Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-04-11
Fifth Victim of
Bluffs Bridge is
Killed in Crash
B. W. Stewart Instantly Killed
When His Auto Strikes Cen
tral Cirder of Thirteenth
Street Structure.

The central span of the Broad
way bridge over Indian creek at
Thirteenth street, Council Bluffs,
registered its fifth fatality early
Sunday morning when B. w. Stew
art, 20, 24l7 Avenue Z, Council
Bluffs, was instantly killed as he
drove his car at terrific speed
against the sloping steel girder.
The momentum carried the car TO
the top of the span, nearly 20 feet
above the pavement, smashed the
danger signal lights and wrecked a
huge sign board placed on the sum-
nit of the girder. The car might
have gone over the whole span and
slipped safely down on the opposite
incline if the way had been clear.
The impact against the strong frame
work of the sign turned the car over
and it ended its aerial flight by
dropping to the pavement. ..
Stewards skull was crushed and
his face so disfgured as to make
identification impossible at the time.
His identity was not disclosed un-
til acquaintance recognized him by
his clothing after the body had been
taken to the morgue of Henry CUT
Ter, coroner. The identification plate
on the dash of the car bore the name
of c. l.. Crowley, proprietor Of the
Douglas garage, 622 West Broad
way. The car was owned by Crow
ley. ...-
Car Was Speeding.
Stewart was employed in the ga
rage and frequently drove the car.
He was returning from an after
midnight trip to Omaha and was
alone when the accident occurred. c.
H. Berke, 1917 West Broadway, was
one of the eyewitnesses. He said
Stewart approached the bridge at the
utmost speed of the car, more than
60 miles an hour. The car struck
the girder in such way that it bal
.anced perfectly as it shot up the in
cline 1t met no obstruction until it
smashed into the steel framework OF
the sign.
The victim was thoroughly familiar
with the bridge. The garage where
he is employed is only few blocks
away and he had driven over the
structure hundreds of times. He
had been previously employed by the
Wickham firm and had lived in the
Bluffs IA years. He was unmarried
and had served overseas during the
war with the Dodge engineers.
He is survived by his parents, Mr.,
and Mrs. J. Z. Stewart, 24l7 Avenue
D; two brothers, H. c. Stewart OF
Council Bluffs and ]. F. Stewart OF
Omaha, and one sister, Mrs. II. R.
Joseph of Moline, Ill. He was born
in. King City, Mo, and had been a
resident of Council Bluffs since 1907
He was a member of the First
Christian church. The funeral will
be held at the Cutler chapel, Tues
day at 2 p. IN. Service will be con-
Quoted by the pastor of the Christian
church, Rev. c. o. Stuckenbruck
Burial will be in Walnut Hill ceme-
terry.
Four Others Killed.
The previous fatalities, caused
by the central girder, occurred aft
er midnight on March 4, 1919, when
a car driven by Tom Allen flew
through the air nearly IS feet after
striking the girder. Allen, Edgar
Hutchins and Mrs. John Brock
were instantly killed and Edward
Shank died soon after being taken
TO the hospital. Brock was the
only person in the car who escaped
fatal injuries.
A suit for $4,000 damages,
brought by the administrator Of the
Hutchin's estate, was tried in the
district court in the Bluffs three
weeks ago and taken from the jury
when counsel for the city showed
that the bridge not only conformed
with the law, but is wider and safer
than the law requires. The drive
ways on either side are nearly 80
feet wide and the state law pre-
scribes Is feet.
1t is a singular coincidence that
Crowley, owner OF the car wrecked
yesterday, was the salesman who
sa1d the ,,,to,,,ah;1o <a Allan <ts J,p