1890 — Jan 9, Bridge Caisson No. 1, floods, Ohio River, near Jeffersonville, IN — 14

–21  Childress, Morton O. Sr. Louisville Division of Police, 1806-2002. “Disasters.” 2005, 93.

–20  Olean Democrat, NY. “The Caisson Disaster.” 1-23-1890, 1.

–17  Logansport Daily Reporter, IN. “The Louisville Horror.” 1-11-1890, 3.[1]

–16  Appletons’ Annual Cyclopaedia…of the Year 1890 (Vol. 15). “Disasters in 1890,” p. 251.

–16  Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Sixteen Dead. A Burst of Water Entombs Men…” 1-10-1890, 1.

–16  Indiana Democrat, PA. “Death in a Caisson. Sixteen…Believed…Drowned…” 1-16-1890.

–16  Marion Daily Star, OH. “Drowned in a Caisson. Sixteen Lives Lost…” 1-10-1890, 1.

–16  Piqua Leader, OH. “Sixteen Lost. Terrible Disaster…Bridge at Louisville…” 1-11-1890, 1

–14  Annual Statistician and Economist 1892 (Vol. 16). L. P. McCarty, 1892. p. 70.

–14  Blanchard estimate based on named fatalities reported and coroner’s report on 14 deaths.[2]

–14  Bradford Era, PA. “Electric Flashes.” 1-18-1890, 1.

–14  Carroll Sentinel, IA. “A River Disaster. A Louisville Caisson Goes Down…” 1-17-1890, 1

–14  Daily Journal, Logansport, IN.  “Many Missing.” 12-17-1893, 1.

–14  Fort Wayne Gazette, IN. “An Appalling Accident…Caisson Gives Way…” 1-10-1890, p.1.

–14  NYT. “Fourteen Lives Lost. A Caisson of…Bridge Gives Way…Fatal Results.” 1-10-1890.

–14  Sunday Journal, Logansport, IN. “Telegraphic Brevities.” 1-19-1890, 4.

–14  The Reveille, Rolfe, IA. “Fourteen Killed.” 1-16-1890, 1.

–12  Kleber, John E. (Ed.). The Encyclopedia of Louisville.  “Big Four Bridge,” 2001, p. 89.

–12  Ominousweather.com. “Big 4 Bridge: Jeffersonville to Louisville.”

 

Narrative Information

Childress: In providing background to the December 15, 1893 bridge collapse disaster of this same bridge, Childress writes: “In three years of construction, it had already claimed the lives of twenty-one workers when air being pumped into a caisson the men were working in stopped, causing the water pressure outside the caisson to force its way in to the under-water coffin. Four men lived to tell of their ordeal.” (Childress, Morton O. Sr. Louisville Division of Police, 1806-2002. “Disasters.” 2005, 93.)

Kleber: “Construction began on October 10, 1888. A year later the first losses of life occurred when a caisson, holding water away from the work on a pier foundation on the riverbed, flooded and drowned twelve workers.” (Kleber, John E. (Ed.). The Encyclopedia of Louisville.  “Big Four Bridge,” 2001, p. 89.)

Ominousweather.com: “The Big Four Bridge would be the only Louisville bridge with serious accidents during its building; thirty-seven individuals died during its construction. The first twelve died while working on a pier foundation when a caisson that was supposed to hold back the river water flooded, drowning the workers.” (Ominousweather.com. “Big 4 Bridge: Jeffersonville to Louisville.”) [See Dec 15, 1893 for event with 21 fatalities.]

 

Newspapers

Jan 9, Fort Wayne Gazette: “Louisville, January 9.–The most appalling accident here in many years occurred this evening about 6 o’clock. Caisson No. 1,[3] on the Jefferson bank,[4] about one hundred yards from the Kentucky shore, gave way as the workmen of the pumping station were looking for the men in the caisson to put off in their boat leaving for the night. Suddenly they saw the structure disappear in the dashing white waves. A runner was dispatched to the life-saving station and three skiffs were manned and pulled to the scene of the wreck. The site of the bridge is at the upper end of the city, just below Towhead island. It was soon known that only four of eighteen men who were at work at that time had escaped. The bridge officials ordered the reporters off the pumping barge and made it as difficult as possible to get information.

“Corrected reports from the scene of the accident show fourteen killed. The men saved are all colored. The last man out of the caisson was Frank Haddix. He was barely saved by a man named Murray who dragged him from where he was caught which was waist-deep in quicksand. A man saved named Taylor says he stood nearest the iron ladder by which they got in and out of the caisson. He heard a rumbling and there was a rush of air at the same instant. He jumped up the ladder, followed by the other men. They had hardly got clear of the caisson when the water burst through the man-hole in a surge, knocking them all into the river, where they were picked up. Haddix says he saw one Ham Morris who was climbing next below himself, swiftly drawn under by the sand and heard his cries for help but could do nothing.

