The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-02-16
AN APPALLING DISASTER.

ON the Sheboygan Herald:
San intense and painful curiosity, a
cling of dismay indeed, seized upon
leboygan Thursday morning when
e dreadful news spread that n street
r had plunged through an open draw
le three lives were lost. Never be-
re have Sheboygan and Sheboygan
Ills known an experience quite SO dis
essing. TO say that people were
ocked but mildly expresses their
cling. 1t was an appalling calamity,
\ |ld people for the time being were to-
ly unnerved. They ran to their
lephones to learn the particulars.
the central the operators were
- orked to point almost beyond en-
lrance. Gloom as if a pail of darkest
ght had fallen over the city and
ingled with suppressed excitement.
was day the memory OF which will
ne remain to haunt the people of the
70 places.
q The dead are:
Miss Anna Mather, music teacher
Sheboygan Falls.
Miss Tannie Alice Van Ouwerkerk,
Sheboygan Falls, but engaged as n
ndergarten teacher in this city.
Miss Olga Willimite of this city.
"The accident happened at about a
larter of nine o'clock in the fore
BON. The car was in charge of Mo-
rman George Theme and Conductor
rank Weber 1t was running south
Eighth street. There is rather
eep incline and evidently the rails
ere slippery. At any rate the motor
an found himself totally unable to
bntrol the car. He also saw the open
'aw, but he remained at his post un-
! it had gotten to the bridge when he
prang into the river. Those who wit
essed the accident ohe car turned
,mpletely over and stood upright in
be river. The bodies of the three
no lost their lives were recovered
trough openings chopped into the top
the car. The body of Miss Van
uwerkerk showed injuries which in
Gated that she was killed before the
lr struck the water, and it is believed
hat the others were stunned SO badly
bat if they suffered at all it could not
hve been for long. Lieutenant Jacobs
the police force took charge of the
bdies and had two of them removed
Hanchett's undertaking parlors and
iss Willimite's to the Fessler under
king rooms,
1t was not long after the disaster
hat great throng of people had con-
regated at the scene of the accident.
or a time business throughout the
ty was nearly suspended.
On the car just before it took the
.tal plunge were the victims, the mo-
brman and trainman and a Milwaukee
'ayeling salesman, Il. w. Etzold by
hme. When the motorman indicated
} the conductor that he was powerlesS
his effort to stop the car, the con-
uctor told the passengers to save
lemselves by jumping. Mr.. Etzold
id jump and was prevented from fall
~ into the river by an iron standard
gainst which he was thrown when he
lmped.
Both conductor Weber and motor
ian Theme jumped into the river and
lung onto cakes of ice until rescued
the crew of the tug Peter Reiss.
The draw had been opened to permit
ne tug Peter Reiss to pass through
Or the purpose of towing the Gamer
:an down stream.
The catastrophe was witnessed by
|apt. Grch of the tug. He said:
"The car was just creeping along
| nd went slowly off the edge, turning
complete somersault as it plunged
|wiftly down. "Motorman Theme
ad collapsed completely by the time
could get to him and | turned him
yer to men nearby with directions to
I ct him TO shelter as quickly rs God
|Fould let them. The men on the tug
|endered assistance by furnishing poles
| nd hooks. We ran the tug up as
tn 10 fn
| II possible assistance. Cal. Pooler as
listed me in the work of recovering
The bodies.
81 distinctly heard the warning sig
al bells on the bridge. | always
office them and am particular on that
|oint.'
The conductor and motorman were
ute overcome by the cold before they
we're rescued.
Under the pressure OF intense excite
|nent people rarely see things in the
anne way. Some say that the car APP
preached the bridge at fair rate of
peed while others think it was running
|lowly.
Alderman Brchm and bridge tend
|rs, Thomas Olson and Charles Gres-
holdt, agree in the statements that the
bridge had been open several minutes
before the accident, that the chains
we're in place and that the bells were
|inging
"The scene at the bridge, where a
treat crowd assembled, was an agoniz-
Ing spectacle. Horror was depicted
sn the countenances Of the many,