Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-21
| NEW BRIDGE WRECKED
SEQUEL to Labor Troubles With
a Philadelphia Firm.
RUINED WITH DYNAMITE
Was Under Construction at Bay
Chester, Near New York.
SPAWNED NEW HAVEN TRACKS
Alleged to Be Work of Striking
Workmen-Will Require Two
Months to Repair Damage.
SPAWNED NEW HAVEN TRACKS

| NEW YORK, May 21.-A new bridge
under construction on the Harlem branch
| of the New York. New Have and Hart
! ford railroad at Bay Chester was wreck
| ed by dvnamiters today. A charge of
fifty pounds of the explosive was dis
charged under the first span, twisting the
huge Orders and practically wrecking the
whole structure Today's outrage fol-
lowed an unsuccessful attempt to wreck
a bridge on the same railroad over the
Harlem river early yesterday.
The bridge was a modern steel struc-
ture which had been erected over the
tracks near the Bay Chester station for
foot and vehicle traffic. 1t was built by
the Schumacher Company of Philadelphia
and for many months had been the scene
of almost constant labor troubles.
II is alleged that striking workmen have
made frequent threats to blow up the
bridge unless their grievances were ad-
justed. and result two watchmen
have been on guard at the bridge every
night.
Yesterday when the futile attempt was
made to destroy the other bridge another
watchman was added to the force and all
three were on duty last night. They pa
trolled the embankment al both ends of
the structure all night without seeing a
sign to indicate that everything was not
all right. Just as dawn was breaking
there came a flash near the first span.
followed by a terrific report and the
grinding and tearing of the great steel
Orders. Two of the watchmen, who were
within fifty feet of the end of the bridge,
were thrown to the ground.
Fifty Pounds Of Dynamite Used.
Hundreds of windows in the vicinity
were broken. AS the watchmen scram-
bled to their feet they saw two men
dashing away through the semi-darkness.
A fusilade of shots was sent after the
fleeing men, but none of them reached
the mark and the men escaped.
The railroad experts who --iewed the
declaring that at least fifty pounds of
dynamite must have been placed under
the abutment work on the south end of
the bridge. No less amount. they say,
could have caused so much damage.
1t is believed that it will take two
months more to repair the damage
done. Much of the steel on the south end
of the bridge is SO twisted and bent that
scrap heap. One of the mammoth
girders on the large middle span was also
| twisted out of shape
This means that the entire steel work
on the middle span will have to be
done over again.
Former Damages by Strikers.
On February last the rivets and
supports of the same bridge were cut,
and an eighty-ton lift. which had cost
$25,O 900. was tumbled into twenty five feet
of water. Before that the bridge over
the Raritan river was wrecked in
similarly mysterious manner.
Another attempt of the wreckers.
directed against the Siberian bascule
bridge of the same railroad across the
Bronx river. was foiled at an early hour
this morning. One of the watchmen
was attacked by five men. but his cries
brought other watchmen and shots were
exchanged with the band as it fed.
Subsequently Herman Cook. a deckhand
on a scow lying alongside the bridge.
found suit case af1oat in the river. and
examination disclosed its contents to be
1O3 sticks of dynamite. weighing ninety
pounds. to which We're attached fuses
thirty-fve inches long and fully capped.
Officials of the steel company denied
there had been any trouble with men
now working the bridge, but there
have been dissensions with others for
merly employed.