“The caisson is not wrecked as at first supposed, but has settled down in the bed of the stream, completely filled with sand and water. The pumping station is hard at work clearing the way to the bodies, but none will be reached to-night. There seems absolutely no hope for any of those caught within the caisson. John Knox, the gang boss, took charge of the work last Monday. The negroes who escaped say he had them dig too deep before letting the caisson settle and digging was too close to the shoe of the caisson. Just before the accident Knox have some orders to Robert Baldwin, keeper in charge of the upper door to the exit. Baldwin opened this door and compressed air, which kept out the river, rushed out, letting in the stream. The men say they were working in an ugly quicksand at the time. The caisson was abut forty feet by twenty, and was build of timbers twelve inches square. It was protected by a coffer-dam, but the river is very high and the pressure of water very great.” (Fort Wayne Gazette, IN. “An Appalling Accident. A Caisson Gives Way…” 1-10-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 9: “Louisville, Ky., Jan. 9. – The most appalling accident known here in many years occurred this evening about 6 o’clock. It was nearly time for work to stop all over the city and working-men were expected home by their families when the report spread rapidly that there was a wreck or crash of some kind at the new bridge now under construction between Louisville and Jeffersonville.  It was at first reported that a span of the bridge had fallen and that a gang of men had been thrown into the river, but this was at once denied, as there was no span in existence; then came the truth that a caisson had given way, and the workmen employed in it had been crushed to death by stone and timbers.

“The caisson known as No. 1 was about 100 yards from the Kentucky shore.  As the workmen of the pumping station were looking for the men in the caisson to put off in their boats, leaving work for the night, they suddenly saw the low, dark structure disappear in dashing, white waves, and heard, before they could realize what had happened, the roar of the furious maelstrom.  A runner was dispatched to the life-saving station, and three skiffs were manned and pulled to the scene of the wreck.

“Word was sent to the police station, and a squad was at once ordered to the ground to aid in the work of recovery.  The Coroner was called and went with a corps of physicians.

“The site of the bridge is at the upper end of the city, just below Towhead Island. Within an hour from the disappearance of the caisson 3,000 people were on the shore and strained their eyes trying to see something of the wreckage.  Dozens of boats were plying about over the spot where the caisson had stood and lights danced to and from with them, but there was no trace of the massive structure of stone and timber which had kept off the hungry river, to give hope to the anguish-stricken mothers and wives who stood in the throng on the shore.

“The water roiled sullenly but smoothly down from the coffer dam above the pumping barge below where the caisson had stood.  It was soon known that only four of the eighteen men who were at work at that time had escaped.

“The bridge officials ordered the reporters off the pumping barge and made it difficult as possible to get information.

“The following is a list of the killed:

Haynes, William E., forth years, Clay-street, Louisville.

Knox, John, twenty-eight years.

McAdams, James, twenty-six years, Hyde Park, Penn.

Mahar, Frank, twenty-three years, native of New Jersey.

Naylor, Patrick, twenty-seven years, Philadelphia.

Ash, Thomas, colored, thirty-eight years, Henderson, Ky.

Bowling, Monroe, colored, thirty-four years, Henderson, Ky.

Chiles, Charles, colored, thirty years, Henderson, Ky.

Johnson, Thomas, colored, thirty years, Henderson, Ky.

Gordon, Joseph, colored, twenty-five years, Henderson, Ky.

Morris, Hamilton, twenty years, Henderson, Ky.

Smith, Thomas, twenty-seven years, Henderson, Ky.

Soaper, Frank, colored, twenty-five years, Henderson, Ky.

Tyler, Robert, sixteen years, Henderson, Ky.

“The men saved are as follows: Abe Taylor, Lewis Coch, and Frank Haddox, all of Henderson, Ky.”  (New York Times.  “Fourteen Lives Lost. A Caisson of a New Bridge Gives Way With Fatal Results.” 1-10-1890.)

Jan 10, NYT: “Louisville, Ky., Jan 10.–Eighteen men working in the caisson used in the excavation of a foundation for the pier of the new bridge across the Ohio river, between this city and Jeffersonville, were caught last evening, by a sudden burst of water, caused, it is thought, by a too rapid excavation, and are believed to have drowned. Engines and workmen have been at work all night trying to pump out the water, repair the break and extricate the men, but thus far without success.

