Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-04
FROM A ROCK CREEK BRIDGE
Was Employed on Span Connecting
With Connecticut Avenue.
INQUEST DEEMED UNNECESSARY
Deceased Lived in Williamsport, Pa
Remains Sent to Morgue by
Order of Coroner.

Hugh Kress. a bridge carpenter. whose
home is In Wiliiamsport, Pa. was instantly
killed this morning by fall from the top
of the new Connecticut avenue bridge TO
the ground in the valley OF Rock creek.
distance of more than 100 feet. Almost
every bone in the mans body was broken
Coroner hewitt. who was at once notified
made an investigation. and decided that
death was accidental. He issued a certffi-
cate to that effect. and the body was then
moved to the norgue to await communion
ton from relatives OF the dead man as
to the disposition OF the remains
This was the first day that Kress had
worked on the Connecticut Avenue bridge
He had been a bridge carpenter by trade
for some time and was familiar with the
work
Some additional work being needed on the
bridge, Kress was employed temporarily.
he was engaged this morning In driving
wedges In the central section Of the arches.
he reported for work about o'clock and
was detailed with partner to a task un-
DER the NTH arch. Underneath the shell
OF concrete there were many wedges to be
driven, and kress started on that work.
Separated From Partner.
AS the carpenters engaged in this work
have to operate from a somewhat unsteady
AoHAhdtioh titg uSuilty WOEk IN pairs, 50
that while one is driving the wedge the
other can watch what effect Il has and can
maintain the balance. In some way Kress
became separated from his partner. each
working in different direction. until they
were about forty feet apart, or about the
width of the bridge.
j. B. Flower. one of the carpenters em-
ployed on the bridge, heard a yell from
tho place where Kress had been work.
Ing, and looking around he saw Kress pitch
ing downward headlong from the scaffold
upon which he had been working Just
how he came to fall. IL is declared, will
never be known, as the scaffold upon whioh
he was standing was found to be intact
1t is supposed that while driving a wedge
edge of the scaffold.
Not five minutes before that a water
pail had been dropped off the bridge by
the workmeE and Harry O'Conner had
gone down below to pick IL up. He had
Just aboun reached the pail when kress
followed the course of the bucket O'Con-
ner went at once to Kress and saw that
death had been instantaneous.
Workmen Saw Fall.
The workmen on the top of the arch who
witnessed the plunge rushed at once to tho
ground and others in the vicinity gathered
around the body. Coroner hewitt when
notified went promptly to the scene and
interviewed those who knew anything
about the accident. In examining the body
Coroner hewitt found that the man had a
fracture of the skull and that few bones
in his body were not broken by the falL
After learning that no one was nearer than
forty feet when the man fell to. his death
and that nothing about the scaffold had
broken the coroner determined that an IN
quest was not necessary.
Kress came to this city from his homo
in Wflliamsport, Pa. about three years
ago. He was unmarried, and has been
boarding at 906 D street southwest for
some time past. Having been working
bridge carpenter for some time, and.
therefore. accustomed to operating from
high points, IL is not believed that the
height caused him to lose his balance and
fall.
The deceased was a member Of the Ry-
land NJ. 2. Church, corner OF 10th and ID
streets southwest. and of the brotherhood
in the church AS soon as 1t was learned
that he had been killed Mr.. George Z.
Barber, president OF the brotherhood, and
Nixon Brewer of 200 7th street southwest
went to the morgue and made arrange
ments to have the body removed to the
rooms of local undertaken to be prepared
for burial.