The New York herald., 1921-09-12
BRIDGE DISASTER
BLAMED ON DEFECT
Ten-Year-0ld Crack in Gusset
Plate Responsible, En-
gineer Finds.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YonK HERALD.
CHESTER, Pa, Sept. 11.-A cracked
gusset plate which was bolted instead
of being riveted was responsible for the
collapse of q section of footpath on
the Third street bridge over the Chester
River in this city Saturday night,
hurting twenty-five persons to their
death In the murky waters below.
All the bodies have been recovered.
The last found was that of Apostolos
Apostolic, s years old, who was the inno-
cent cause OF the tragedy. Three OF the
seven persons who are in the Chester
Hospital are not expected to recover,
The section of the bridge collapsed
when several hundred persons rushed
upon it to watch the rescue OF the
Apostola boy, who had fallen into the
river, which is only one hundred rect
wide.
This morning II. II. Quimby, CHIEF
engineer Of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company, and Edward Tempier
made ar inspection of the bridge 70
determine the cause of the accident, and
after an inspection of several hours
made the following statement through
Thomas ]. Feeley, member or tne
County Commissioners:
"The gusset plate which supports one
OF the side arms. which in turn supports
the footpath. was made of wrought iron.
the bridge was faulty in construction.
The grain In the plate was perpendicular
instead Of being horizontal. and we
found a crack in the plate nearly eight
inches in length. The length OF the
gusset plate was fifteen inches, and the
old crack in the plate was eight incnes
long"
n was said that about ten years ago a
canalboat laden with coal broke loose
from it's moorings and jammed against
the bridge, bending the gusset plate.
The following morning an inspection
Of the bridge was made and the pen'
plate was located and the rivets were
cut out and workmen took the plate 70
the street whore, instead of putting In a
new plate, they attempted to straighteu
out the plate while 1t was cold. with the
result that the plate was cracked, De-
spite this crack, however. the plate was
nut back into place and bolted. When
the crowd surged on the bridge Saturday
night TO watch the rescue OF small poy
they seemed by fate 10 gather at the spot
where the cracked plate was uphoidinR
the footpath. Early this morning Cor
oner Charles lDrewes looked at the bridge
and condemned the whole structure. for
bidding any traffic across the bridge.
Many tales were told to-day Of tho
| rescues and attempted rescues both by
the heroes and by the persons who were
saved. The most remarkable was told
by Mrs Ethel Levin. mother OF six chill
| dren, who was thrown into the water.
II heard the cry that some one was
drowning" Mrs. Levin said, "and
| rushed to the bridge / heard a crack
and the next thing l knew 7 was in the
water and people were falling in upor
| me. / cannot swim, but attempted II
| and sank. The screams OF those In the
water around me I will never forget
| suddenly I saw man swimming toward
| he He seemed TO be smiling. He
| grabbed me by the hair and that is all
remember until I woke up In the hos
pital."
The man who rescued Mrs. Levin was
Charles Dressenburcher. who swan tc
| the river bank with her and turned her
over TO persons who dragged her ashore
| Dresscnburcher then stood Mrs. Levin
| on her head while several men beat hcf
on the back In an effort to get the water
from her lungs. and then helped put heI
In an automobile TO be rushed to the
hospital Mrs. Levin's husband who
conducts a store several doors from the
bridge, rushed to the waters edge after
| the disaster. He saw his wife battling
for her life in the water and shouted for
somo one 10 save her, as he was unable
to swim himself He saw Dresser
burcher bring her 10 shore. but bcfors
he could thank the hero Dresscnburchei
had again dived to the assistance oi
several other drowning persons.
Another member of the Levin family
| Alexander, years old was standing be.
side his mother leaning against tbs
! railing when the collapse occurred. III
held fast to the railing and climbed bach
TO safety Once q man grasped him by
the foot and was pulling him into the
river, but he managed TO break loose tbs
death clutch and he, too. was dragged
to safety.
Abraham Asnis was swimming under
the bridge when the crowd was hurled
into the water. He rescued Ida Sharov
] . years old.