Evening journal., 1911-10-24
KILLED WHEN
BRIDGE FALLS
CONTINUED From First Page }

(COnJlnued from f1r6J Rage.)
street. Contusions about neck and
back.
Eiwood N. Smith. No. sol West
Third street Contusions and lacera-
tions.
Sixth street. Contusions and lacera-
tions.
Thomas T. Mccall. of No. 1905 Lam
caster avenue. Commissions about the
back and head.
In addition, John Hamilton, 10 years
old, Of Sixty-second street and Gray's
avenue, Philadelphia, had both legs
fractured
Hamilton is a schoolbcy. who was
on his way home at noon, and stopped
in crossing the bridge TO watch the
men at work on the structure. He
sustained a serious compound fracture
of the left thigh and his condition is
so grave that physicians at the hos
pital doubt that he will recover.
OF the workmen Mccall Is consid-
cred the most seriously hurt. His
skull was fractured. The injuries
of the others, it is not believed will
prove serious. They consist princi-
pally of bruised and cut bodies. Many
y of them we're picked up unconscious
by the rescuers.
The bridge on which the men work.
ed spanned the tracks of the Phila-
delphia, Baltimore and Washington
Railroad, 30 feet above the roadbed.
and connected Paschalville and
Darby. It's construction was entire
lv of wood, being for the use OF
pedestrians and wagons. no trolleys
crossing 1t. For a long time it has
been in poor repair and was consid-
cred by many who used it to be
dangerous. The repair work was
undertaken with the idea of allowing
its use while the old timbers we're be-
ing replaced by new. One section at
a time was removed and replaced with
new timber.
The crash came without warning
and those on the structure were
caught in the fall Of the heavy lum-
Der as it crashed to the tracks below.
Both ends Of the bridge seemed to
give way at the same minute, the CEN
tre sagging for a fractional part Of
a minute and then sinking with a
splitting sound as the old pieces OF
lumber were splintered by the human
weight they held. Peacock and Brown
were at work together removed from
the others, and near the Woodland
avenue end of the trestle. They were
precipitated amidst a mass Of twisted
and broken beams and joists caught
under the weight. pinned down and
their lives crushed out.
The boy Hamilton had Just passed
the two men and had reached the op-
posite end of the bridge when 1t fell
having stopped minute to watch the
workmen He was pinned down by a
six-by-six cross-piece. Hamilton had
been a patient in the University Hospi-
tai but a couple of weeks ago, having
undergone treatment on account OF
stomach trouble. Mccall also wai
struck by heavy piece of wood and
apparently was dead when taken out
At the hospital it was found life was
not vet extinct but the man hoveri
between life and death.
No trains were due under the bridg'
at the time, but precautions wer'
taken Immediately by the first res
cuers arriving to prevent the ADJ
tional catastrophe Of a train wreck
and red tablecloth served TO max
two improvised red flags. It was tori
from her kitchen table by womal
in the neighborhood, who had pres
ence of mind in the face OF the terri
HE sight she met on hurrying iron
her house at the noise OF the crasI
She rushed back, obtained the taoi
cover and, tearing it in two pieces
one was carried in either dlrecuo
from the danger point TO nag sp
proaching trains Another Woma
who came to the scene was overcom
by the sight and tainted. others Wn
came assisted the men IN tneir Wor
of removing the injured Most
them had been taken out before IN
srrivai of the two work trains an
crews dispatched to the scene by IN
railroad company.
No Chance to jump.
When the crash came the Workme
had NOT a chance to jump or escap
IN anv way. The support beneat
them disappeared in a twinkling an
thew went dwon 80 feet with the tal
inc lumber. The debris was piled
nIaces a dozen or more feet high an
fhe work of removing the heavy lun
her which imprisoned the men unoel
,eath was a slow and difficult tas
Tba tracks under the bridge form u
main line of the Pennsylvania ot
tween this city. Wilmington, Bait
nors and Washington and passeng'
and freight trains in both direcuor
were held up for two hours. Eve
sfter the arrival of the wreckiI
crews the work of clearing the tract
1ss slow and il was 2 o'clock beto
trains could pass the point. Tho
sands of West Philadelphians watc
ed the progress of the workers
Mrs. Elizabeth l.. Todd, of No. 81
clenmore avenue, Philadelphia wi
one of the heroines Of the accider
II was she who, hearing the cras
hurried to the scene and then obtai
ed the red tablecloth from which q
danger signal flags we're made. y
did more. She went among the ]
iured with water and medicine al
when the first supply was exhaust
sot more. Her mother. Mrs. Sar'
e. Davis, of No 6455 Glenmore avent
was another who acted heroicsl
mother and daughter going among I
men and helping the uninlured rf
cue their comrades until the arriS
of policemen from the Thirty-seco
district. who summoned amoulano
and patrol wagons.
According to Foreman John Jaco
who was in charge Of the work, unc
the supervision of the Bureau OF HIS
wavs. the timbers in the bridge We