Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-09
Machine Carrying Sight seers Is
Swallowed in Water-Bodies Of
Victims Not Yet Recovered
= BY Searching Parties
CAR WAS PROPERTY
OF ]. w. sCHREFFLER
Man and Woman Are Seen to Rise
to Surface and Sink Again.
Three Others, Possibly -Four,
Are Drowned.


CHICAGO. Nov S-Search for the
bodies OF the occupants OF the automobile
which plunged into the Chicago river al
the east approach OF. the Jackson Boule-
yard bridge last night was resumed today
BY members OF the police force al the
city IRE beats. They were aided In their
efforts BY a diver In the employ OF the
city. The identity OF the victims. and
the number Of persons who lost their
lives, however. are still unknown
Il was at first thought that the auto
mobile belonged TO James L Cosgrin, OF
Salt Lake City. Utah, who left the Con-
gress hotel with a party OF friends a
short time before the accident occurred,
on the way to the Union station, but IL
was later learned that the Cosgrin party
was safe and that the machine belonged
to J. W. SchreGier. II is said TO be one
OF two machines he has for hire and was
In charge OF Ernest Camp. Mr.. Schref-
fer was unable TO locate the car today.
and feared that the machine belonged TO
him
HIRED FROM SALOON.
The car. II is claimed was hired from
the saloon of william Krsemer. on Van
Buren, street, but Il was impossible to
learn who were the occupants. The car
was traced BY its number. $50 Illinois
which was discovered by a diver during
the night.
An early cIew that the victims Of the
accident might have been the Cosgrin
party was absolutely disproved today by
r. p. Thompson, treasurer Of the Union
Stock Yards and Transit company, a
friend OF Mr.. James E. Cosgrif. Mr..
Thompson declared that Mr.. Cosgrif and
his friends left Chicago on the Los An
geles Limited at 10 p. m last night for
address q convention Of wool growers to-
morrow.
The most plausible theory regarding the
accident now is that Camp, whose stand
was at Van Buren, street and Michigan
avenue. had been engaged by a party to
make q sightseeing trip OF the city and
that while on the way 20 the west side
OF the city had driven the car into the
river. Camps home was I'm the south side
and Il was learned that his mother was
expected here next week to live with him
SIMILAR TO OTHERS.
The accident Is similar TO two previous
ones which have occurred here within the
last few years and which resulted in the
loss Of four lives. On August IL. 1901, a
car containing a woman and three men
plunged over the south abutment OF the
Rush street bridge. All were rescued.
but one o. the victims subsequently died.
The following year a car containing five
persons went into the river at the same
bridge from the north side. Three OF the
party were drowned
HOW ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
The touring car plunged into the river
NJ Jackson boulevard from the east ap-
preach of the bridge shortly after 10
o'clock last night while the bridge was
turned A man and a woman were seen
to come TO the surface and float down
stream. the man endeavoring to save the
woman by carrying her on his back. Aft
er drifting more than a block both sank
with last despairing cries for help
That three others, perhaps four, went
down with the automobile is the belief
OF the bridge tenders at the bridge AT
Jackson and at Vanburen street and of
other witnesses OF the tragedy.
VICTIMS UNDER MACHINE
The other victims. IL is believed. are un-
der the machine at the bottom OF the riv-
er. IL was speeding at Is miles an hour
and when It struck the water. dove into
the mud on the river bed.
The screams most clearly distinguish
able as the big car went over are de-
clared BY witnesses TO have been those OF
women and the conviction was reached
oy them that more than two OF the occu-
pants OF the automobile were women. The
Limousine prevented the occupants being
clearly discerned as the car dashed IN.
Dr. Adolph E. Bertling. who had sion
ped In his automobile at the abutment OF
the bridge when he hearc the signal for
the bridge 20 open. saw the accident
DOCTOR DESCRIBES ACCIDENT.
when the bridge opened" said DR.
Bertling. i saw a big touring car ap-
preaching. but could not tell how many
occupants were In the car The driver
failed TO slow up and I called franticaIly
20 him to stop. Either he did not hear
me. or he could not stop the car, for a
second later the machine toppled over
the edge OF the abutment. Then I heard
screams
I am certain that I saw two men and
a woman struggling I'm the water. ! ran
for policemen. but could rfnd none. When
! returned 10 the scene the bodies that
had come 70 the surface had drifted
down the river and people on the passing
boat had alarmed the bridge tenders, one
Of whom threw out life preservers. but It
was too late"