Evening journal., 1921-09-12
25 Killed, DrolUned BY
Chester Bridge Collapse
Continued from First Page

day Inspected the bridge to deter
mine the cause OF the accident. AZ
ter long examination of the struc-
ture they issued the following state
ment, through Thomas j. Feeley, "A
member of the County Commits
sioners:
The gusset plate which supports
one OF the sidearms. 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
inches long and had been there for
eleven years. It is what we call a
progressive break"
When the plate was nubolted from
the bridge it was seen that the plate
was nearly crystallized and the piece
OF gusset plate could almost be
bros1n with ones fingers. 1t was
saiu mat about ten years ago a canal
boat laden with coal broke loose
from its moorings a hundred feet up
the river and jammed against the
bridge. A rising tide forced the
canal boat further against the bridge
bending the gusset plate.
The morning following the canal
boat accident an inspection OF the
bridge was made and the bent plate
was located. The rivets were cut out
OF II and workmen took the plate to
the street. Instead Of putting in a
new plate. they attempted to
straighten out the plate while it was
cold, with the result that the plate
cracked. Despite that crack. how
ever, the plate was put back into
place and bolted.
Old Plate Couldn't Stand Strain.
When the crowd surged on the
bridge to watch the rescue of the
small boy they seemed by fate to
gather at the spot where the crack
ed plate was upholding the footpath.
The strain was too much for the
plate. and. az the crack was run
ming with the grain. the bridge foot
path broke loose from the bridge
proper when the other seven inches
Of the plate tore loose.
Early yesterday Coroner Charles
Drewes looked at the bridge and
condemned the whole structure. He
told the authorities that he would
forbid any traffic across the bridge
despite the fact that only the foot
path seemed In danger. Ropes were
thrown across both ends OF the
bridge and no one was allowed to
! cross.
Ten minutes after Coroner Drewes
left the scene the ropes were taken
down and pedestrians and vehicles
were allowed to pass over. Wnen
Mr. Drewes heard OF the disregard
ing OF his orders be rushed back "a
the bridge and again ordered 'he
structure closed. Today, however
pedestrians were allowed to cross in
the vehicular section.
Coroner Drewes said that ht
would hold an Inquest into the death
OF the twenty-five victims and in the
meantime would make \ complete
investigation and attempt % place
the responsibility for tn disaster.
The bridge was inspected about
ten months ago and repairs made
on the wooden footpath. but ther,
was no attempt 20 replace the split
plate. The bridge was built N 1885
by the Cofrode & saylor Company
Of Philadelphia
Find Body OF Innocent Cause
Little Apostelos Bospal was one OF
crowd Of young children playing
about a vacant lot on the shore OF
Chester river, about a hundred fee
above the bridge. They we're watch
ing a bear, used in a local vaud evil,
theatres program, being exercise,
by It's handlers. Suddenly Bospe
drew close to the brink in his joyous
prancing. A moment and he wal
helplessly engulfad in the river wa
ters.
While bystanders sought to pul
the lad ashore the cry OF drown
ling" was taken up by the chill
dren and quickly spread through
} out the vicinity. In a few minute
the bridge was filled with person
who rushed to the vantage point
Then came a reverberating. tearinl
crash. The girder had given way
and opened a chute-shaped spac
into which poured struggling mel
and women and children.
Still others were rushing towarl
Z the scene, and glimpsing the van
lshing into space OF those who ha,
been standing before them tried L
draw back. but they we're pushed oi
into the void by those in the rea
who packed eagerly forward in al
unrealizing stampede.
Crowd Panic-Stricken.
AS the aperture opened beneat
the curious crowd that had bee
standing there, mothers bearing in
! fants in their arms, older childre
{ clinging to hands OF parents, oil
p men and young men and women. an
, boys and girls, instinctively strivin
! for self-preservation. reachin
o. clutchingly out. grasping the limb
q and clothing OF those near then
and all hurtled together. a jumbl
mass OF tangled humanity, into IN
river below. Many Of them sunk a
once to the muddy bottom. and be
coming fastened there. failed to ris
above the huge splash they thre
up.
At the sound Of the crash. hui
dreds Of others thronged aboi
the wrecked bridge, many joinln
at once in the work OF rescue. wcr
was quickly flashed TO police. hrs
men and the hospitals, and the re,
cue work was on in earnest.
Victims Slide Into River.
As the collapsing structure form
ed into the ~" shapcd openinp b,