New Britain herald., 1930-07-23
SCORES DROWN AS
 BRIDGE COLLAPSES
(Continued From First Page)

sJble assistance, the president con- tinued, in a voice trembling with emotion, May God comfort the widows and orphans"
 All present arose and stood for few moments in silent tribute 10 the dead as the president ceased speak ing. Non Hindenburg then left for Berlin.
 City Provides Burial
 Oberburgermeister Russell an- rounced that the city would defray all expenses incurred in the buria. of the victims
 At police headquarters it was stat ed that watches found on victims had stopped at 11:15 last night
 The pathetic fate os the little American boy. Raymond l.avler. ot Akron, O., excites universal sym pathy
 Consternation is great at botr Treves and Aix-La-Chapeue were where elaborate preparations had been made for the festive recep- ton Of the president. Scores Of ex- cursion trains had 10 be cancelled by telegraph. These included sev- eral from the Saar region.
 It was Impossible however. to give notice of the tragedy at Cohlenz 10 thousands travelling in automobiles that were converginE upon these two historic cities. Many Of them it is believed. will arrive q, their destination in ignorance Of the ca tastrophe that plunged tho whole Rhineside into grief.
 Recover Bodies
 Thirty-f five bodies Of tha between 100 and 150 persons who were swept into q bachwater Of the Mo selle river hy the collapse of the bridge last night had been recover ed by 9 o'clock this morning.
 Exactly how many perished prob ably will not he known until rela- atives report those missing from home, for the spot was dark and there was no way Of determining just how many went down on the flimsy little crossing.
 It was heavily crowded. however. by those who had been watching fireworks from the historic fort ress of Ehrenbreitstein to celebrate the evacuation Of the Rhineland by French troops, and reliable esti- mates place the number up 10 15e.
 Of the thirty-four recovered. sev- enteen were men. eleven women and six children. Ten were rescued ana taken 10 a hospital
 Nuns Among Victims
 Among the victims were Sisters of Mercy who were in charge of a group of school girls.
 The bridge. which was only 75 feet long and rested on just two pontoons, was not designed 10 car " heavy traffic. It spanned the narrow estuary leading from the Moselle into the so-caled Floss hafen diagonally across the Moseue from 'Deuysches Eek" or German corner at the junction ot the Rhine and Moselle.
 When the great crowd which had gathered near Flosshafen 10 watch the illumination of the old fortress and another at 'Deutsches Eek" had started homeward. the short length Of the frail bridge quickly became massed with people
 The illumination Of EhreDbreit- stein was just dying and all those crossing crowded TO the side facing the display that they might see th4 tlnal glow. With this lopsided load the structure suddenly dropped into the water.
 Frenzied shouts for aid were heard and police and firemen quick Iy began rescue work by torchlight. Their efforts were handicapped bv the tendency Of the panic-stricken victims 10 cling to one another as they went under. Others were pinned beneath the collapsed framework and many Of the dead were strurL by loose timbers.
 Anxious relatives waited all night for the bodies 10 he extracted, while pltful scenes were witnessed in inc nearby shed used as q tmporarv m orcr,-1