New-York tribune., 1907-09-01
THE WRECK At QUEBEC.
No More Bodies Found IN Bridge
The Piers Uninjured.

Quebec, Aug. 31.-Up to late hour tonight
no more bodies were taken out Of the wreckage
of the Quebec cantilever bridge. At noon the
coroner's jury was sworn in and viewed the
thirteen bodies at the morgue. and adjourned
until next Tuesday morning. This afternoon the
jury visited the scene Of the accident. The
scene at the morgue was pathetic as the rela-
tives Of some of the victims saw the latter for
the first time. Most of the bodies are diseIn-
bowelled. One OF the Indians lacks head; his
arm is torn off and lies beside him in the coffin
others had part of their legs torn away, and all
the thirteen bodies are badly mutilated. Fifteen
members of the Caughnawaga tribe, including
squaws. arrived in town to-day and received
permission from the coroner to remove the bodies
of their tribesmen. The body of Meredith. the
only American found, sent to his home in
Columbus. Ohio. this evening.
There are still many rumors regarding the
number of victims, but according to Thursday
nights pay list eighty-six were at work
when the bridge went down. eleven being in
jured, fifteen being taken out of the .wreckage
and sixty still missing.
The around the works. however are Of
the opinion that others not special work that
day were on the bridge looking at their COM
panions working. The bodies still missing may
never be found. they are probably all lying
tons Of steel in position Thursday. most Of
which went down on the rocks and into the
river. which at this spot varies from 1O2 TO
$50 feet of water at high tide.
This morning Mr.. Parent. president OF the
quebec Bridge Company, came here from OF
tawa, and soon after his arrival drove to the
scene of the accident with Messrs. Holgate Kerr
Butler and Schreiber the federal investigating
commissioners. and made a thorough examina-
ton of the bridge
j. S. Deans. A. D. Milken. a. Deans and
Scharler. officials Of the Phoenix Bridge Com
pany. arrived in town about 4 o'clock, but
will not visit the scene of the accident until to-
morrow morning. Mr.. Deans had an interview
with Mr.. Parent, and the former admitted that
no fault could be found with either of the PIERS
and was surprised that they stood the strain of
the falling steel Up to Thursday last Mr.. Deans
says everything worked to perfection The gov
ernment commission will begin its investigation
in the courthouse on Thursday next as Will also
the coroner's jury.
The official list OF missing American and Cana
dian bridgeworkers remains the same as sent
out last night: Sixteen Americans, nineteen
Canadian white men and twenty-four Indians.
These bodies have been recovered and identified:
c. A. Meredith. Columbus. Ohio: c. B. Croteau.
Philip Harry. James Harry. wilfrid Proul1. 2. La
Frat. - Baptiste Croteau and eight Indians
The American injured, who are all doing well.
are: Ingram Hall. D. B. Haley and J. J. Nance.
The Canadians injured are Oscar Laberge. Eu-
gene Laiounesse. Joseph Lajounesse and c. Da-
yies. besides four Indians.
Special services will be held in most OF the
churches here tomorrow.
The danger OF an accident on the Quebec can't
lever bridge was predicted by Theodore Cooper. OF
No do
by Mr., Cooper through his assistant, Bernt Ber-
ger, yesterday Mr.. Cooper has been for many
years consulting engineer for the capitalists who
form the Quebec Bridge Company. and who sub
let the actual construction work 10 the Phenx
Bridge Company. OF Phpnxvtlle Penn. with an
office at No. 20 William street, New York
AIr. Cooper. who Is sixty-eght years old. was
overcome by the horror CT the catastrophe that
cost seventy-nine lives. and Mr.. Berger spoke for
him yesterday
Mr.. Cooper on Thursday morning had an inter
view with his personal inspector who had been
the work OF the Phoenix Bridge Company.
The inspector said that he thought the work was
not going forward In the way that II should. More
than this Mr. Berger would not divulge yesterday.
But, any rate the inspectors report OF such
nature that Mr. Cooper at once telegraphed 20 the
Phoenix company's Offices in Phrnixvie. Whether
this message was receiVe ed there. Mr.. Cooper did
not know. A few hours later he received a mes
sage of the collapse of the bridge.
Mr. Cooper" said Mr.. Berger, has decided not
to talk further oe this awful accident. He will
have report soon that will perhaps explain every
thing. He has been receiving private accounts of
the bridge work Tor many months. and the informa-
ton given him by his inspector few hours before
the collapse was most important. For five years
Mr. Cooper visited the bridge regularly. and he
thoroughly familiar with It and with the rate of
progress I fancy that when Mr.. Cooper gets all
the facts and makes his announcement there Will
be some startling news
Mr. Berger said Mr.. Cooper had gone out Of
town to rest and await the findings Of his investi-
gators