Evening Star Newspaper, June 9, 1893, Page 2

THE EVENING STAR — 6 PUBLISHED DAILY, EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, vening Star Ne mpany, & HKAUPPMANE, Prete Few York Ofice, 88 Potter Building, —>-———— TRE Evexteo Stan ts served to subserihe-s in the per sity by carriers, on 1 secon: Seeks or dtc. por month Copies at fhe coe fenteerch. By mail Ginna Testers prevail Osea SATURDAY QUADRUPLE SHEET STax €1-U0per year; wh otelea posters aldo, #5.00. oe intered at the Post Office at Washington, second-class mail matter iobpebs E27" All mail subscriptions must he pat tn advance. Kates of advertising made known on application. Che Evening Star. Vor. 82, No 20,594. WASHINGTON. D. C. FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1893—TEN PAGES. TWO CENTS. EXTRA! AL EXTRA. MANY BURIED FIGHTFULDSISTER Hundreds of Clerks Buried in @ Ruined Building, ——<+__ OLD FORD'S THEATER. The Floors Give Way This Morning. BRINGING OUT MANGLED MEN Many Killed and In- jured in the Ruins. Bringing the Dead and fn- jured From the Ruins, APPALLING SCENES. Slories Told by Some Who Wore in the Wreck. The First Bodies Recovered From the Debris. NEIGHBORING HOUSES CONVERTED INTO HOSPITALS. SOLDIERS ORDERED OUT. —_-—___ ‘The Horror of the Scene. The scene within the wrecked etructare was something that has never been paralelled in the history of all that is horrible in the many fearful things that has happéned in this city. ‘As soon as it was possible for outside help to ‘enter and commence operations upon the mass of brickwork and plaster and fallen tim- bers and detorted iron the work of rescue was ‘away the incumbrances that prevented living, but badly injured beings from helping them- selves, and eager sympathizers were careless as to their own exertions or exposure to danger that the bodies which were covered by the vast quantity of debris might be brought out to whare succor was possible for those not fa- tally injured. An Appalling Scene This Morn- ing. A terrible disaster occurred shortly before Wo'clock this morning. The three floors of the old Ford's Thester where Lincoln was as- sassinated,on 10th street between E and F streets, fell in with a terrible crash, burying “in the debris hundreds of clerks of the surgeon general’s office, who were employed there. The fire alarm brought out the fire department, only to find that surgeons and ambulances were needed. A tre- HOW THE DISASTER was CAUSED. The disaster was caused, it is said, by the weakening of the walls from the digging of cellar under the build- ing. The top fieor fell first, withou any warning, carrying with it the floors below. It is impossible to tell how many were killed, buta number of lives must have been lost, and the number of maimed agd ‘wounded must be over a hundred. ‘Removing the Dead. Several corpses have alresdy been taken from the building. es Propesed Memorial Exercises. memorial exercises in the fall in respect to the memory of those members who have died since ‘the last memorial exercises were held, about It Never Varied = Second. From the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. As they passed the city hall they all pulled out their watches tocompare them with the municipal time. The Price Hill man slipped his hunting case into his pocket again and re- marked: “You may say what you please about fine timepieces, but I've got a cheap clock up the house that I bought twenty ‘ago {het hes never varied a second from the day" T — it to this.” “What?” panted the crowd. “That's right—I bought it twenty years ago for $8; took it home, placed it on the mantel, set ite bands and wound it up—and from thai day to this it has not varied a second.” Wonderful!” second?” sir, not a second,” said the man from ai ith “The mainspring broke when I wound it up. and it has never varied a second from that instant.” Tt was surprising the number of cigars he got cut of that crowd. ae A Great Success. From Vorua ‘Mrs. Wimpleton—“‘Come, Mr. Twickenham, and let me introduce you to Mr. Shingle-Nail, the coming architect.” ‘Twickenham—“Thanks, but I have already met the young man. In fact, he built a house {hire Wimpleton—“Really. And was it » ‘Twickenham—“He seems to think so. He is Uving in i.” UNCERTAINTY A8 TO THE DEAD. How many dead there gre beneath the tons of fallen material no one can even guess at this time, but that some men who but an hour or #0 ago were in the prime of health and strength are crushed into shapelessness and Mfelessness is beyond question. Already two bodies have been removed from the runs, butas the work of clearing out on