The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-18
Fall OF Buildings aud DepIorabIe Loss or
Life. .

Another of those disasters SO fatal TO human life,
with which this city has OF late been visited, oc-
CURED about o'clock yesterday afternoon. A row
of six four story brick dwellings Was ia course of
construction on 2ist street, between the 9th and
oh avenues. The side and rear walls had nearly
reached their full height large number of men
were engaged in completing them These labor
ers, chiefly irishmcn. had barely recommended
their work, after dinner, when the most lofty pOr-
tons Of the wails, 1T the easterly end, suddenly
save way, aud the whole buiiing was almost in
stantly in ruins. This caused one end ., the grid
ers or floor tinbers OF the Building adjoining 10
drop, this operating a lever - throw down the
walls of the third The same cause resulted IN
like effects, and with little warming, the whole
range was prOstrate, burying the unfortunate
workmen in the ruins. The larger number were
employed on The top, aud, a. wall after Will gave
way, they retreated towards the west end OF the
range.
The masons, so far as we can learn, escaped
but il is hardly possible that lees than t,oelUe IT.
teen persons were overwhelmed aud instantly
killed. a large police force soon collected at the
scene OF Disaster and the fire bells ot the district
having been rune, they were speedily reinforced
by several companies Of remen. The threaten
ing condition OF those fragments of wall, which sti
remained upright, rendered near approach hazard
ous Notwithstanding the hriess bodies OF i've
persons were recovered, and several, more or less
injured, were taken of in liters. The following IL
a list Of the killed and wounded, so fac a5 as'er-
tanned
Ruled Michael Flynn. aged % years. He re-
sided in 18th street, near the 9th avenue, and has
wife and two children.
Matthew Rooney aged 2i-rcsded at No. 200 lst
lvenue--unmarried.
William Higgins, resided corner of 18th avenue
and 22d street, and has left wife and two chill
dren
Patrick Gray.
Bernard Trainer. Total. 5.
JYounded.-James Brogan, Harry Walton, John
McDugan Francis Kinney, Edward Collins, Sam
uel Lawrens, John Rice, James o'Neil, William
Fogerty, Thomas Rogan, Thomas Kinney, Mi
chael Rooney, Hugh Jasper, Patrick o'Brien, Will
liam AckenstaH, and Hugh Trainer.
Total, l6-making the number of those killed, 3;
wounded 10; missing, II or Is.
The killed and wounded having been removed,
the standing walls were pulled down. under the
direction of the Chief OF Police and Alderman Del
amater. An immense concourse OF people filed
tho vacant lots near, commanding view OF the
spectacle. The foreman of Hook and Ladder Co.
No. 3, Mr. futile Redheld, at eminent hazard
of life, mounted the lettering walls, and adjusted
the ropes with which they Frustrated.
In the evening sixty men were hired to remove
the rubbish, by the authority of Mr.. j. b. Client
WORTH the agent of the property owners, and or
ganized in squads Of ten by Mr.. Mcclellan, the
chiefs deputy. Their Iabors continued all
night, with the hope of recovering the bodies OF the
dead.
The vicinity of the ruins was the scene of many
affecting incidents in the course Of the evening.
The wives of several OF the deceased were drawn
thither to ascertain the cause of their husbands
long absence. Some gave vent 10 their grief in
wild outcrics. One woman who led young child,
on hearing Of the probable death Of her husband,
swooned, and remained for time inscnsble. II
ID hard 10 think of the distress and bitter grieis
that must result from such catastrophe as ia here
recorded.
The buildings destroyed belonged TO the estate
OF Adds Emmett. The mortar used in the con-
Ftructon of the walls of very inferior quality,
readily resolving itself into little else than sand,
when pressed between the fingers. TO this fact is
mainly attributable the disaster. The
Their prevailing hae also, without doubt, had
an unavorable effect following closely the cold
days when the walls erected
Ne,o York Jotrnaiof Commerce, 10Th