“At 12:20 o’clock this morning the bodies of three of the unfortunate victims were recovered by the workmen. Their positions showed that a desperate struggle had taken place at the narrow door to escape. One negro had succeeded in pulling his body through the aperture, but death had overtaken him must when life was promised.

“Another negro had partially crawled through. His hands were fastened by death in the clothing of the negro in front of him, showing that he had died in a desperate struggle to escape first. Between the two negroes was a white man. It appeared from his position that he was endeavoring to push back some one who was clinging to his legs. The bodies of three negroes were recovered, but not identified.

“The sand accumulating at the door by the sudden sinking of the caisson had wedged in the body of a white man in such a manner that it could not be removed at once. At 12:30 work was discontinued in order to allow the workmen to rest and refresh themselves. Later a fresh force was put on duty and the work renewed….

“Further investigation shows that two more men lost their lives, Hamilton Morris and Lewis Cox, making the total sixteen.”  (Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Sixteen Dead.” 1-10-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 10, NYT: “Louisville, Ky., Jan. 10. – At 12:20 o’clock this morning the bodies of three of the unfortunate victims of the caisson accident were recovered by the workmen….

“Mr. Ingle, the resident engineer of the bridge company, expressed the opinion that some one was evidently to blame for not having the trap door in proper condition, and also for the weakness of the caisson, which resulted in the leak.  He said that such accidents were rare, notwithstanding the great apparent danger, and that there was evidently gross negligence somewhere.

“The most plausible theory as to the cause of the accident is thus given by one of the survivors, Louis Crouch, and his story receives not a little credence from the Superintendent of the work.  Knox, the foreman, had been seen near the key which controls the air supply, and it is believed that he cut off the air more than he really intended to, causing the caisson to sink into the sand.  Should the remains of the first white man found prove to be Knox the theory will be strengthened, as the key which controls the air is only a short distance from the lower or fast trap, and Knox was the only white man near it.

“Mr. Charles Sooysmith, President of the company engaged in the construction of the bridge at Louisville, started for Louisville last night to investigate the cause of the disaster. ‘So far as I understand,’ he said to-day, ‘from the reports telegraphed from the manager in charge, the accident seems to have been due to circumstances that could not have been foreseen, and is one of the misfortunes which, with the best management and all foresight possible, are bound to occur occasionally in under-water undertakings.  The only wonder is that we have heretofore wholly escaped such serious consequences.  In this case, while the loss of life has been terrible, the work seems to have suffered no material damage.  The men who perished in the caisson had long been in the employ of the company and were thoroughly experienced in caisson work’.”  (New York Times. “That Caisson Accident. No One Seems To Know How It Was Caused Nor Who Is To Blame.” 1-11-1890.)

Jan 10, The Reveille: “Louisville, Ky., Jan 10. – The most appalling accident known here in many years occurred Thursday evening about 6 o’clock, fourteen lives being lost….

“The site of the bridge is at the upper end of the city, just below Tow Head Island. Within an hour from the disappearance of the caisson 3,000 people were on the shore and strained their eyes trying to see something of the wreckage.  Dozens of boats were plying about over the spot whore the caisson had stood, and lights danced to and fro with them, but there was no trace of the massive structure of stone and timber.  It was soon known that only four of the eighteen men who were at work at that time had escaped….

“The engineer’s theory of the accident, which is partially supported by facts obtained from the workmen who escaped, is that the foreman, who, it is alleged, had been drinking, while attempting to reduce the air pressure turned the valve of the supply pipe too far and the pressure on the interior of the caisson became so low that the caisson settled in the mud of its own weight, at the same time admitting the water.” (The Reveille, Rolfe, IA. “Fourteen Killed. Terrible Accident at the New Bridge Between Louisville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind. – A Drunken Foreman Responsible.” 1-16-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 11: “Louisville, Ky., Jan. 11. – No more bodies have been recovered at the bridge caisson since that of Hamilton Morris was taken from the outer lock of the entrance shaft Friday morning.  Two other bodies were visible to the men who brought out the body of Hamilton, packed in the mud and sand and wedged between the trap doors of the middle lock, where they had met death after escaping from the caisson room beneath, and in their struggle to get up the shaft had jammed the traps and prevented their own egress.  At 10 o’clock Friday night the air pumps were shut off and the work of attempting to reach the interior of the caisson through the shaft was abandoned.  Another caisson will be sunk alongside the old one, and an effort be made to reach the interior of the caisson room in which the fourteen workmen are entombed by working from the new caisson.”  (Logansport Daily Reporter, IN. “The Louisville Horror. Only One Body Recovered So Far from the Fatal Caisson.” 1-11-1890, p. 3.)

