The New York herald., 1872-12-30
The Work OF Clearing the Ruins
at Last Commenced.
puB1.1C FEELING AROUSED.
yusace Dowlng Assumes the Responsibility
Of the Search and Advances $250-Mer-
gan Jones Gives an Equal Amount.
The Body of Jennie Stewart Recovered Yi,s-
tsr,dar-It Is Identified BY Ring
Upon the Left Hand.

xxsitsmmt Amsng the Spectators Of Ia Exca,
vstion-The Search 70 b Con-
tinasd To-Day.
wut Ass &C lase been commenced upoa the
vuias Of tie Centre street hrc The disgrS,eul
delay In searching for the bodies OF the victims
ana che comments of the metropolitan press Jon the
psscious time that was lost 80 awakened public
seeing chat, through the efforts OF two private
sttsena the task OF clearing the ruins was entered
ucou yesterday afternoon. At IN early hour in the
nSrAlng crowds of people beganss eongregate in
80 vicinity OF the disaster. Some had come merely
sxysugh feelings ofcuriosity, but there were many
xthers who were actuated by farSiinerens motives.
13ese were the relatives oI the deceased For days
uey had patiently waited, in'the expectation that
something would be doae to recover the bodies,
eat when the Sabbath d9wned ana there was ne
animation that any uchsen0rt was about being
made they grew desperate ana threatening in their
aspect Mingled with the crowd were many
~women-girls who workedin the ill-tated building
and the female friends OF the unfortunate girls Il
WAS thought by many OF them yesterday morning
that work would be commenced, bat the day wore
on, the crowds Increased, and still the ruins were
lett undisturbed. At ten O'Clock It became neces-
order and keep the track Of the Fourth Avenue
Railroad clear. The picture at the time
WAS STRIKING ONE.
The Ice and snow covered ruins glstened in the
sum- the tall structures frowned down upon thewreck
and the people who lined the street gazed with
eager curiosity upon the spot which was supposed
to contain the seven bodies. The old and gray
haired mothers, SO suddenly bereft OF their chief.
and, Ia some cases, only, support, stood 0pon the
III Atxr
the brothers and sisters wept aloud In their sore
agony.
Early in the morning Coroner Herman, who is
70 hold the inquest the bodies when found, con-
suited with Coroner Young as to what steps
should be taken In view OF the public Indignation
which had been kinded by the refusal OF the vari-
GUS municipal Boards to make the necessary
search. The result Of the consultation was that
Coroner Herman drew up the following document
which he intended to have publishcd:-
CoRoSERs OFFICE NEW YORK. Dec. 2e, 1872
s Hea e nn Il h bs s. IS
Sy T an the 3 The
the saS s pps %
ssS waiting the se building
ssnptrosT cTsen 81 which be eSalasa se
sys y
larmens Of the city, shall order the work Of
~ On SmRRRMx coroner s,s1 ar
In the meantime, however, the Coroner was FORE
stalled In his work. About twelve O'Clock
JUSTICE BOWLING
and Captain Kennedy were walking down Centre
street. When they had come in front Of the ruins
the Justice said to the Captain
Well, 1t Is disgrace to the city that effort is
being made to find the bodeso
II know 1t is disgrace" said Captain Kennedy;
''but what can do Sn
II win tell you what you win do,n said the Judge.
"Pnt all the available men you can find to work
npon the ruins. l win assume the responsibility
and give $3.50 towards paying the men,"
0yerjoyed to be able to do anything
10 mitigate the anxiety and suspense
Of the poor people who had daily and hourly visited
the station house, Captain Kennedy Immediately
put the order OF Justice Dowling into execution.
to 80 around among the laborers and tell the latter
70 report for work at the station house. line
wa vas Immediately @ formed led around the block and all
auty TO keep the space clear In less than ten
minutes nifty men, with pickaxes and shovels IN
their hands, presented themselves to the Captain,
and, amid
LOUD CHEER FROM THE SPECTATORS,
the lopg-deierred task was commenced. 1t was at
this time precisely half-past twelve.
The work to be accomplished was extremely DIFF
hcult. The great beams OF the ruined building had
been frozen frm into the places where they had
tallen while the machinery and printing presses
were woven nto one SOLID mass. Tne beams ana
brckworg were covered with layers OF ice, and the
snow, which had become hardened, was as firmly
embedded as rock. The beams were 80 treacher-
Gus that 1t was almost impossible to walk upon
them without being precipita ed into yawning
chasm below. The gas and steam pipes had been
frozen into the woodwork, and were so firmly
fixed that they could not be moved. Piles Of
burned paper, brick and stone lay thickly around,
with here and there fragments of the clothing
worn by the girls, who, IN their hurry to escape,
left their effects behind.
The police, about forty in number, were in COM
CAPTAIN Kennedy SerCoantS IOOlpy.
Douglass and Miner With the police were asso-
ciatea number Of tremen from engine companies
men were In charge Of Assistant
ENGINEERS BATES AND MONROE.
and comprised every nationality. portion OF
them were put TO work to clear away the iron IN
went on to the top to cut the ice from the beams.
While the task was being naugurated Morgan
Jones came up, and when he Was Informed by
Captain Kennedy OF the circumstances under
which 1t was being proceeded with he Immediately
advanced another $3.50 in addition to that given by
Judge Dowling SO that the Captain might have no
utes alter the nrst shovel had been placed in tee
ruins an exclamation nom fireman who was
toiIIng under the beams attracted attention.
II HAVE FOUND A BoDY,n
Immediately rushed 10 the spot, and the iireman
was found TO be correct Covered IN Ice and snow,
the hand, was the trunk OF a human being. We're
y net that every ons was prepared for the sight
teSs Iorm which lay before him was but five days
before young woman In the pride OF health ana
beauty. The nesh was burned TO a crisp. The right
leg was Topped OF rom the body. The left leg was
gone from the knee and the skull was nothing but
an empty cavity. The right arm was gone from
the elbow down, and on the left arm the bones
were burned bare. No trace OF features remained,
the front part OF the head being
REDUCED TO A CINDER,
and save for the delIcacy Of the fragment Of the
left hand that remained ana some wires, which
comprised part Of hoop skirt, the sex OF the body
would not have been ascertained. 1t was tenderly
lifted by the policemen ana nremen after the Tee
ocd III which IL was encased had been broken up
by axes. when 1t came IN sight OF the people
who were congregated at the crossingson Leonard
and Worth streets a deep sensation was produced,
and o shudder through the vast throng.
When taken 10 the edge OF the building 1t was