The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-19
A Travelling Crane Fell on Sec
tion of Bridge.
WRECKED STRUCTURE.
Descended Upon a Barge Con-
tanning Several Hen.
All So Sudden That Few Had
Time to Escape.

Pittsburg, Pa, Oct. 19.-As the result
of the breaking of traveller crane on
the Pittsburg end of the new wabash
bridge over the Monongahela river, a
number of men were killed and many
We're injured. Fifteen minutes after
the accident nine bodies had been re-
covered and five of the bodies had been
accounted for.
The cause of the accident has not yet
been ascertained. but as far as can be
learned from eye witnesses it was due
to the traveller being overweighted. The
traveller projects beyond the nnfsheu
part of the bridge for the purpose of
placing an addition in position and al
lowing the builders to operate While
many men were at work on this addi-
tional section this morning, the project
| ing part, 1t is stated. snapped and fell.
1t landed on the section of the bridge
that was being placed in position ana
caused it to give way. On this section
several men were at work, and they
We're carried down with the wrecKaEc.
The wrecked section of the bridge fell
on barge loaded with steel on which a
number of men were working. SO sud
den were the swapping of the traveller,
the falling of the section of the bridge
and the sinking of the barge that
scarcely any of the those in the vicinity
had time TO get out of the place of de-
struction. Those on the section of the
bridge were crushed. and some instantly
killed by the heavy traveller falling on
them, while those in the barge were
crushed or drowned
Near the new bridge was the United
States snag boat. e. A Woodruff, whose
crew Immediately began the work OF
rescue Soon they had recovered four
bodies. most OF them badly crushed.
I Another victim was rescued alive, but
he Succumbed to his injuries before his
body had reached the shore. The tow
boat John Watson leased by the Amer
lean Bridge company, came across tile
river from the opposite bank and joined
the work OF rescue. 1t succeeded in
taking two mangled bodies from the
river. A dozen skiffs salong the bank
were manned and succeeded in taking
TWO boGies from tsye sssel laden barge.
7 while five men more or less seriously
crushed or injured were taken by them
to the shore. AS soon as the accident
happened the hospitals and police We're
notified and all the ambulances and sew
eral police patrols were sent to the
psyicinity of the bridge. At the same
I dlne a large corps of physicians
present to render such first aid as was
necessary
This afternoon, the American Bridge
company gave out the following as the
list of dead and missing in Wabash
wreck:
THE DEAD
w. J. M'CLOIJD.
GEORGE WELLS.
G. w. KEILINGER.
VIM. KEMPTON.
C. T. FLEMING.
FRED SALIINGER.
FRANK DALBY.
J. CAMPBELL
MISSING.
Edward Morris.
James Simmons.
The cause of the accident has not yet
been ascertained. The bridge is of the
, cantalever pattern, being constructed by
the American Bridge company for the
Wabash railroad and is being built
from both sides Of the river toward the
center by means of overhead travellers.
The men had been at work on the
Pittsburg end. but short time when
suddenly the traveller which is project
ed beyond the finished part of the
bridge dropped and fell, landing on
section of the bridge which was being
placed in position. So unexpected and
sudden was the crash that few of the
workmen on the wrecked section were
warned in time to escape. The falling
bridge landed on top Of barge load of
steel anchored at the pier and several OF
: | the worxmen there were carried down
John McTighe a cousin of the superfn-
-of' police; who is blacksmith's
helper employed at the city machine
shop, happened to be on the wharf,
: watching the men at work when the ac-
: ! cident occurred. McTighe, in giving Il
description of the accident said:
"The men were preparing to ram IL
one of the pins on the bridge, when the
accident took place. It was a terrible
sight. The men turned over and over
as they fell, and their bodies looked like
: so many flies"