the lower floor has but barely commenced it is utterly impossible to figure out what the mor- tality may be. As it is there are a tremendous namber of the clerks and messengers. Every moment the throwing aside of wreck- age exposes the bloody, and often mutilated, form of some one of the victims, Occasionally one of them revives sufficiently to need but little assistance to the outer air, but the majority of them—dusty, bruised, with clothing torn almost in tatters—are car- ried into the clear atmosphere and throngh the sorrowing crowd to the ambulances and patrol wagons that are in waiting. At first the endeavors to rescue were somewhat ineficient, but in a little while system prevailed and the work went ahead with the utmost rapidity. Weary res- cuers gave place every few minutes to fresh and willing successors, who worked with terrific energy in their endeavor to save some of the buried ones. Such a scene has never before been beheld in this region, and no catastrophe in the city’s century of ex- istence ever promised so much of all that is horrible as the one which has stopped all busi- ness in this part of the city, and which now crowds every thoroughfare in the neighborhood of the old theater. ‘The scene was one of indescribable confusion, but the police did good work in keeping the crowds back from the front of the building. Inside the work was impeded by the clouds of dust from the dry plaster. Inside the basement was piled up with bricks and plaster above the line of the first floor. ‘The wildest estimates were made of the num- ber of people in the building at the time of the accident. The floors fell so suddenly that it is impossi- ble to see how any one on them could have es- caped. ‘The Cause of the Accident. ‘The accident is supposed to have beon caused by the undermining of the basement wall. Such looking objects as the men were who were catried out from the building first it would be an impossibility to describe ‘They were covered with dust and blood, but up to 10 o'clock no dead bodies had been recovered. Men were almost unrecognizable as a result of their injuries. The ambulances were kept busy carrying the injured to hospitals and to other places where they could receive attention. Alarge force of police were soon on hand and Maj. Moore at once took command of them. Chief Parris took command of the fire department. A Horrified Crowd. The front of the building presented a har- rowing sight. The news of the disaster spread rapidly. and in marvelously shortspace of time the front was crowded with agonizing wives, daughters and friends of the clerks, asthe bleeding and mangled bodies were brought out groans and outcries arose on all hands. The surrounding houses, drug stores and business places were filled ma short time by bleeding and groaning men. As @ mangled body was brought out in nine cases out of ten he would be surrounded by weeping friends. The persons who were evi- dently dead were laid aside while those who Possessed life were brought out. Hundreds of volunteers worked with feverish anxiety, dragging over ihe piles of timbers. According to the best information, from 400 to 500 men were on the three floors. Volunteer surgeons and doctors were on hand at once. Dr. Hammett took his station at the corner drug store and did all that was possible, No Warning Was Given. All who have yet been brought out testify that no warning was given in any way. All they know is that a crash came and the floors gave way. A Perfect Wreck. The building inside was » perfect wreck. There was no: a single floor left standing be- tween the roof and the basement. Dust filled the air almost to the suffocating Point This did not interfere with the firemen, who got to work clearing away the debris and and hunting for bodies. It was 9:40 when the first alarm rang and be- fore 10 the first bodies had been removed from the building. It wasestimated that there were about 500 men and women in the building. The building fell Without the slightest warning. It is impossible at this writing to tell how many people are killed and injured, but they were carrying the bodies away by the score. An Historic Building. The building is the historic old Ford's Opera House, where President Lincoln was assassi- nated. It is now used as the records pensions bureau, and about 500 clerks are employed there. It is estimated that 150 clerks were in the main section which fell. ‘THE FIRE ALARM, When the crash came an alarm of fire was turned in and was immediately followed by a general alarm, which brought the entire fire department to the spot, The