Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1921-06-17

Most of the men were able to walk
ashore on the debris but few swan out
and others were brought ashore in boats
which were rowed to them as quickly as
possible. Every mans clothing was
tlrenched. as all went under water some
of them being carried down many feet.
| Several of the employees started for
their roOming places, but the majority
gathered around the time-keeper's Office.
DIR. Harry p. Greene and Mrs. Lucy Wells
Lazcll, nurse. soon were on hand and gave
the men such attention as they needed.
Supt. Dan Burns of Richmond. Va,
who had charge of the erection OF the
bridge stood behind the travelling crane
when the bridge collapsed. He was car
ried under water, but was not scratched,
and he was taken out by boat.
The other men and their places of resi-
dence are as follows: Harry George of
Schenectady, N Y. s. II. Rowzee of New
London. Conn, Edward OKeefe or
! Springfield, Mass, II. G. Thompson of
Lynchburg, Va, Thomas f. Doyle of Brat
tlcboro, Peter Rakusick and Tony Raku-
sick of Crcmenton. n. Y. Clyde A. stew
art of Turner's Falls, Mass, Joseph j.
Klinshaw of Wiscassett. Me-, Porter ).
AIackcy of South Side. Tenn, Arthur F..
Moloney of Syracuse. \. Y. Dudley Moore
of I.ynchburg Va j. w. Strawbridgc of
Waterbury, Conn, G. G. LOvelace of Biz
mingham, Ala, ID. Il. Love of Petersburg.
Va. Harry Smith and Harry Johnson of
Syracuse. n. y, l.. +. Wilcox of Phoenix,
n. V, and c. f. Paul of Corning, \. \.
]. w. Strawbrdge of Waterbury,
Conn. received scratches on one leg, Dud-
ley Moore of Lynchburg. Va. sustained
an injury to one foot. but was able to
walk to his room. and Charles Paul of
| Corning. y. y, and Harry Johnson of
Syracuse were bruised on their arms.
The work of riveting was begun that
morning, and about 100 rvcts had been
put in place; Harry Smith of Syracuse
was under the temporary railroad track
on the bridge riveting when the piles
snapped. but he was not injured in any
way. which seems almost incredible.
When asked for a statement as to the
cause of the accident Supt. Burns told
The Phoenix man that as nearly as he
could determine one of the 65-foot piles on
the north side of the falsework, near the
Island Park end, snapped first. Then of
course with the settling of the bridge
there was no way to prevent the rest OF
the piles from giving way. The piles on
each side of the falsewOrk We're set in
pairs and were carrying, including ma
chinery, not more than 10 tons, Mr.
Burns said, which he considered as con-
sidcrably less than such substantial piles
as were used on this job should carry.
This is the first serious accident
have had in 81 years of experience in
bridge building" Mr. Burns said. 1T is
wonderful that nobody was killed, and
such thing never could happen again
without loss of life
At the time of the accident the travel
inb crane was not in operation, Mr.
Burns declared in contradiction of a re-
, port that the crane was hosting one OF
the heavy top cords and had swung it out
so far that the weight tipped the travel
ing crane over against the upright stce
posts. which were held together only by I
few bolts, awaiting final riveting.
, Mr.. Burns said that about two-third.
of the material was in place, the Other
one third being in the railroad yard ThC
extreme length of the bridge was 33(
G feet and when complete the structure
4 was to weight about 325 tons. 1t is doubt
full if much of the steel now in the river
can be used.
Mr.. Burns said he would get in toucl
with the head Office of the American
D Bridge Co. at Philadelphia at once and h,
r expected that the work of removing thu
- wreck would be begun without delay. Ill
thought it would be possible to get sucl
new pieces as are necessary and have thu
bridge completed this year.
r The work of putting up the sides of tn,
= bridge was begun Tuesday afternoon o
IiulS Ntth uu ilH " WV iulNS
t work and the laying of the supporting
stringers. and good progress had beel
made, the middle section and one section
on either side of the middle having beoI
put up and some of the top connecting
c cords having been put in place. 1t wa
O expected that the bridge would be read
- for travel before the end of July.
This loss is the third that has OC
Cured at the bridge site beginning Mare
2S, 1920 On that date the steel bridg
n which this one was to replace was carrie
n away with the loss of one life. that O
Cornelius Flanagan. who lived on tn
island. That bridge is now on the bottom
of the river about 800 feet down stream
The Fred r. Ley Construction Co. @
n Springfield, Mass, built a temporary Pill
n bridge in the summer of last year, tn
= job being under the direction of Rober
% Coombs of BrattNboro. Meanwhile tn
lcontract for a new bridge had bee