing those In front
| over the brink.
The scenes as the work OF rescue pro-
gressed were pitiable. yet at times almost
| comical Women whose faces were cut
hllu hllldSHeu almost Deyonu recognition
| were crying and moaning over the loss OF
new Easter hats. ribbons or punches OF roses
| and violets
Others who were not injured were more
concerned over ruined dresses than the fate
| OF their companions. Little girls. badly cut
were dragged from under the broken tirnbers
by men who were so badly hurt they could
hardly speak or see. One hero helped take
two women to places Of safety before It was
learned that he had a broken arm and dis
located ankle
In the middle OF tho canal bed. in mud
up to Its knees. stood the horse that had
been attached TO the lumber wagon The
wagon was wreck and the driver badly
| hurt, but the horse was uninJured.
Among gtheinJu Jured were II amilton Beardsles
q well known society man. seriously. Mrs
Charles II. Andrews. wife Of a prominent
attorney, escaped practically uninJured. As
Miss Hyde she was one Of the bridesmaids )
| at Anna Gould's wedding.