firemen set he- Toically to work excavating the men pinioned beneath the tons of brick and iron. At the same time all the ambulances were brought into service and the police department also lent their aid. Many citizens did splendid work. The dying men, cut and crushed almost beyond recogni- tion, were carried out to the surrounding residences and every house was temporarily hospital. Many were carried to the regular hospitals, THE EXPERIENCE OF MM, B. H. GILLIAM. One of the first to reach the outside of the demolished building was Mr. RH. Gillam. He was on the top floor. He said toa Stam reporter that the first intimation he had was the crash and the floor sank beneath his feet, Mr. Gillam was not seriously hurt. He was was taken to Evans’ drug store on F street just around the corner from 10th street, where aid was given him. SOME OF THE VICTIMS, A moment later C. E. McLaughlin and 0. W. Hathaway were brought to the same place. The latter was badly cut and apparently de- lirious, Mr. McLaughlin, though having his face and neck gashed and his head bruised, was perfectly conscious, From the back of the building Mr. 0. A. ‘Hooper was carried ont by the spectators, His Tesidence is 20821 northwest. He was unable to walk, and apparently was hurt internally. His face was horribly disfigured. He was taken to 1003 E street temporarily. CAPT. KRAUSE’S EXPERIENCE, Capt. C. A. Krause had his head badfy cut. ‘He was on the first floor. He heard » crash, looked up and it seemed as if the building was coming down. ‘He startea to leave and was struck. He found the'door closed by debris and was con- fined there till the debris was cleared way. His head was quickly dressed and he started for his home. At 9:50 a general alarm was turned in and all the engines in the city were soon on the spot doing wonderful work in getting at the injured. The main floors went The parte of the building that are on either side of it were not injared, From the staircases the doors that led into the conter building now looked direct into the seene of the catastrophe. From any floor one might step off into the basement below. It was but s few moments before willing hands were at work rescuing those who were Deneath the fallen walls, ‘The First Dead Body. R.L. Dietrich, a young man, was the first one whose dead body was found, It was found ‘at the north side of the building. Henry 8. Miller, about thirty-eight years old. Leaves wife and one child. Not Identified. Another dead body had also been found, but it had not been identified. 4 Soldiers Ordered Out. ‘The Secretary of War telephoned Maj. Moore that he would send » company of artillery from the Washington barracks to lend aid in case they were needed. The message stated that the company would report for duty at Pennsyl- vania avenue and 10th street. gee BARTON HELD FOR HOMICIDE. Result of the Inquest in the Case of the ‘Trageuy at Benning. Elijah Barton, the colored railroad laborer, was the most interested spectator at a small gathering in Lieut. Kelly's police station yes- terday afternoon. He had used a pick handle on the head of Thomas Brown with deadly effect, as published in yesterday's Stan, and Coroner Patterson was holding an inquest ‘Several witnesses described the fatal meeting on the railroad track near Benning, where the men were working. They to!d how the affair started by one of the men tossing several peb- bles at the other and how the use of fa vile epithet had caused the men to come together. Deputy Coroner Schaefer, who made the | autopsy. found that the fracture to the skull was a severe one. ‘After hearing the testimony of seven mem- | bers of the railroad gang and that of Dr. Schaefer, the jury returned a verdict holding Barton responsible for the homicide, and he was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury. SURXTRA 12:15 O'CLOCK P. THE DEAD. ——— The Horrors Grow asthe Day Advances, CARING FOR THE INJURED. Clergymen Aduinistering Com- fort to the Dying. ee SOME OF THE WOUNDED. —— MARVELOUS ESCAPES REPORTED BY THE LIVING. THE NUMBER ENTOMBED. eet Chiet Parris said at 11:90 that in his opinion nearly all the dead and injured had been gotten out The long piles of rubbish still untouched do notcarry out this view. Nor doosan esti- mate of those who were in the building as com- pared with those brought out do so. Probably 50 persons have been brought out at this writing,and of these about 10 were dead. How many escaped without assistance is only TO THE RESCUE. problematical, although just after the accident dozens of persons covered with dust wore seen in the neighborhood