QUEBEC BRIDGE DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1376, 29 February 1912, Page 5

QUEBEC BRIDGE DISASTER.

LABOUR DYNAMITARDS SUSPECTED. By TclceraDh—Pre33 Association—Oonyrieht Montreal, February 27. The police authorities arc conducting an exhaustive investigation regarding tho destruction cf tho Quebec Bridge in 1007. \ Their theory is that Labour agitators used dynamito in a similar way to that adopted by the Mncnuniaras at Los Angeles, where several buildings were wrecked. Tho contractors for the bridge were Ihe Phoenix Bridge Cumpany, which concern has suffered most heavily from Labour outrages.

STORY OF THE COLLAPSE. The Quebec Bridge collapsed on August 29, 1907. It was a mammoth strm.'ture across the Si'. Lawrence- at a point nine- miles above Quebec. When completed it was to hnve cast £1,000,000. The disaster undid the work of two yews, and caused the loss of 70 lives. The bridge will be 3210 ft. long, ami will includo tho longest cantilever span in the ft-orld. In its account of the disaster, "The Times" said:—"The bridge disaster occurred at twenty-throe minutes to six, just as the workmen were preparing to leave for the day. At the time of the catastrophe it is estimated that there were ninety-two men working on the bridge, eight being picked up immediately by bouts. . . . The completeness of the catnstropho paralysed everybody near tho scene. ... It is now regarded as certain that the collapse was caused by the overloading of a construction train carrying materials to the south-shoro span. The locomotive started for the end of the bridge with a Jdad of steel, and as it approached the end the engine-driver felt the engine jerk. He shut off steam, but the engine continued to move outward. The end of the structure-slipped, and a moment later collapsed. This much has been gathered from an engineer who escaped."