The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-02-14
rxRRrSLE AccIpExr AT DUBUQUE
Falling Of The New Odd Fsllews' Hall Two
Psrsens Killed - Remarkable Eseapss
nuRuoul, Feb.

DuBueul, Feb
II 10 our painful duty this morning 10
chronicle one OF the mos, appalling cslsmi-
Ties that has ever occurr d in our city. Yes
,erday afternoon about half past three
o'clock, owing probably to the lege guam,
titles Of snow and rain which fell previously
the root of the new building known as the
Odd rellows' Hall, on the corner OF Eighth
and Bluff 8 reefs. gave wsy with q tremen.
dous crash, crushing every thing In its way
The south side wall fell on Z small one sto-
~ house adjoining. crushing j, to atoms.
The house was occupied BY an old gen
tIeman named Capt. 8. c. FOES and has
wife. They were in the bsck part OF tbs
house at the time the walls fell. and both
we're instantly killed. They were extrica.
ted with much difficulty from the ruIns.
Can't. FOES and HE wife were formerly
from Portsmouth, N. H., and enjoyed here
the good will and esteem Of al who knew
them. He was formerly seafaring man.
A coroner,s inquest will probably be held
on their bodies to-day.
Il was rumored that young girl who
lived in the next tenement to Capt. Foss
WAS buried in the ruins. We could hear
nothing to substantiate the statement.
Several remarkable escapes occurred
Judge Corksry, our worthy Postmaster, was
sitting 10 his Office at the time, writing,
when hearing rumbling sound, he started
for the front part Of the Office, and jus, AZ
he left q large beam fell within three inches
Of where he was sitting.
Two men were on the roof shoveling OH
the snow, when they thought the roof was
giving way, and started 70 60 down. They
had Jus, reached the ground door when the
roof fell in with such fatal effect.
Mr.. Lsman, the builder, was also in the
upper par, Of the building. and had started
down TO tell the people in the Post Office TO
leave the building, when i. fell
All the Clerks in the Post Office had mar
row escapes.
In the building in which Capt. Foss and
his wife met their sudden death, another
family resided, but fortunately none ofthem
we're injured, though the house was awful
IL crushed Altogether, i, seems almost
Ike miracle thst no other persons were
either killed or injured
When the roof fell in, il was heard long
distance OF, and thousands fooked TO see the
ruins. The weight of the snow and rain Of
yesterday on the root was. in all probsbili-
~, the Immediate cause Of this sad occur.
renee.
The lower portion OF the main building
was occupied partly for the post Office, and
by j. B. Siddsl!, druggist, and another as
confectionery establishment. The building
is new, and was erected at cost OF S4e,-
coo. The builders were Messrs. Leman
and kesaan. The new hall was said TO be
the bes, in the West.
Capt. Foss was an old veteran OF 1872,
and served with distinction in the United
States Navy n that year, having been enc
Of the old Dartmouth prisoners.
The damage done 10 the building will
amount 10 about sl7 900, which. we believe,
falls on the stockholders. The damage to
the Pee, Ofiee Axtures is $500, At least
Mr. Siddsll's loss will not come short oil
$500, and the confectionery establishment
adjoining some $500.