The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-08-30
CANADA PROb|NG
BRIDGE COLLAPSE
CONTINUED from Page oneo


The span, in it's collapse. took with
the bridge. and last night many workmen.
pinned beneath the wreckage, could be
plainly heard groaning and crying out
piteously for help. The crowds on shore
were powerless to rescue them. No
searchlight was 10 be had and the feeble
CLEAN OF the lanterns did not serve TO re-
veal the victims entangied In the moss OF
twisted steel
The -crash OF the falling bridge was
heard plainly in Quebec, two miles
away. and throughout the <cinity many
rushed from their houses, thinking there
was an earthquake. The swapping OF the
huge steel girders and cables. sounded
like the discharge of heavy artillery.
STEAM DR HAD CLOSE CALL.
The steamer Glenmont had just cleared
the bridge when the first section fell.
The water thrown UP by the wreck
age as II hit the river, went clean over
the steamers bridge.
The southern extension OF the bridge,
which collapsed, was rapidly nearing the
zenith of the immense steel arch. which
was TO span the river. For 500 feet
from the shore the massive steel structure
reared an arch with no supports save
the piers from the shore and one pier
in the river about $50 feet from the
.shore, while the outward extremity was
$50 feet above the twater
The end OF the half arch bent down
trihe and moment later the whole
enormous fabric began to give way,
slowly at first, then with terrific crash.
which shook the whole countryside.
The bridge was about mile and a
half in length, and half of II, from the
south shore 10 midstream, crumpled up
like a card and dropped into the water.
Ninety men were at work on this section
of the structure. and the whistle had just
blown at $50 for the men to quit for the
day, when a grinding sound from the
bridge at midstream was heard. They
had turned to see what had happened, and
In an instant later the cry went UP, THE
bridge is falling"
The men made a rush shoreward, but
the distance was too great for them TO
escape. and only few reached safely be-
fore the last piece OF iron work on the
south shore was dragged into the river.
EIGHT MEN SAVED.
Near the shore the wreckage OF tho
bridge did not go below the surface OF
the water, and eight workmen who re-
manned above water were rescued and
taken to the hospital at Lewis.
The steamer Glenmont had just cleared
the bridge when the first section fell. The
captain at once lowered boats. The small
boats piled backward and forward over
the sunken wreckage for half an hour, but
there was no sign of life. The twisted
iron and steel had its victims in a terri
BILE death grip.
The Quebec bridge was begun about
seven years ago, and II was to be finished
in 1909 Subsidies had been granted by
the federal and provincial governments
and the city OF q; 7bec. and the estimated
cost OF the work was s10.000.00o.
The Phoenixville Bridge company OF
Pennsylvania had the contract OF the con-
struction OF the bridge, and men were
working from both sides Of the river.
There is scarcely family in the village
of New Liverpool which has not been
bereaved while in some cases five and
six men OF a single family have been
killed. From almost every house is heard
the sounds OF lamentations OF women. The
men are gathered around the approaches
to the wrecked bridge, aiding in the ef-
forts to rescue those who are still alive
or caring for tho bodies OF the dead as
they are found.
here. and is regarded as a national ca
lamity.
The Quebec bridge was remarkable in
that II was TO be the longest single spac
cantilever bridge In the world, the length
OF the span In the centre being 1900 Feet
or 200 feet longer than that OF the Firth
bridge. at present the worlds longest
single bridge span.
There has been no bridge across the ST.
Lawrence below Montreal. At Quebec
city all traffic was ferrled across the
river. This expense being held response
bic for the failure OF Quebec to grow, n
number OF the leading citizens obtained n
charter from the Dominion government TO
bridge the st. Lawrence. A subsidy OF
81. 100000 was granted by the Dominion
and another OF $4,000 by the government
OF the province OF Quebec. while the city
OF Quebec gave a grant OF 100000 The
promoters put up se5o.00o.
The original estimate OF the cost was In
the neighborhood Of s3.5oo.oo0. but this
was speedily found too small.
The plans call for two approach spans