Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-04
Impossible to Determine
Number Dead in kelsO
Catastrophe
FORTY ARE RESCUED
River is Dragged in Effort
to Recover Bodies OF
Victims
(Ry Tnited Press.)

Kclso, Wash, Jan. 4.-Eighty lives
may have been lost when the kelso
bridge collapsed late yesterday, au-
thorities estimated today.
II will be impossible to determine
the exact casualties as there Is no
way of telling how many persons were
on the bridge when the cables snap
ned and the great structure with It's
human freight lurched into the tur-
buleat waters of the Cowltz river
Witnesses agreed that the number
on the bridge was approximately loo,
although some thought higher.
Forty are known to have been res
cued.
An additional number rushed to
safety from the bridge approaches
when the first warning came that the
bridge was tottering.
Eleven names are listed as known
to be missing
One man died in hospital today.
On basis of $50 persons having
been on the bridge, authorities be-
Heved that these figures accounted Tor
all but approximately eihgty
Eve witnesses ana those who saved
themselves from the water or who
: fled back to the banks at the tlrst
omnious cracking Of the splinterlng
timbers, saw several men, women and
children clutching at floating debris
in vain efforts TO save themselves as
the rushing yellow flood carried them
down stream.
JInintelhgible screams FOR help
reached the horror stricken witnesses
on the river banks, who, powerless
to aid. shouted directions to the
crews of the steamers Pomona and
Cowlitz, which were plOughng against
the current to reach the struggling
scores. They saved many persons.
For two weeks the bridge has been
subjected to the pressure of Jam
OF LOGS which had broken loose and
piled up against the piers. Officers
had been stationed at the approaches
to REGULATE traffic Wednesday even
ING when the bridge was crowded TO
capacity by men returning from work.
Kelso, Wash, Jan. divers work
ed in the rushing waters Of the Cow
litz River today to recover the bodies
of thirty or more persons believed
killed when the kelso bridge collasps-
ed.
Eleven are known to be missing,
| Eve witnesses declared at least
score more were either drowned or
| killed when the bridge buckled, NO
bodies had been recovered at an early
hour today.
Eight men were rescued and rushed
to hospitals where they were reported
/ in a serious condition.
Rescue work proceeded throughout
the night. Great fires burned on the
banks and threw wierd light over
the flood swollen waters and the tang
led timbers of the crumpled bridge
Groups of men and women, carrying
lantern-ceaselessly patrolled the
banks of the Cowlitz for miles below
the bridge, searching for bodies.
Launches and river steamers work
ed with graphing hooks and drag
lines.
More than $50 people were on the
bridge when it collapsed. Ten or
more automobiles went down with the
structure.
The bridge crashed without warn
ing, as workers on the new LongView
Hotel were returning to their homes.
One of the supporting cables snapped
and wild scramble for safety foi-
lowed. The entire structure swayed;
The east tower collapsed and plunged
against a steel bridge, under construc-
ton alongside. iniuring several WORK
men. Another tower plunged INTO
the stream.
The long middle span and the JACK
knife draw buckled and turned, huri-
ing the pedestrians and automooiies
into the river.
Thrilling rescues and heroic strug-
giles for life followed while scores OF
friends and relatives stood on the
banks, powerless to help.
Many bodies were believed tangieu
in the wreckage through which the
water rushed like a mill race.
Efforts to check the dead were
blocked as many of the persons on
Continued on page siX)
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