The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-31
DOWN TO DEATH
IN WATER BELOW
Most of the Victims of the
Bridge Horror, Near Que
bee, Were Americans.
NEARLY 100 MEN PERISHED
INQUIRY INTO CAUSE OF THE
DISASTER.
NEARLY 100 MEN PERISHED

Quebec, Aug. 9o.-with the first break
OF dawn a half dozen government and
Quebec Bridge company's tugs began a
search of the St. Lawrence river for the
victims of last nights catastrophe The
toll OF death caused by the collapse OF
the great cantlever bridge numbers at
least seventy-five and may reach eighty
five. Up t. an early hour today less than
twenty bodies had been recovered The
terrific weight of the great steel struc-
ture falling from $50 feet above the sur
face Of the river crushed the bodies of
many Of the workmen in frightful man
ner and IL is feared many will never be
found Many of the dead were Ameri-
cans brought here by the Phoenix Bridge
company of PhOeniXvilie, Pa, which had
the, contract for the iron work on the
bridge.
Some of the Victims.
Among the known dead are:
B. A Gansel. general foreman for the
Phoenix Bridge company.
Chief Engineer BirSs.
Fireman Davis of the bridge switch
engine.
John w Haley fireman.
Jim Idah, Indian foreman
About thirty Caughnamaga Indians en-
ployed as laborers.
Victor. James and Henry Mardy, BROTH
ers, of New Liverpool, Quebes.
Wilfred Proutex, of New Liverpool,
Quebec.
Sephrian La France. Quebec
none round Alive.
Early this morning rowboats were sent
out to examine the superstructure show
ing above the watt~ near the shore, to
ascertain If any of the workmen were
imprisoned in the mass of twisted iron
work Nsae were found alive. Just be-
low the surface of the water two bodies
were seen, buc it will be impossible to
reach them until the tide goes out. Both
the local and Dominion authorities have
taken steps to investigate the cause of
sponsibility Some of the wOrkmen ex-
pressed the belief that the pier gave way
under the tremendous strain of the over
hanging steel work. NJ. p. Davis. of OF
tawa, the contractor who built the piers.
made a hasty examination last night,
however, and reported them to be in good
condition, although the steel superstruc-
ture had fallen upon them.
Engineers Narrow Escape.
A locomotive and several freight cars
loaded with steel Orders were moving
out on the bridge just before the struc-
ture collapsed. Engineer Jess went into
the river with his engine, but was picked
w 300 feet below the bridge. Fireman
Qavis persisted. Engineer Jess was re-
Moved to Lewis hospital, where he rapid
plunge into the river. According to his
story the steel work overhanging the
river was the first to show signs Of
weakness At the first sign of danger
Jess shut off steam. but his locomotive
continued to move toward the end of the
bridge, which had begun to tOtter, and a
moment later the engine went into the
river.
Weak Spot Gave Way.
Several engineers visited the scene to-
day. 1t was evident, they said that there
had been miscalculation of tensile strength
in some spot. That weak spot had given
way under the strain OF hundreds of
thousands of tons of steel and this had
at once upset the balance of a portion of
the structure ana caused the collapse The
number OF dead, as stated at the office of
the Phoenix Bridge company today, was
eighteen Canadians. twenty-eight Indians
ard seventeen Americans. but the officials
would not venture To give out any names
Just at present They also state that five
Canadians, four Indians and three Amer
leans are injured. The Quebec Bridge
company officials place the number of
dead at seventy-eight
SeVenty-nine Killed.
Although twenty-four hours have
elapsed since the Quebec bridge fell into
the St Lawrence river, three score bridge
workers are still held in the meshwork of
debris at the bottom of the river. At the
roll-caH this afternoon seventy-nine men
failed to answer 10 their names and were
not among the injured at the hospital.
Fifteen bodies are at the morgue. OF the
total of seventy-nine dead or missing six
teen were skilled American mechanics.
Some bodies can be seen below the sur
face, tightly wedSed in mass of steel.