Jan 11: “Louisville, Ky., Jan. 11. – The most appalling accident known here in many years occurred Thursday evening about 6 o’clock, fourteen lives being lost. Following is a list of the killed:

William Haynes,

John Knox,

James McAdams,

Frank Mahar,

Pat Naylor,

Thomas Ash,

Monroe Rowling,

Charles Chiles,

Thomas Johnson,

Joseph Gordon,

Hamilton Morris,

Thomas Smith,

Frank Soaper and

Robert Tyler.

“The disaster was caused by the giving away of caisson No. 1 on the new bridge now being constructed between Louisville and Jeffersonville. The caisson was located about 100 yards from the Kentucky shore.

“A further investigation shows two more men to have lost their lives, making the total sixteen.

“As the work men of the pumping station were looking for the men in the caisson to put off in their boats, leaving work for the night, they suddenly saw the low, dark structure disappear in dashing white waves, and heard, before they could realize what had happened, the roar of the furious maelstrom.  A runner was dispatched to the lifesaving station, and three skiffs were manned and pulled to the scene of the wreck.  Word was sent to the police station and a squad was at once ordered to the ground to aid in the work of recovery.  The coroner was called and went with a corps of physicians.

“The last man out of the caisson was Frank Haddix. He was barely saved by Murray, who dragged him from where he was caught, waist deep, in the quicksand. Taylor says he stood nearest the iron ladder by which they got in and out of the caisson.  He heard a rumbling, and there was a rush of air almost at the same instant.  He jumped up the rungs of the ladder, followed by the other men. They had hardly got clear of the caisson when the water burst through the man-hole in a surge, knocking them all into the river, where they were picked up. Haddix says he saw Ham Morris, who was climbing next below himself, swiftly drawn under by the sand, and heard his cries for help, but could do nothing.

“The caisson was about forty feet by twenty and built of timbers twelve inches square.  It was protected by a cofferdam, but the river is high and the pressure of the water great.

“At 1 a. m. the outer chamber of the caisson was reached and three bodies were found. All of the men in the caisson proper are known to be dead….The sand accumulating at the door by the sudden sinking of the caisson had wedged in the body of…[one] man in such a manner that it could not be removed.” (Piqua Daily Leader, OH. “Sixteen Lost. Terrible Disaster at a New Bridge at Louisville, Ky.” 1-11-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 13: “Louisville, Jan. 13. — Three more bodies were taken out of the wrecked caisson yesterday. The first was Monroe Rowling, who was lying uppermost at the bottom entrance of the air shaft. Excavating by the mud shaft was found impracticable when tried and the pumping air in to raise the caisson by pressure was resumed.  It was noon when Rowling’s body was sufficiently loosened to be drawn out.  At 1:30 Smith’s body, which, with Thomas Sopers’, was wedged in the very entrance of the shaft, was drawn out.

“The operation was difficult on account of the air pressing up and closing the door or escaping. Much air escaped while Smith was being extricated, and it required an hour more of pumping before Speers [Soper or Sopers] could be got out. Thomas Ash was taken out late to-night. The bodies will be shipped to Henderson tomorrow.”  (Indiana Democrat, Indiana, PA. “Death in a Caisson. Sixteen Men Believed to Have Been Drowned in Louisville.” 1-16-1890, p. 2.)

Jan 17: “….It was soon known that only four of the eighteen men who were at work at the time of the accident had escaped.  The killed are [14 names]:

William E. Haynes, aged 40 years, Hyde Park, Pa,

John Knox, aged 25, Hyde Park, Pa.

M’Adams, aged 20, Hyde Park, Pa,

Frank Mahar, aged 23, a native of New Jersey.

Pat Naylor, aged 27, Philadelphia.

Thomas Ash, colored, aged 30, Henderson, Ky.

Monroe Rowling, colored, aged 34, Henderson, Ky.

Chas. Chiles, colored, aged 30, Henderson, Ky.

Thomas Johnson, colored, aged 30, Henderson, Ky.

Joseph Gordon, colored, aged 25, Henderson, Ky.

Hamilton Morris, aged 20, Henderson, Ky.

Thomas Smith, aged 27, Henderson, Ky.

Frank Soaper, colored, aged 25, Henderson, Ky.

Robert Tyler, aged 16, Henderson, Ky. ….

(Carroll Sentinel, IA. “A River Disaster. A Louisville Caisson Goes Down with Fatal Results.” 1-17-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 18: “The bodies of John Knock, James McAdams and Patrick Nayleroven have been recovered from the caisson where they were entombed a week ago at Louisville.  They were the last of the 14 men who then lost their lives.” (Bradford Era, PA. “Electric Flashes.” 1-18-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 18: “The coroner’s jury in the case of the fourteen men drowned in the bridge caisson, at Louisville, Jan. 9, rendered the following verdict: “We believe the said accident was the result of the men in the caisson becoming panic-stricken.” The contractors are exonerated.”  (Bradford Era, PA. “Electric Flashes.” 1-18-1890, p. 1.)

