People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1896 — FELL A HUNDRED FEET [ARTICLE]

FELL A HUNDRED FEET

ELECTRIC CAR GOES THROUGH A BRIDGE. Frightful Disaster Causes Mourning at Victoria, B. C. Fully Fifty Person < Believed to Have Been Killed Ll«t of the Dead. Victoria, B. C., May 27—An electric car, crowded with people, broke through the Point Ellice bridge Tuesday afternoon and nearly all the sixty passengers were drowned. It is believed that fully fifty fives have been lost. A sham fight and a review were to take place at Macauley Point, near Esquimault, in the afternoon, and crowds were making their way there by every route. All the tram cars were packed. Two cars left Government street with more than 100 people. The first got over Point Ellice bridge, which crossed Victoria Arm safely. When the other car was about half way over the middle span of the bridge, about 150 feet in length, gave way, and the car plunged into the water, some 100 feet below. Numbers of the bodies have already been got out, and the work of identification is proceeding. It is a difficult matter, as a great many of the bodies are those of visitors. So far as known the dead are: Mrs. Adams, Widow, Victoria; Frederick Adams, her son; E. B. Carmichael, Victoria, and his wife; J. B. Gordon, of Vancouver, representative of Bradstreet’s; Mr. Edmonds, of Victoria; Miss Nathan, of Sprin Ridge. Mr. Bossi, a storekeeper of Victoria. Arthur Fullerton, son of W. E. Fullerton, of Spring Ridge, Victoria. Mrs. Heatherbell, wife of William Heatherbell, of Victoria, Mr. Wilson, of Victoria. J. A. Van Bookkelin, a prominent citizen of Port Townsend. Miss Annie Keast,daughter of Arthur Keast. deputy register of the Supreme court, Victoria. Charles Leveridge of Spring Ridge, Victoria. Mrs. G. I. Post, Victoria. James McCurdy, of Port Townsend. E. B. Carmichael, commission agent, Master Post, son of G. I. Post. Archie Biggar, aged 6, son of George W. Biggar.

Miss Biggar, aged 5, daughter of George W. Biggar. Frank Orestat. bootblack. Miss Minnie Robertson, daughter of W. A. Robertson. Mrs. E. B. Carmichael. Holmes, bookkeeper of Sayvard Milling company. Miss Sophia Smith. Miss Birt, Anacortes, Wash. James Lorie. William Pearson. Miss Turner. The two Misses Bowness. Miss F. Jackson. Giuseppe Rowe. A son of Sergeant Major Mulchahey Emma Otsen. Miss Grace Alford. Mr. James. Thomas Patterson. Gabriel Matteriqi Mrs. Trout, Seattle. Mrs. Woodhouse, Seattle. Mr. Jackson, a cattle man. Miss Flora Jackson. H. Talbot, motorman. George Farr, conductor. Mrs. Housean. James Henry Tyack. Miss Ida Goodacre, Tacoma. Besides the above, Mrs. Lout, of Seattle and Miss Ida Goodacre are known to have been on the car and are missing. There were several carriages on the bridge, and these were also precipitated into the water. Superintendent Wilson was driving one of these, and had his five children with him. He succeeded in saving himself and four of the children. The fifth, a little boy, was wedged between some iron bars and was drowned. Among the saved are the following: Ex-Alderman W. A. Robertson, of Victoria, head badly cut. Canon Paddon, of Victoria, bruised and nearly drowned. G. W. Biggar, bruised and nearly drowned. Mrs. Biggar, badly cut about the head. Dr. Lange, badly bruised. As soon as the news of the accident reached Macaulay the review was brought to a speedy termination, as, under the circumstances, was possible, and the sham fight was abandoned. The sad affair has cast a deep gloom over the city.