A Deadly Plunge off the Grant Street Bridge
A reckless driver and his span of horses tumble into the tide flats, prompting a lawsuit against the city for its lack of safety infrastructure.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At the sharp bend in the Grant Street bridge, one block south of the Bay View brewery, a serious accident occurred yesterday afternoon. A span of fine horses owned by M. M. Teater and driven by James Lewis, who was reportedly under the influence, dashed over a six-inch guard plank to the tide flats sixteen feet below. One horse was killed instantly, the other had to be shot, and Lewis was severely injured. Lewis had been out for a ride with a companion, Josie Keyes, who jumped from the carriage just before the horses lost control. The accident highlights the city's negligence, as there was no railing at the dangerous bend. Mr. Teater, the owner of the horses, intends to sue the city, citing that authorities had been previously warned about the hazards of the bridge.
“At the point where the accident happened there is no railing, the only protection being a 6x6 plank.”
The Grant Street bridge area, once prone to deadly accidents and tide-flat drops, has since been filled and paved over to become part of the industrial and port infrastructure of modern SoDo. The story reflects a classic era of civic dispute regarding public works and municipal liability.
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