of the disaster who had doubtless escaped practically unburt. ‘The Number of Injured. One of the clerks who was saved states that in round numbers there were 475 persons em- ployed in the building and about 125 went down with the floors or were immediately beneath the floors. Ho estimated at half-past 10 o'clock that just about half of this number escaped un- injared, Col. Arnold Killed. Tt was reported that Col Geo, Arnold, the G. A. R man, was killed by jumping froma window. There is no doubt that Col. G. M. Arnold was killed by jumping from the second-story win- dow. He struckon his head and was killed in- stantly. Horribly Crushed. At 10:80 the body ofan elderly man was car- ried out. His face was horribly crushed, but the doctors said he was still alive, His re- covery is impossible. At 10:40 another dead body was carried out on astretcher. The body was that of a young man, well dressed. It was impossible to learn his name, He was piled into « patrol wagon and taken to the Emergency Hospital with a cost spread over his face. Ambulances and patrol wagons made hasty and flying trips to the hospital and back. At 11 o’slock eight bodies were taken out of the ruins, They have not yet been identified. Gen. Schofield has ordered two companies of RELEASING THE VICTIMG. cavalry from Fort Myer, just across the river, and two companies of infantry from the arvenal to the scene of the disaster. Seven Bodies in = Row. In the rear of 921 E street lay seven bodies. Among them were Col. G. M. Arnold, who jumped from the building and was killed; Ernest Schmid, assistant chief clerk; Otto F. M. Meder, » man named Fegan and John Bussius were among the other dead. Heartrending Scenes. The scenes about the hospital were heagt- rending in the extreme, the immediate vicinity being taronged with people who made piteous appeals for information concerning relatives and friends supposed to have been in the - An Ambulance Breaks Down. While a wagon which had been temporarily Drought into use as an ambulance was carrying Mr. Ames to the hospital the wheel broke. He was quickly transferred and was taken to the Emergency. Attending the Injured. ‘Miss Young of No. 1008 E street opened her doors and converted her house into » tempo- rary. hospital. Health Officer Hammett took charge of the patients brought there. Commissioner Parker on the Ground. Commissioner Parker was on the ground early, and immediately ordered every laborer connected with the District government on the grounds, The men responded promptly, and big force of regular workers were at once put to work. “It is a horrible thing,” said Commissioner Parker, “‘but we are doing everything possible under the circumstances. Yes, I have heard in an indefinite way that the building has been condemned several times.” Commissioners Ross and Powell. Commissioner Ross came a moment later in company with Engineer Commissioner Powell. Captain Powell went at once into the building CARRYING THEM OUT. and stationed police at every entrance, He then proceeded to direct the movements of the rescuing party and his engineering ability served him well. All of the physicians to the poor were sent for as well as the police surgeons, and Dr. J. Wesley Boveo and Dr. J. Ramsay Nevitt of the Washington Asylum Hospital were also present and rendered valuable aid. ‘The District OMeials. Every fireman in the city is on the grounds, and with few exceptions every District official who would be of the slightest use. Commis sioner Ross said that the affair was too horrible- to talk about. In regard to the building Mr. Ross said that he had no knowledge of any inspection having been made of the building. Buildings of this character, owned by the federal government, he said, were inspected or looked over by the Commissioners only on request, and to his Imowledge no such request hed been made. A Suggestion. Both Commissiorer Ross and Maj. Moore suggested that every man who was in the build- ing and who isalive send his name to Tas Sran, so that it can be judged who are yet to be found. . Early to the Rescue. W. N. Morrison, a stone mason, was among the first on the scene. He jumped into the building and assumed command of a party of Tescuers, With the aid of the men, who worked like trojans, a number of wounded were taken out and sent to the Emergency Hospital. All in a Tangted Confusion. ‘The tangle of stuff inside of the building that had to be cleared away in getting at bodies was far worse than it was at the Meiserott acci- dent, Girders, bricks, beams, desks, furnitare, all wore inextricably piled together. Several