Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-11
Repetition: of Previous Dis Dis
aster on st. Lawrence
at Quebec.
BIG SPAN BREAKS
WHEN BEING RAISED
Many Workmsn Carried Into River and
Twenty-Five Are Believed 10 hsvs
Perished-Bridss Pians Called Fos
Largest Single Roam In Worid-Was,
Being Raise o Jacks From Pom.
toons-w d by Officials.

Que sept. 1.-THE new central
spa 4. The Quebec bridge fell into
II : ,bec river at noon today. Nine
ty y ,rkmen were on the bridge and IL
is feared many were killed. Persons
on shore observed numbers OF work.
men struggling In the water.
At noon the number of dead was
estimated at twentyyfva
Company estimated the number Of dead
at twenty five. but this was not sus-
ceptible Of confirmation, inasmuch as
the nature of the accident precluded
careful check on the missing.
II. p. Borden, member Of the Que
bee bridge commission, this afternoon
expressed the opinion that only few
were lost. Several hours after the ac-
cldent. a special train came into Que
bee and brought twenty men who had
been injured.
Chief Eng ineer Mcmillan was among
the injured. He was rescued by tug.
Five bodies have been recovered.
Boats from hundreds OF craft on
which spectators gathered to watch
the span swung into place rushed to
the spot where the workmen had dis
appeared after struggling In the wat
ers during the moments Immediately
following the collapse OF the structure.
The span sank zoo feet in the river.
The bridge was being constructed as
cost Of s1T, 100000 in ordar to shorten
the railway journey from Halifax to
the Canadian northwest by 200 miles.
1t stands on the site OF the structure
which collapsed on Aug. 20, 1907, with
a loss Of seventy lives. The central
span which fell today weighs more
than 5000 tons, and II $40 feek -.
| length.
Being Lifted In Place
The span had been constructed on
pontoons a few miles east Of the
bridge site and was towed into posi-
tion Immediately under the gap left
In the structure
Chains with links thirty inches IN
diameter, together with girders. were
then attached to the span. and 5000
ton hydraulic jacks commenced the
stupendous task Of lifting the span
| into place.
This work could be accomplished
| only few feet an hour. and as the
distance from the river level to the
floor of the bridge Is $50 feet, the en-.
gineers had not counted upon complet-
Ing the operation until the end Of this
| week or later.
The bridge was to have been ready
for train service next spring, marking
an important milestone In Canada's
engineering railway history.
Breaks in Two Places,
Observers said that the span broke
| in two places-first one Of the corners
appeared to give wqay, this being fol-
| lowed almost Immediately by break
| In the center
The juggling Of 5000 tons OF steel
under unprecedented circumstances at
| tracted many spectators. including
| members Of parliament and newspaper
! men gathered on vessels furnished by
| the Canadian government. Members
| Of the dominion cabinet witnessed the
| collapse from the deck of govern
| ment vessel, while American tourists
crowded hundreds OF other boats.
Eminent American authorities on
| bridge building and members Of the
Australian parliament. returning home
after visiting in Europe also were on
| the scene
The project Interrupted today origi-
mated in 1853. when at the request OF
| the Quebec city council, New York
engineer submitted plans and esti-
mates. Courage and capital were lack
ing however, and 1t was not until
! 1882 that the scheme was again con-
sidered.
Commission in Charge.
Later engineers obtained a charter
and after many years Of delay the
building was begun, only to terminate
In the collapse Of the structure in 1907.
Canada's federal railway department
then decided to reconstruct 1t and
placed the undertaking in the hands of
| a commission, which included several
noted American bridge builders, among
them Ralph Modjeski, of Chicago. and
c. c. Schneider. of New York.
| The plans for the bridge provided
for channel span longer than that of
any existing today anywhere. Its con-
templated length from shore to shore
was 2.239 feet, with a distance Of 1900
| feet between anchor butresses.
Provision was made for two rail-
road tracks, two street car tracks and
| two roads n was to have been used