While viewing some old photos of bridges, I casually wondered if anyone ever fell off these old bridges, and sure enough I found the stories in the newspaper archives.
And so, for today we are going to take a quick look at a few people who fell off bridges. Some lived to tell the tale and others who were far less fortunate.
1. A Family Tradition
First, let’s take a look at an Arizona blacksmith, 1900, whose death was similar to his brother’s earlier demise.
“A blacksmith by the name of Bill Jackson, who has the contract for widening the gauge of the [local] railroad, accidentally fell off a bridge… and dislocated his neck. He had quit work and was crossing the bridge on his way to the camp when the accident occurred. The remains were laid to rest in the Catholic burying ground… It is said that a brother of Mr. Jackson met with a similar death about a year ago while walking across a bridge in Texas.” [Source]
2. Watch Your Step
Next we have another Arizona gentleman who, in 1900, stepped off a train and into oblivion. Luckily for this man, he lived to tell his story.
“Last Thursday night Ed. Silknitter, [train fireman], stepped off the engine after it came to a standstill on a bridge…, and fell about thirty feet. He was bruised up considerably, but is now able to be around with the aid of a cane. He says that he does not remember anything that happened for twenty minutes before he fell nor for a long time afterwards, and does not know whatever possessed him to step off the engine at that place and time.” [Source]
3. Too Much Whiskey
There were numerous reports of people falling off bridges after having a bit too much to drink, so I am only going to cover one of them in this video.
Reported out of Kentucky in 1904:
“Young Alex Johnson… fell off bridge No. 94 a few days ago and lay there something near 48 hours before he was found. He died from the effects of the fall. Whiskey was the cause.” [Source]
4. Stepped Off Into Darkness
Now this next report creeps me out a bit. The idea of stepping out into darkness is not a comfortable one. From Texas, 1911:
“The special excursion train on the return trip from Waco collided with an oil car… and caused damage to the passenger engine, delaying traffic for several hours. There was a large number of passengers on the train, but further than being violently jolted there was no one injured. [However], two men passengers were injured in a peculiar manner after the wreck occurred. The accident occurred near a high railroad bridge while one of the cars was on the bridge, the rest of the train being on either side. The two men went out to see what was causing the delay and stepped off into the darkness, falling about twenty feet.” [Source]
Both men were taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.
5. Kept Afloat
Finally, let’s take a more humorous look at a man who fell off a bridge in Pittsburgh, 1951:
“…[I]n Pittsburgh yesterday a man fell off a bridge into the river. Didn’t bother him much. His wooden leg kept him afloat until a boat crew pulled him out.” [Source]