hundred men were at,work clearing away and careless of the danger that menaced them from the possibility of falling walle. It twas a difficult as weil as dangerous task, but there was far less confusion than one would have expected. Men turned pale and sick at the horrible spectacles presented by the injured, Fortu- nately there were m0 women employed in the building, and it is thought that none were killed. Within an hour more than ffty people were carried off to the hospitals, How many more were buried none could tell. Medical Oticers Ordered Out. ‘The Secretary of the Navy has ordered out all the naval medical officers stationed here, and has also opened the Naval Hospital to receive the injured. The commandant at the navy yard has been ordered to render all as- sistance in his power. : Gave a Warning Yesterday. One of the workmen, colored man, who was employed in excavating the cellar, and who escaped with only slight outs, says: “I told them yesterday that the archway would fall, for every time any one walked over the floor it would bend. I tell you I was scared, and got out just as quick as I could. There were twenty men at work with me. "Deed I don't know what became of thom.” A Builder’s Comment. Mr. William F. Fank of the firm of Funk & Fank, contractors and builders, was one of the first on the scene, Toa Stan reporter he said that he thought the wreck was caused by the faulty manner in which the work of underpinning seemed to have been conducted. He said he had noticed it several times during the last few days and no later than this morning had looked at it It did not seem to him that the work was being carried on in « safe manner. Notoriously Unsafe. Mr. Baier said the building has been notoriously unsafe for » long time and he stated that it had three times been condemned. He said the rear wall of the building has been bowed out for long time. WHEN THE BUILDING COLLAPSED. A Graphio Story Told by One of the Clerks Who Escay Le One of the most striking accounts of the Gisaster is given by Mr. J. T. Exnicios, who was on the second floor and stood on the very edge of the horrible crater that so suddenly opened in the center of the building. He heard a noise, he said, as if something heavy had fallen on the floor above. He glanced up and was almost petrified to see the entire floor coming down—slow and wavering at first and then more swift in its progress— bearing to death its load of humanity. The floor started from the front wall, and wasatanangle as it went down. When he first saw it the angle was not sharp eiough to disturb the desks, and tho startled occupants in some cases sat on their chairs not knowing what had happened. As the floor came on in its awful progress he saw it bend and wave and then it crashed down onthe qccupants of the floor beneath. He called to the clerks about him to run to the Tear, and many was saved by their promptness ‘in getting away from the peril. STORIES OF SURVIVORS. ‘The Horrible Scene Presented Whe the Building Coliapsed. Mr. M. E. Sabin was one of those who es- caped from the third floor. Fortunately for him he was seated in the rear part of the build- ing, but when the crash came he looked to the front of the building and witnessed a sickening sight. In the midst of the volumes of dust that arose he saw men crawling on their hands and knees up the steep incline of the tilting floor to the blessed region of safety. How many escaped he did not know, but he thinks not more than ten went down with the floor. He with the others escaped from the windows by means of ladders which had been hurriedly ran up from the outside. A thrilling story is told by Capt. Troutman, who occupied a desk near the south wall on the first floor in the wrecked area. He was, he says. engaged m looking at the case of John Castile of the one hundred and fortieth Indiana, when he heard a noise, and the next minute he was enveloped “I was on the lower floor in the hallway when the crash camo,” said Mr. Thos. Adams, who was in charge of the hall, “I heard what sounded like an explosion, and the door slammed together and was so tightly closed that I could nat open it, Then came the bricks, timbers and mortar. When the noise was fin- ished I could hear the groans of the injured, ‘and those who were not injured were scfeaming for assistance. A Thrilling Scene. One of the most thrilling scenes of the whole affair tras the sight of adozen men who were left in a corner of the third story elambering down a hose pipe to the ground. One of these men and the first to get down was Mr. E. Baier, who worked in