The San Francisco call., 1910-01-01
So WORKM[N
FACE DEATH IN
BRIDGE WRECK
False Structure Across Missis.
sippi Crushed Like Tinder
by Big Ice Jam
Two Hour Battle With Shifting
FIOeS Fails to Account for
All the Victims

ST. LOUIS, Dec. Sf.-Three hundred
feet or false structure on the Mckinley
bridge. now under construction across
the Mississippi river. was knocked out
by an ice Jam at o'clock tonight.
Sixty-nine men were thrown into the
river and some may have been drowned.
One hundred and Hfty men were at
work on the structure when the jam
began to move. Ninety heard tire
warning snap Of the timbers in time
10 escape to the steel work. but 60
others went down in the twisted mass
Of timbers.
Three hosting engines and traveller
also went down, imperiling the strug-
sling men below.
ICE JAM SIX FEET HIGH
Captain John short. in charge of q
tug and two barges. picked up 20 men
and got them ashore after two hours
battle with the ice. which is jammed
six feet high in many places.
Several times the barges threatened
TO crush the tug and several times the
vessel nearly turned turtle when forced
upon the ice by pressure behind it.
The 20 men unable to reach the tug
are believed 10 have reached shore
across the floating ice foes. but com
pany officials said tonight they would
not know whether any lives were lost
until tomorrow. when the men Will be
paid OF.
The property loss is estimated at
s25O.OOO. and completion of the bridge
viii be delayed several months. The
bridge is being built by the Illinois
traction system
PRAISE HEROISM OF RESCUERS
Company officials said tonight that
many lives would certainly have been
lost but for the heroism Of Captain
short Twice his little tug was caught
between the barges and threatened
with destruction and each time he
fought back the men on board TO pre-
vent them from risking their lives on
The foes.
Twice his rudder became jsmmed
but ne stuck 10 the boat once he
risked his life TO clear the tiller by
climbing down into the ice and pulling &
out the jam.
The second time the rudder jsmmed
BE could not release il and the boat
drifted helpIessIy down stream threat
ened with instant destruction by the
barges and ice.
Finally rescue parties with ropes
reached him from shore after a two
hours battle and he and his men were
landed.
Eleven men were unable to get
aboard the tug when the span went
down and clambered upon pile driver
moored in small barge. This barge
drifted with the ice for three miles be-
fore the men were rescued.
CAUGHT IN BREAKING ICE
Gus Steimel, a boatman. saw the
gorge begin to move and attempted to
rarl the men at work on the vridge by
cunning across the ice. He was caught
halfway to the bridge in the breaking
ice and nearly lost his life before he
WAS rescued
William Frederick. one Of the men
rescued on the tug, said:
l don't know whether all of those
al work near the river got aboard, as
every man looked after himself II
many tried 10 get ashore by jumping
tie foes some of them certainly
drowned
shorts battle with the ice was wit
messed by a great crowd on shore and
there was 4 long cheer when rescUers
res ched him.
The company has been working on
the bridge ON both ends and the two
shore spans were connected by the
false work that collapsed.
The river banks are being patroIled
tonight. but there is little hope OF find
ing any bodies in case some OF the men
were drowned. as the river is choked
with ice