The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-19

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This morning about quarter.past six o'clock,
an accident occurred at the BloclSley Almshouse,
in the Twenty fourth Ward, in which the lives Of
eighteen persons are known TO have been lost, and
many more fatally injured and stlll missing.
The accident occurred in the female department
OF the Insane Asylum, and was attended with the
most shocking and heart-rcndiug scenes.
Description of the building.
Tine department where the accident occurred
was divided into three stories. The first floor
YVES occupied by the epileptic insane; the second,
by the ordinary insane; and the third, by the
sick. The first floor was also used as a dining
and sitting room, and the second as a sitting
room.
The building was constructed in the most sub
stanlial manner, being buit of brick and stone,
with a rough outside. The raGters were heavy
and thick, and the construction of the depart
ment was such that an accident was never
dreamed of.
The Accident.
Just as the bell for breakfast rang this morn
! ing, the catastrophe occurred. The poor insane
were all up, and some of them had loitered into
the sitting room, and some were already in the
dining room.
The departments, at ordinary times, are occu-
pied rs follows - On the first iloor, 80; second
| floor, n third floor, %. Fortunately, at the
/ time of the occurrence, there wcr6 about fifty
persons on the second and third floors, thus
| rendering the casualties much greater than they
otherwise would have been.
At the time stated three loud and terrific crashes
were heard, caused by the falling of the three
| floors at intervals. Immediately the whole place
was a mass Of ruins, all having disappeared save
| the hanging raiters and portion of the roof
! The department was completely gutted out. The
! unfortunate victims were hurled from the secon'
and third floors down TO the basement, alon
with those on the first, all of whom were buried
alive beneath the ruins.
The shrieks of the insane were most appalling
| and the whole place was thrown into the utmost
! confusion. Some of the number managed to
work their way out when they were at once
taken charge Of and hurried to places of Sc
Curity.
The crash attracted the attention of the various
officials in the premises and they, together with a
| number of the inmates of other Departments
rushed TO the spot, and commenced clearing
away the ruins and cNtricatpg the dead and
/ wounded.
The appearance of the place was most dan.
gerous andit was with great risk that the victims
| could be rescued. The raftcrs and huge pieces o
| stone continued to fall Some portion OF the roo
| ana ceiling was in tottering condition, and haC
| TO be torn away, in order to allow the work t
proceed.
! All the surgeons in the House were summoned
| to attend to the wounded. DIR. Butler and hi
assistant, Or. McElroy, Of the Insane Department
were most unremitting in their attentions tOsthOs
| who needed their aid. The most able Of th
! paupers at the place were called, together with !
| number of outside workmen, aud all set TO wOr
removing the ruius and carrying OIL the dead an
! wounded.
The dead bodies of sixteen were taken frou
the ruins, and two more, badly injured, died
| sOoh as they were admitted into the surgica
ward II was impossible tn obtain all the name
of those who were killed. as some OF those whl
were taken from the ruins were so mutt
lated as to be past recognition; besides, thei
names are only known according 10 the descrip
ton given them in the doctors record.
Those who escaped unhurt and who received
slight injuries, were conveyed TO apartments, an
ali placed together, and until the roll is chlle
and a record made of each inmate, the names
all the missing cannot be ascertained. The name
Of those known to be killed are as follOws;-
Susan Owens,
ORDNANCE OFFICE.
" WAR DEPARTMENT,