The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-11
yELsHrs CRrsHED GRoCEDY.
Eeam- that had been Weakened by Dry Rot
Failing Under n Heavy Load.

The work Of snoring up the lettering rear
wall and crazy front floors Of Mr.. Henry Wclsh's
grocery. ut Washington and Franklin streets,
was continued yesterday. Tho store extends
from 81 to 3l7 in Washington street. and from
100 TO 2O3 in Franklin street An estimate OF the
magnitude Of the business may be derived from
Mr.. Wolshs avcrmont. made vest rday. that his
loss every day by its partial arrangement Will be
$4,000.
Az 10 o'clock on Thursday evening the beams
Of the NTH floor Of the part Of the store ut 81
and 3i3 Washington street snapped under its
overweight Of sugar and barrels The sugar.
falling to the fourth floor. broke it down. Tho
combined loads Of both floors then broke down
the lower floors md the grcot muss Of gro
cories topping upon the unsupported outer
wall at 3ii and 3i3. broke il. and shot out Of tho
gap thus made. Tor an hour the umhcrs
IN iurrd iu settling like $50 mu n burning stun
Marrow Washington street WIS thrcc parts
filled with slauting hill ~ sagged beams
broken brick, powdered mortar. twisted iron
root 81 the street shed. Yesterday morning
aud until late Yesterday afternoon the Ninth
aTnqe and Grand street ferry cars wore, un,
support trnmhrd and from tho outermost cor
ncrn nE triangular piece fell and crushed the
roof OF tho low wooden dwelling at 339 WASH
ington street ilattrning the furniture OF the top
most story into u strange confusion OF bedpusts
chnir arms and legs. bits Of iath and plaster.
and scraps Of stove iron and crOckery. Ahra-
ham Decker. his wife. and eight children the
tenants wore not oven scratched. Their lodgcr.
Robert Mason. IN elderly man. was crushed on
the floor Of his room. lace downward. and his
head was cut and right rib was fractured
While the oNrrtopping wall seemed lettering 10
Q second fall that must have crushed the house.
Police Oncer Budds rushed up the dark stair
case, and dragged the D"ekers from beneath
the debris that held them down. Firumcn, SUM
moned on account Of u rumur that the boiler Of
MIR. Welsh Z store had burst and started n fire.
soon relieved Masen. lie WINS taken tn the
Chambers Street Hospital. In following Onicer
Bulds - the rescue Of the Decker family. Capt
Carry ran against n Telegraph wire, dragged
down by the falling wall. and his throat WAS
hurt.
The store was built in 1910. and is part OF tho
Skidmore estate. IL WIS formerly. n Harris
sugar refinery ono Of tho landmarks OF tho
Ffih Ward. When Mr.. Welsh took the place
extensive alterations Wore made, hut II was not
discovered that tho great noor beams were
Weakened by dry rot.
Morkmrn were husily moving the goods from
the demolished buildings yesterday. To tho
observer from the Washington street side Of
the building there appeared to hp no diminu-
ton in mass of barrels. boxes. and debris. but
the work IL going on rapidly from the interior.
Mr.. Welsh said Yesterday that the amount OF
stock in the building nj the time OF the accident
was less than II had been for some time. Since
the LIST OF February he had been removing the
goods to his franklin street house.
Several architects and builders were in tho
building vest rday. md expressed the opinion
that the wood work Of the building had D,rn
weakened by the action VI steam. causing dry
Tho loss a. tho Skiimore estate. and that ~
Mr.. Welsh. through dlml- a stock ana partial
int rrupinn pl basin IS combined, il estimated
TT lully $4,000