New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-16
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.
Fall Of Six Buildings and Less Of Life.

IN the course Of erection in Twentyhrstst- Do
tween Fifth and Sixth avenues, fell with ire
mendous crash, carrying with them some 50 or1S
workmen, principally masons and carpenters
who were employed on them at the time.
The workmen had Just returned from their DIN
ners. and were engaged in topping out the walls
and finishing the roof. The houses were SIX
stories high, large and handsome to outward ap-
pearance, but built with the most criminal disre'
gard 10 security The bricks in the walls seemed
70 have been merely touched with mortar, for
there was scarcely any perceptible adhesion.
From all that we can learn, this defect was the
main cause of the accident.
So sudden was the crash that bat FIVE or six o.
the workmen escaped, one Of whom sprang from
the sixth story. He alighted on heap Of sand,
fortunately. and was not injured, though so bewil-
dered bv the shock and fright as to be unable to
give any account Of what had happened. The
foreman. who had the time.book in his pocket
Immediately ran off, and it is therefore Impossible
At present 70 obtain list OF the sufferers. Inc
contractor ALSO George Spencer, is not to be
fonrd The houses belonged to Thomas Adds
Emmett ESQ and Mrs. Pel, whose agent is
lame. r Gentyorth The architect was W.T.
liam Thomas.
The large crowd that Immediately gathered,
.et TO work at once with 8 good will to clear
avav the rubbish and to extricste the unfortunate
lsborers buried beneath the ruins. By 4 o'clock
they had released FIVE or six who had been IAN
med in among the timbers and badly injured.
Two of these were convey ed to their homes, and
those remaining to the City Hospital. Four dead
bodies were also recovered, which were taken to
the Eighteenth Ward station house in Twenty
pipth.st. Some of them were so crushed and mu-
tilated as almost to defy recognition Two oil
them were Irish; Mathew Rooney aged ga
single man living at IO5 First av. and Mlcnaei
Flynn, aged 90 The latter leaves wife and two
children, living in Twenty eighth ST. near Sixth-av'
Patrick Gray, killed.
Barney Trainer, killed
William Higgins killed.
Uriah Trainer, badly injured
Thomas Rogan, badly injured.
James Brogan, badly injured.
L. Casper, badly injured.
Edward Collins, badly injured.
William Askinstof, badly injured.
VIM. Fogerty, badly injured.
James O'Neil, badly injured.
Michael Rooney, badly injured.
Harvey Walton, badly injured.
And six Others whose names could not DO OBJ
tanned.
After some five or six had been liberated, and
it had been ascertained that there was no hope OF
extricating any more alive the Chief of Police,
who was promptly on the spot, ordered the work
men to cease operations, and to tear down the
rear walls, which were yet standing, and which
threatened to fall.
In addition to q strong body of the Eighteenth
and Sixteenth Ward Police, the following fire
companies were on hand to render assistance:
Hook and Ladder Companies Nos. 3 and 6.
Hose Companies, Nos Z, 80, 40 and AZ, and En-
CINE Company No. IL.
Most of the afternoon was occupied in tearing
down the walls that were left standing after the
crash, and about o'clock strong body of labor
ers were set OF work moving the bricks and broken
tmbers.
At o'clock when our Reporter left, there had
no more bodies been found, and they were about
ceasing operations for the night.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to the
Foreman of Hose Co. 80, Mr.. Redfield, for tho
zeal and daring he displayed in his endsavors to
rescue those buried beneath the ruins Chief
Matsell, his Clerk, and the Captains of Police Of
the Fifteenth Sixteenth and Eighteenth Wards,
were also active and untiring In their exertons
Mayor Kingsland was also on the ground, and
sanctioned the orders issued by the Chief of
Police
Mr.. Barrett, gentleman residing opposite the
scene of the disaster, opened his house to the
police, furnishing aliberal supply Of refreshments
We are under obligations to the Clerk of the
Chief of Police, w. Mackellar, Esq. for informa-
ton furnished u.s.
The scene of the accident presents a most dis
tressing spectacle. Of the large block of build
ings, nothing is left except three or four Of the
division walls, which remain to the hight of the
first story The rest is confused mass Of bricks
timber and rubbish almost completely filling the
cellar and basement stories. The laborers EN-.
poyed by the Chief Of Police, and especially
the Fire Companies, worked with great assiduity,
but the confused ruins diminished but slowly be-
fore their abors The bricks, separating almost
as il they had never been touched with mortar,
formed compact mass, the appearance OF which
leaves no hope that any OF the remaining bodies
will be taken out alive. A large Police force was
stationed about the place last night, preventing
the approach OF idle spectators and facilitating
the operations Of the workmen.
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The Bounty Land Bill.
The Wing Almanac for 1851 contains the
BOUNTY LAND LAW passed at the First Session
OF the Thirty-First Congress; with full and ex