the center of the third floor. The story can best be told in his own words, “I was at my desk,” he said, “when I heard ®@ great roar. There was no premonitory trembling or any kind of warning; just « roar and crash, and the desks and tables seemed ta raise up in the center of the floor and then disappear in a blinding cloud cf white dust. “I sprang for the rear window and called to my companions to follow. Those who were right near me did so, and we gained ssafe Place at the rear of the building near the win- dows. “We were completely isolated, however, with no way to get down, The floor had sunk be- neath us in front and the building was still trembling from the shook. “We did not know what minute the rear of the structure would go down, and stood there almost frantic. Then I thought of a reel of fire hose that I knew was near by. We groped through the blinding dust to this and quickly ‘unwound f¢'watil the end touched the ground. Then I caught hold of the hose and slid down it, ali@hting safely on the ground. “It was a terrible slide down that hose from the third story, and I thought I would never get to the bottom. “When my companionssaw that I was all right they started down also, and every man in that corner came down on the hose,” How a Crippled Clerk Escaped. Capt. Griffith of 427 10th street, = crippled clerk, was at work at his desk when he heard the crash. Looking up quickly, heat once dropped on the floor and crawled under o table. Then the crash camo, the debris just grazing him. Leaving his canes behind, which he is accustomed touse in walking, he crawled toward the back alley, where a friend found and took him home. j Mr. Hammond Smiled. When at 10:45 o'clock the workmen came to , Hammond, a clerk, residing on 18th street, he was found alive, but burt about the head and face. Ashe was borne to the ambulance his face was wreathed with smiles, so glad was he to escape before being suffocated, for he had been almost an hour hemmed in s narrow compass, Under a Heavy Beam. The rescuing party heard = faint ery for help under « heavy iron beam and they turned toit, After some work the well-known features of Douglas R. Miller came to view. He was lifted out almost lifeless and Dr. Nevitt pressed a whisky flask to his lips and administered drugs to him hypodermically. ‘He was sent to the Emergency Hospital. Clerk Mellac’s Account, A young man named Mellac claims to have been the first to leave the building. + He was in the setond story when he locked up and saw the ceiling giving away. For two years he haa plotted out « route of escape. He always knew the building would fall some day. He got through by the side building. Another man saved himself by jumping from the window into the awning of a tobacco store next door. ‘Mr. Arthur Schatzs’s Story. Arthur Schatz, a clerk on the third floor, in Chief Clerk Yont's division, told a Stam re- porter the story of the catastrophe. He was sitting in the front portion writing, when without a moment's warning he saw the front floor eave in, carrying with it Messra. Yont, Drew, Patrick, Taylor and the entire sec- tion under Mr. Patrick. ‘There were at least sixty men precipitated. The cave-in took piace about a foot from where he was sitting and it was like an earth- quake. There was absolutely no warning whatever. The floor fell in and carried with it score of human beings. The clerks who remained in the building stood speechless and with blanched cheeks, It was only a moment, however, and then, like one man, the remaining clerks, numbering about seventy-five, rushed for their lives to the rear of the building and escaped over the ad- Joming roof. Marvelous Escapes. Some of the escapes have been marvelous. Men have been taken out from under piles of heavy timbers who have seemingly received only external cuts, some heavy girder saving them from worse injury. Ath EXTRA, 1:30 O'CLOCK P. M. RELIEF! Ss A Call Upan Citizens to Mest This Afternoon, = eae” Sonar) MANY LEFT HELPLESS. The Progress of the Work in the Ruins, SOME HAD MARVELOUS ESCAPES The Clerks Who Were Employed in the Building. Outside of the building just before noon the Commissioners held an informal meeting. A number of prominent citizens were present, including 8. W. Woodward, John Joy Edson ‘and other members of the board of trade. At the suggestion of Mr. Woodward the Com- missioners decided to call a public relief meet- ing. The meeting will be held at Willard Hall ‘at 4c'clock today. Action looking to the relief of those who suffered from the catastrophe will then be taken. It is earnestly urged that all