Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-02-14
STA TIE ITEMS.


aid. Of the eth inst, the following
particulars of terrible accident, and
loss of life which occurred in that city
on Friday the 9th inst:
"Yestsrday afternoon about halt
| asst three o'clock, owing probably to
the large quantities Of snow and RAIN
which fell previously, the roof OF the
lew building known as the Odd Eel
lows Hall, on the corner Of Eighth
and bluff streets, gave way with
Tremendous crash, crushing every
thing in lis way, The South side
wall fell on small one story house
adjoining, crushing it to atoms. The
house was occupied by an old
gentleman named Capt. 5. Foss, and
his wife. They were in the back
part of the house when the building
fell, and both were instantly killed.
their bodies were extricatcd from the
the ruins with much difficulty.
II was rumorcd that young girl,
who lived in the next tenement to
Capt. Foss, was buried in the ruins.
We conld hear nothing to substan-
tiatc the statement.
Several remarkable escapes occur
red. Judge Cookery, our worthy
Post Master, was sitting in his office at
the time, writing, when hearing a
rumbling sound, he started for the
front part of the office, and just as he
left a large beam fell within three
inches Of where he was sitting. Two
men were on the roof shoveling the
snow off, when they thought the roof
giving way, and started to go down
they had Just reached the ground
floor when the roof fell in with such
fatal effect. Mr.. Ieman, the builder,
WAS also in the upper part OF the
building, and he also started down to
tell the people in the Post Office to
leave the building, when it fell. All
the clerks in tie Post Office had
uarrow escapes.
IN the building in which Capt. Foss
and hls wife met their sudden death,
another family resided, but fortunately
none Of them were injured, though the
house was awiuiiy crushed. Altogeth-
err. it seems almost ike miracle that
no other persons were either killed or
injured.
When the roof fell in. il was heard a
long distance off. and thousands flock
ed to see the ruins. The weight of the
snow and rain of Yesterday. on the roof
was, in all probability, the immediate
cause Of this sad occurrence.
The lower portion of the building
was occupied partly by the Post Office,
and by j. b. Shidial!, druggist, and
another as a confectionery establish
ment. The building was new, and
cost $4,000. The builders were
Messls. Leman 4 kenan. The new
hall is said to have been the finest in
the West.
BrReLARY.-The store of Messrs
Carey d Shaw, Anamosa, Jones co.
WINS robbed lately to the amount o.
$500 in jewelry. A regular band O
thieves are said to exist in that region
SuIcIpE.-A young man nance
Jacob Grove, living three miles from
Linn CO., committed suicide lately, by
hanging himself in his fathers barl
He was a young man OF steady habits
MAKEE-is on the road leading
from Lansing, Alamakee CO., to Deco
rah. Half its lots are reserved from
sale, to be giren to such persons a.
viii build upon and occupy them.
TlproN.-The Democrat says:
"Business of every kind is flourish
ing, and every indication we hav'
presents good prospect Of the Spring
business opening with unusual life ant
yigor. Many Of our citizens are al
ready making preparations to com
mencc building in the spring rs sool
as the weather will permit, and al
seem confident that Upton will b
more lively the coming Spring am
Summer than ever before. Some fin
and costly buildings are proposed to b
erected, preparations for several G
: which are now being made.
: The Fort Dodge Seatinei says i
, relation TO the Lands proclaimed to
sale by the President, in that Distric
that there is no better prairie land i
the world than that offered for sale i
. Hancock co. Winnebago is goos
} but somewhat swampy-the Norther
part Of Kossuth rather spotted.
HORSE THkvEs.-Joseph X. Snyde
Esq, Of this place, had . horse take
} from his stable on the evening {
/, Thursday last. The horse was nee
, on that evening until IL P. ", ate
which no was takeu--uo traoo Of tn
; thief has yet been diaeovsrsd.--Ctda
} Democrat,
The Rev. lafayette Dudley WI
: ordained by the Pseabytsry II low
} City. in session at Mt. Vernon ID,
week,
y v,xsox.-nunng the past seaso
many substantial improvements h,
been made, and . commendable d
gree Of ibsrAlty manifested on n
part Of it. cstisens towards . perm,
mont beneAtiag If the place. Not q
least attAet;t0 AAture h the Nc
Court House, With IL spacious ha
and tommodioua Offices. Il d situate