Marlin, TX Bridge Collapses, May 1922

4 DROWNED, 15 MISSING IN BRIDGE COLLAPSE.

CROWD WATCHING BRAZOS FLOOD NEAR MARLIN, TEXAS, IS HURLED INTO RIVER.

Waco, Texas, May 16. -- Four persons are known to have been drowned late today when the Marlin-Belton Bridge, five miles west of Marlin, over the Brazos River, collapsed under pressure of high water. Fifteen others are missing.
The most reliable report gives the number on the bridge at the time as thirty.
The high water three weeks agao had cut into the approach of the west side, it is said, but the bridge had remained intact and a crowd of people gathered there to watch the raging waters. While they wre thus engaged the west end of the bridge gave way and all were thrown into the river.
The REV. H. W. KNICKERBOCKER was rescued a mile and a half below the bridge in an exhausted condition.
Those know to be missing were seen to sink in midstream. They had been clinging to fragments of the wrecked bridge.
Two of the four bodies recovered have been identified as those of MRS. ED MOSELY of Beaumont and MRS. GOLDBERG of Marlin.
Rescue parties hurriedly summoned dragged many of the struggling persons from the water. Boats and rafts quickly thrown together aided in the work. Several of those rescued had drifted to the falls, three miles south of the accident, before they were taken from the water.
Mayor F. M. STAILWORTH and DR. W. H. ALLEN of Marlin, who were among those who went down, were rescued several miles downstream. Both are said to be in a serious condition.

The New York Times New York 1922-05-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!