The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-14
PROBE ON
Of CRASH !.
At BEACH.
Resort Officials Promise Rigid
Investigation for Collapse Of
Bridge, lnjuring Many.

Bridge, lniuring Many. !
Arigid Investigation into the cause
OF the boardwaik collapse last night
Ct Chesapeake Beach, when at least
forty persons were injured, six of
them sserionSiy, was inaugurated
today BY officials Of the bay resort.
& M4ny, Persons In Crash.
A crowd Of pleasure seekers who
had come to the beach with the Gavel
Club of Master Nfasons' outing,
oroNsded the boardwalk which runs
adjacent to the dancing pavilion, to
watch the dancing. e
With loud crash q section Of the
boardwalk, eight feet wide by twelve
FEET in length. collapsed. In d
twfnkiing sixty persons, among them
many women and children. were
hurled Into the bay. There is only
two feet Of water at the point where
the boardwalk collapsed. but The crop
no mthe promenade to the water II
It least. ten feet.
Comment Of Officials.
W. #. Jones. president OF the Ches-
apeake Beach Railway Company. said
today he was present when the acct
dent occurred. He declared the num-
Der of injured reported had been ex-
eggerated. AS soon as the accident
happened, he said, every effort was
Chesapeake Beach and of the railway
company TO assist the injured.
Mr.. Jones stated that the accident
seemed to him to have resulted en-
tirely from too many people massine
on q small portion OF the boardwalk
which extends along the whole water
front Of the town of !, Chesapeake
Beach and "as the result OF the sud.
den weight this boardwalk. which was
strong built, of the best pilinR and
timbers and had been thoroughly In.
spected by the officials Of the town
Of Chesapeake Beach. collapsed in q
spot about ten by fourteen feet and
the people who happened
to be at this point into the water,
which was very shallow"
Mr.. Jones said 1t Is almost impos-
sibls where crowds Of people assemble
to prevent congestion and accident.
no matter what precautions may be
taken in the construction Of stands.
wharves. piers. boardwalks and sim
liar structures to make them reason
ably safe for all emergencies which
can be foreseen.
Fyewitnesses today described the
attempts Of the ic-stricken piecs-
ure seekers to seek safety san uie
beach.
''It was hell--nothing less" said A:
c. c'Jimmy'D Boyd. an empioye OF
The Washington Times, who narrow
ly escaped injury.
s"You cannot imagine the contrast
brought in brief moment" he con.
tinuea. : .1Phere were thousands ~
Washing women ana
children-having the time Of then
lives on the outing. The next minute
broke loose.
my. wife, my brother!in-law and
M self were within a few feet of the
spot where the accident occurred.
There wsis a large crowd on the board
walk at that point. A little girl had
Just finished a solo, dance. and the
crowd clamored for an encore.
without warning the walk gave
way. ! ran to the edge of the aper-
ture in the boardwalk and saw what
seemed to me hundreds of persons
struggling in the water. Some were
being carried out unconscious by their
comrades and the police, who did
most efficient work. Others were
screaming In panic.
Women Faint.
All along the DOdruWalk women
tainted. Many had allowed their chill
ga 20 leave their care to have
good time. The accident caused them
to conjure up visions Of their Off
sp.l,, .ounnedposs;t!y dead. Many
their injuries as the result
of being struck by benches and planks
from the boardwalk"
first aid was given by several
who were attending the
outing. The injured were rushed
aboard special train and brought
to this city. where ambulances and
police patrol wagons carried the
Victims to hospitals or to their
homes.
While responding to the emergency
call. the patrol wagon Of the Second
precinct collided with a Washington
Railway and Electric car at Ninth
and II streets northeast. Policemen
Paul Nicholson and John Foley were
slightly scratched and bruised. The
wagon was badly damaged.
Repair work on the damaged board
walk was begun early this morning.
officials of Chesapeake Beach said.
The boardwalk has accommodated rs
high as 5000 persons, one official
said. He declared there were only
5000 on the Gavel Club excursion.