Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-06-04
SALIDA TRAGEDY
FOUR DROWNED MEMORIAL DAY
Arkansas River Foot Bridge Falls
while Crowded With People to
Witness Memorial PAGEANT

Denver. May GA News special
from Salida, Colorado. last night says.
When the memorial exercises were at
their height and the veterans were cast
ing flowers on the boron OF the Ar
kansas river In memory CT their heroic
Cead to-day. fou. people were plunged
70 death from a foot bridge spanning
the Arkansas river at the lower edge
Of River Front park dozen others
we're thrown into the river and mar
fowly escaped with their lives Some
Of them were seyereis Injured about
the face and head. The accident was
y itnessea by nearly l .000 people. all OF
wAonl were powerIess to render assist
ence. The dead are as follows:
Mrs. Clarence A. Thompson, aged
thirtyhye.
Hazel Lines. aged six.
Esther Morgan. aged eight.
Pearl Holland. aged nine.
Several others are thought to be lost.
Nora Anderson. aged thirteen. is SAID
70 be missing. and the body OF a boy
is said TO have been seen at Cleoxa
tEu miles down the stream The body
q Hazel Lines was drawn from the
liream about 800 yards below the scene
of the accident by Harry Goodey and
others. Dr. Rowe OF the Denver a. Rio
Gtande hospital. with corps OF
nurses worked over the body for six
hours. but no sign of life was ever
manifested.
Mrs Thompson was standing on the
bridge with her husband when the col
lapse occurred. Mr. Thompson elutched
bis wtfe's clothing in an effort to save
Ler. but his foot became entangied in
a wire. causing him to lose his grip.
Il, -
current and HIS not yet been found.
She was geen floating down the stream
feseTal hundred yards below the bridge
some moments later. She cried for help.
rlt Immediately disappeared.
Esther Morgan and Pearl Holland
have not been seen since the bridge
broke down. Several objects resem-
lI4ug human bodies have been seen
floating down the stream. but none ex-
rrrt that Of Hazel Lines has been
brought 10 shore.
The foot bridge was very narrow
structure owned by the Denver & Rio
Gtande railroad. Nearly all the avail
able sraes was taken up when the
crash cane. The river was abcslt forty
feet vide AZ the point where the bridge
ilUEe and about ten feet deep. The
current Is very swift. the stream hay-
ing been swollen by the rapid melting
of the snow In the mountains by the
rr cut warm weather People who wit
ufasod the accident declare there were
a- least twenty people on the bridge al
the time Ct the collapse. They had
gathered there 10 throw flowers on the
Eater and watch the veterans launch
a floral barge from the main wagon
Rad bridge. about 800 yards further up
he stream.
The crash was followed by the most
frantic scene ever witnessed In the his
tory uf the city. The entire stream
VAS checked with human bodies. and a
scream Of horror indeserihable went up
from tn. crowd. Hen with ropes and
ruIleys went to work on the broken
bridge in an effort TO clear the wreck
age II was thought the body Of Mrs.
Thompson was pinned under the tim
bers. but when the bridge timbers were
drawn ashore and the river bed was
searched no trace Of her could be
found Men In buggie5 and on horse
back have been running up and down
the stream for several miles all after
noon in the hope of finding the missing
bodies. a wire netting has been
stretched across the stream at Wells
vile. six miles below Salida. and 1t Is
thought the bodies will possibly drift
into the netting. The people at How
ard. twelve miles east, were wired TO
keep a strict vigil tonight in an effort
to intercept tie bodies.