Jan 25: “At Louisville, Ky., a coroner’s jury has returned a verdict exonerating Sooy Smith & Co., contractors, from blame in the case of the drowning of fourteen men in the recent bridge-caisson accident.”  (Davenport Morning Tribune, IA. “Pith of the News.” 1-25-1890, p. 2.)

Dec 17, 1893: “Two caisson accidents took place during the building of the piers. The first was caused by the cupidity of a sub-contractor who engaged himself as an expert when he was without experience.  The contractors were deceived by representations which he made.  He allowed the air to escape from the caisson and the water rushed in, drowning fourteen men.”  (Daily Journal, Logansport, IN. “Many Missing. Recovering the Bodies of Victims of the Bridge Disaster.” 12-17-1893, p. 1.)

 

Sources

Annual Statistician and Economist 1892. San Francisco and New York: L. P. McCarty, 1892. Vol. 16. Google digitized. Accessed 9-7-2017 at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=ealXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Appletons’ Annual Cyclopaedia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1890 (Vol. 15). New York: D. Appleton and CO., 1891. Google digital preview accessed 9-7-2017 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=nls0AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Bradford Era, PA. “Electric Flashes.” 1-18-1890, 1. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=140110584

Carroll Sentinel, IA. “A River Disaster. A Louisville Caisson Goes Down with Fatal Results.” 1-17-1890, 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=136463304

Childress, Morton O. Sr. Louisville Division of Police, 1806-2002. “Disasters.” Turner (publisher), 2005, 93. Partially Google digitized. Accessed 9-7-2017 at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=qPa5vHU470YC&printsec=frontcover&vq=bridge#v=onepage&q=bridge&f=false

Daily Journal, Logansport, IN. “Many Missing. Recovering the Bodies of Victims of the Bridge Disaster.” 12-17-1893, 1. http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83195295

Fort Wayne Gazette, IN. “An Appalling Accident. A Caisson Gives Way and a Large Number of Men are Lost at Jeffersonville, Indiana.” 1-10-1890, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-gazette-jan-10-1890-p-1/?tag

Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Sixteen Dead. A Burst of Water Entombs Men Working in an Excavation and a Horrible Death Scene Follows.” 1-10-1890, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-sentinel-jan-10-1890-p-9/?tag

Indiana Democrat, Indiana, PA. “Death in a Caisson. Sixteen Men Believed to Have Been Drowned in Louisville.” 1-16-1890, 2. http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=113773760

Kleber, John E. The Encyclopedia of Louisville. University Press of Kentucky, 2001, 988 pages.  Partially digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=pXbYITw4ZesC

Logansport Daily Reporter, IN. “The Louisville Horror.” 1-11-1890, 3. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83766188

Marion Daily Star, OH. “Drowned in a Caisson. Sixteen Lives Lost by an Accident at Louisville.” 1-10-1890, 1.  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=3665979

 New York Times. “Fourteen Lives Lost. A Caisson of a New Bridge Gives Way With Fatal Results.” 1-10-1890. Accessed 9-7-2017 at: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C04E4DC143BE533A25753C1A9679C94619ED7CF

Olean Democrat, NY. “The Caisson Disaster.” 1-23-1890, 1. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=10196158

Ominousweather.com. “Big 4 Bridge: Jeffersonville to Louisville.” Accessed 6-25-2012 at: http://www.ominousweather.com/Big4Bridge.html

Piqua Daily Leader, OH. “Sixteen Lost. Terrible Disaster at a New Bridge at Louisville, Ky.” 1-11-1890, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=90004053

Sunday Journal, Logansport, IN. “Telegraphic Brevities.” 1-19-1890, p. 4. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83144891

The Reveille, Rolfe, IA. “Fourteen Killed. Terrible Accident at the New Bridge Between Louisville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind. – A Drunken Foreman Responsible.” 1-16-1890, 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=186101610

 

 

[1] Depends on how one reads the article, which states that one body had been recovered, two were visible partly buried in the shaft above the caisson room, and fourteen were entombed in the caisson room.

[2] It is the case, though, that when the next major disaster occurred – December 15, 1893 – newspaper reports noted that there had been twelve fatalities in this event.

[3] A watertight retaining structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier. (Wikipedia)

[4] Ohio River. Bridge was being built between Jeffersonville, IN and Louisville, KY.