citizens who can do anything toward the object for which the meeting is called be present. ¥ The necessity for relief among the many needy and distressed among the familiss 60 suddenly nd terribly bereaved by the Ford's Theater catastrophe is urgent. The number of these destitute ones is great, their employer, the United States government, who has permitted them to be needlessly slaughtered, is unable to furnish the immediate and effective relief which the occasion requires, and as in other cases of pub- lic calamity the sympathetic and public-epirited among the people of Washington will gladly and quickly respond to the cry of distress from afflicted and destitute neighbors and fellow beings. Those who wish to contribute tothe fund that is to be raised and who may be unable to attena the public meeting can send their con- tributions to Tux Stam. They will receive Proper credit and the money will be turned over to the citizens’ relief fund. ‘Tue Stan requests that all who were in the building and escaped alive furnish their names to Tux Stam for publication in order that the fall extent of the disaster may be speedily known. THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. ‘The Excavation Under the Walls—How the Floors Were Constructed. During the morning, while the heroic work of rescue was going on, the officials paid little attention to the causes which led to the horrible disaster, No one could say exactly at that time where the blame lay or the fault rested. So far as could be learned the building, though « very old one, bad never been condemned, nor had any orders been issued to have it strengthened. Though officials connected with the building are not inclined to so state, and declare that they cannot understand the reason for the fall, there seems but little doubt that the primary cause was some excavating which was being done under the front wall. A subcellar was being dug to give more room and at the same time afford a means of ventila- tion, In order that this should be accomplished there was considerable under pinning. The contractor for this work was Mr. George Dant, while the digging in connection with the job was being done by Mr. P. R. Pull- man. ‘MR. PULLMAN'S STATEMENT. ‘The latter appeared at the scene shortly after the accident and said to a Stan reporter that be could not explain why the floors should have caved in. “The work in the cellar,” he said, “was about completed, and it was only yesterday that I was looking at it I was congratulating myself that the work was almost at an end and that the danger was passed. The crash commenced on the third floor, so that the underpining could not have been the cause. The work.was most carefully done, and only a few bricks were taken out at a time. COL. AINSWORTH CANNOT EXPLAIN IT. From Col. Ainsworth, chief of the record and pension division, it was learned that there was no storage on the floors and that the only weight was the desks and the clerks employed there. He said that the underpinning was not being done in order to strengthen the build- ing, as it had never been intimated that it was in any way insecure. He was unable to sug- gest any reason for the disaster. CHIEF PARRIS’ SUGGESTIONS. Chief Parris of the fire department had not had an opportunity to make even a superficial examination of the building, and said that from glance he would say that the girders which supported the floors must have weakened. HOW THE FLOORS WERE CONSTRUCTED. From a view of the interior of the building it would appear that the floors between the joists were filled in with about one foot of brick and mortar, On top of this was laid the «tiling, ~+«©Each floor wag upported by fron girders and iron Uprights. It was the general opinion of those who came from the building and who Were acquainted with the work that was being done in the cellar that the front wall must have settled or sprung sufficiently to have loosened the girders. This caused © pulling apart of thefiron work in the center of the building and the crash followed. The Position of the girders and the appearance of the walls would seem to indicate this cause, What Building In«pector Entwisie Said. Building Inspector Entwisie, with his two assistants, was on hand shortly after the cave: in occurred. In reply to a question he told « reporter of ‘Tur Stan that the District was in no way re- sponsible. Last week application was made to him for « permit to underpin the building, but he declined to give it, as it was a government building and came under the direct supervision of the federal officers, In fact, he