Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-12

Chester. Pa, Sept 11-Twenty four ra-sons were drowned and five others -ar.ous,y injured in the collapse last night -f the bridge spanning the Chester River at Third street. in the heart of .re city's business district. The police made this announcement tonight after rsrs had definitely determined no more bodies remained in the water.
 A small wrcuEht-iron gusset plate, par. of the support for a foot-path along .#r side of 10" structure, which had .sr HJI eaten by rust gave way under ... weight q nearly a hundred persons a.7 were attracted to the spot by the .rtes af a drowning boy and precipitated -.e victims into the river.
 The las, body Co be dragge from the F.a0 mud al the bottom of the river was ..s- of year old Charles Apostclus. the d whose death was the inadvertent cause ot inc accident. It was recovered --n-fIy before noon. today. and placed s- -he end of the TOW of q victims whose -1i.ss rep sed in a morgue awaiting re- uosai 'o their former homes.
 Al of trN dead were residents of -r-z-e- and most of them had just -rs-~rd The tuSiness district en route to '-c---re or stores Little Charles Apos- .-s was in a large group of children T.- NE-- standing on the river bank - Inc rear of a theatre. watching the t-.'cs of a bear which was to appear n The show. In some manner he was --1cked into the river by one of his ex- -red uiaymates and his cries fer help. o-e--er with The tumult that accompan- cd the accident attracted the crowds. Several hundred persons dashed for the mali bridge and others were trying to push on 10 it when, without the slight
  'r-S.si. The boardwalk dropped and r'r persona were struggling for life .r muddy water. A score more still .ru- Co Inc bent hand rail and iron sl-.r pipes. fighting desperately to reach afaty
 Tn. victims were caught in a veritable death trap. Al the point of the accident th0 water Is sixteen feet dec1. The river .s scarcely aeorc than twenty fee. wide a-f factory and store walls are built ." .rs very edge Those who could swim found .t Impossible Co scale the siippery Erus and debris 70 which they miEh cling had faIlsn Into the water. Tn, rr1'-a'h simply dropped and hung t' twisted supports.
 mirue after the accident had oc ----d haf dozen men dove in an, aHsI half-drowned men. women am -rldre- out or The tangled mass of hu ra-ity Several boats hurried to tn a-eun and rescued others One youn -.7r-.st was nearby and hurried to th -..-se ohIivious of his own danger Frantic persons snatched at his cano H-d tipped it over in second. Tn rsr- man swan 10 safety. towing --i with him but got away before hi -H~e was learned.
 -S770" George Pierce. a Chester riee rHH--Is7. was nearby in his sldf. H -- rr tre boat into the midst of th -rv-inr mass and brought 10 safet --r persons Returning. he dove an -.r-vs-sd five bodies before he va breed to quit from exhaustion.
 r1 Tho meantime every available fire nan and policeman in tho city had bee --ri f0 -1c scene While some erec -5 temporary dam of fire ladders an r rrts t7 prevent bodies from fostin r- o- the tide. others dragged the river I'd for bodies. Many of the victims wer covered before midnight and physician i- every effort at resuscitstion befol r1-a was abandoned Those who shove --r- rf life were sent to hospitals bl
 v fvr of these are still alive.
 Ar -1e first shock of the accidel ~H-a nG today there was a general d -srI throughout the city for a tho ugh investigation into the cause accident. Charles and count, s-rez were made by and against Il rs-f of comm issioners of Delawa
 7-v which is responsible for tr -i0u of The bridge Police Chief
 Davenport said only two of tt Bro h0It= supposed 10 sustain the ar aHa70r-in- inc footpath were capable -finr any a7rreciable weight. Othe
 ~ The bridge had been condemn .rr-al years ago.
 Thomas J. Fceley. g member of t -r--E. denied these accusations and rs dthe following statement:
 One of the first persons on the see re morning was H H. Quimby. chi s--ireer 0f the Philadelphia Rap r-a-si' Company who made thorou ruf unofficial inspection. He pointed c hat fhe arm which snapped was su -r--ni by a wrought-iron gusset pla rh.rh had been badly eaten by rust. Eae a'so he said undoubtedly fa1i;y obstruction originally and Self Of ---h had been broken by a 'Drogressi --ea--'
 Thc county engineer inspected { bridge ten months ago and nronounc
 s-fe for trsf1c Under these circu stances I cannot see how any blame s--nr- 70 tha board of comm.ssi one rr viii soc tEat this affair ls :nves gated most thoroughly"
 af leass tr-c other investigations V le s'arted ir-- ediatelv. one by the l-- dcpart-rrt and the other by r--onsr. Tho Inquest will be held --g-sdsy night