had ne Jurisdiction of government buildings and was Prohibited by law from interfering. ‘The cause of the whole affair, he said, was undoubtedly due to the tinderpinning. The workmen dug under the beavy upright columns which support the building and the collapse followed. “It is an awful affair,” he said, “but I thank Go@ the District had nothing to do with it” 7 Many Offers of Aid. Offers of aid came from all sources, Nearly all the physicians and nurees in the city proffered their services at one place or another. All that came to Emergency Hospital found plenty to do assisting the regular force of phy- sicians and nurses there. Woodward & Lothrop sent a large supply of cotton and the Ebbitt House sent linen and towels, Taken Out Dead. Jacob Jordan, a middle-aged man, dend. His body was found in the cellar under the debris, No one identified him, but “Jordan” was writ ten on his shirt, —— Loftus, dead; found in the cellar. —— Gerault, dead. Found in the cellar. F. A. Hall, dead. He was found am the cellar. T. B, Loftus, 1731 9th street; taken out dead. ‘His son was in the crowd when the body wae brought out and fainted at the sight of it Some of the Injured. Every few minutes some mangled victim was borne tenderly out Among those already brought out are: ©. 8 McLaughlin, who was on the second floor, cut around the head. Winfred Beck, clerk on second floor, eut badly. He received no warning. H.C. Thomas, 3319N street, rear part of building. Severely cut. ~— Leger, 1003 E street, probably fatally. P. H. Pennington, cut severely. J. L. Taylor, third floor, burt badly in arm and leg. S. 8 Baker, 91 H street northeast, third floor. Badly burt in head, arm and leg. ‘Thomas Jones, third floor, clerk, badly cut —— Stewart, cut about head. Maj. B. J. O'Driscoll, second floor, cut om head and leg and probable internal injary. Capt. R. H. Gillian, third floor, euta, —— Galager, first floor, badly cut —— Yout, third floor. Internal. Robert Linden, No. 987 Massachusetts eve- ‘nue, arm broken and injuries to head and arms. Rescued by Mr. Goodacre. W. 8. Gustin, 506 K street northwest. Home, Blanchester, Ohio. Compound fracture of leg and internal injuries. C. A. Harper, 2082 I street, injuries to head ‘and internal injuries. Chas. P. Milier, 587 Florida avenue, severe and perhaps fatal injuries to lege, arms, head and body. arm, carried to Merts’s drug store. J. F. Denton, twenty-five years old, Cobb's Hotel; shoulder burt W. B. King, forty years old, badly cut about bead. Esterday, $8 years old, arm broken. Mertz's drug store. RK M. Patrick, 1904 Riggs street, cuts about head and face. J. A. Stewart, 1814 7th street, cuts and bruises. F. F, Sands, 29 years old. J. G. Jobns, thirty years old, injuries te shoulder, arm and leg. Ciifford Lord, bead and arm cat Newton Hammer, 1233 H street northeast, severely injured about the head and below the waist, Will probably lose one eve. Mr. Black, No. 317 East Capitol street, dislo~ cation of the jaw and right arm broken. —— Girard, « middle-aged man, was taken from the cellar, his head badly crushed, but still alive, He wascarried to the Emergency Hospital. George W. Roby of 1716 Q street, leg broken and otherwise bruised He was taken home in 8 carriage. James E. White, badly cut about the head. Charies J. Moore, residing st No. 1182 6th street, injured about the head, although not seriously. Removed to his home in a cab after being removed from the ruins. 8. S. Baker, severely cut on bead and hands scratched. He was on the third floor and fell through to the bottom. At Emergency Hospital. ‘The following injared were taken to Emer- gency Hospital: J. B. Jones, cut and bruised. K, M. Paluck, braised about body. H. B. Harland, severely out. P. K. Pennington, cut face and head. Charles Sims, cut and bruised. Fred Calvert, bruised. —— Metealf, badly cut, P. J. Dewey, bruised. C. 8. McLaughlin, badly braised. ‘Wm. Lecture of Virginia, Ladly cut about 8. W. Tess, cut and bruised. Chas, R. Miller, injured head and legs, ——— Ames, bruised. 8. D. Dewey, cut and bruised. —— Kugler, badly crushed. C. F. Hathaway, boulder crushed. Dr. McCornack, bead cut and body braised. Jas, E. White, badly cut about the head. R. A. Smith, badly bruised. AY 10:30 the ambulance drew up and twe bodies, frightfully mangled, were lifted in. They wore dead beyond all question and were taken at once to the morgue, making three bodies there, Mr. Miller was the ouly one so far identified at the hospital. ‘The physiciansand narees were too busy with the injured to devote time just then to an iden- (Continued on Second Page.)