The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-12
Fall Of a New Court House, Killing
Ten or Twelve Men.
DEFECTIVE WALL.
Mourning and Dismay Enveloping
Rockford, Ill.
Twenty-Five Men Falling and Buried in
Mass of Ruins.
CHICAGO, May IL, 1877.

CHICAGO May II, 1877.
Tribune special from Rockford, Ill., says:-'A
pail has fallen over what this morning was
. happy community. The Winnebago County
Court House, which this morning was the
pride OF the town, is now a desoiate ruin-a
monument Of criminal inconpetency. The building
was not yet under a roof, and cornce
was to-day being put on Just as the keystone was
being placed in the domo OF the main pavilion the
brickwork between tho and stone gave way. and
entire dome and interior walls Of the structure
came crumbng down with terrible crash that was
heard nearly . mile away.
THE BUILDING.
A brief description OF the structure will aid in IN
Outstanding tho accident The style Of the building
Is French Venetian, of renaissance design. by Horny
L. May. OF Chicago and tho contract for building was
lot to W. d. Richardson. Of Springfield, Ill,
who, in the spring OF 1876, began work.
1t has two pavilions and centre dome
over tho front entrance. The two pavilions
each rise about so feet above the level OF the cornce
The dome is 1l9 eet from the ground and supported
by tho front walls the north side and two iron
columns from 10 TO IL inches In diameter on the
inner side. These columns rest upon brick wal!
going up from tho ground floor to the floor OF the
court room The walls about thirty feet high
and, seems entirely inadequate to hold tho immense
weight of the pillars and masonry OF tho
Tome which rested pillars upon the top OF the iron
soumna There was wrought iron grder upon
which was laid the veneer and brick of tho dome.
AN ovERBURDKSED
II appears that the lower brick walls were crushed
~ the weight of the upper masonry and crumbled
ako so much rotten mortar. bringing with them the
,ntire interior OF the building, all tho raiters
" corruaated iron, the ceiling OF every
with Its concrete filling and the
IRON jois,s. Tho scanolding came down with ter
rife crasn bringing with nearly all the workmen
who were engaged on the top Of the building.
A DEATH
At the time OF the accident there
from twenty to twenty-five work.
Timothy Flanagan. who was in the
act OF putting In the keystone OF the Anal cornice
Jumped for the guy rope OF the largo derrick IN
front; but, missing his aim, fell 100 feet to the
sarth and dashed TO pieces. Most of tho
: workmen, with the exception OF four or tive who
Jumped from the windows, tell on the inside Of the
tottering walls and were buried In the debris.
BRAVE HEARTS STRONG HANDS RESCUE
The whole structure looked though il would iali,
TO attempt the OF those buried beneath the
ruins. But bravo men went fearlessly work before
tho dust cleared away, and commenced TO extrcate
the dead and dying Terrible scenes followed. Men
lay horribly mutilated and shrickng for assistance,
which could only DO rendered at the risk OF tho BY
Btanders' lives
One unfortunate man, named William Gloss was ex-
Eicated, but OF his legs was left beneath pom
irOus stone He soon exDred h prcat agony.
A negro jumped from window sixty feet from the
ground and though badly injured. will probably re-
eovcr.
Within ten minutes after the disaster four bodies
sere recovered. The surgeons were promptly
Rand rendering aid to the wounded who were carried
IN stretchers to the nearest hotels.
Swede named Andrew Bredahl had his head split
Spen but the was closed and the victim taken
aome and may live.
Up to eight P. NJ tho following list Of victims was
sbtaincd:-
A. Haugh, dead.
A. Lucas, engineer, leg broken and otherwise badly
njured.
7. Hayes, engineer; may recover
William Mclnnss, leg broken, elbow injured and
Icalp wound
f. Peck MORALLY injured.
j. Piper dead
H. H. Hollendeck, doad: remains in the building
George Smith, badly hurt.
J. Warren, missing, and probably deao
George Gloss (coored) dead.
Hugh Eldreds, hurt In leg and faca
Timothy A. Langan, dead.
- Linhom, dying.
}. Lawson, colorod, reported dead
A. Baldahl, badly injured. but may recover
II. W. Ames head badly hurt
Benjamin Brown, colored, slightly hurt
Isaiah Donneily, two scalp wounds and cut In
head.
Cicero Harris, Of Dixon, confusion thigh.
G. Harris OF Dixon, has had his leg amputsted, and
Will probably die. All OF tho wounded will probably
recover.
coRoyRR's INVESTIGATION
A coroner's jury has been empanelled and identi.
fed the bodies this afternoon. They will meet to-
morrow and make thorough investigation.
MEMORIAL SERVICES.
Clergymen have arranged tor union meeting on
Sunday evening to hold memorial services.
STRICKEN FAMiLIEs.
A subscription for the rellei OF families OF the
wounded and dead will be started.
II is believed that AT least or twelve lives have
been lost and about fourteen persons moro or less
injured.
The loss tho building is from $780, 600 10 $685. 000
WHO Is TO nLASRg
Superintendent Latham lays the blame on Archilects
Gay whose Instructions followed implicitly. Mr.
Richardson will not converse the subject. To-
night the papers place the blame on different snou
aers
Digging for the missing is still in progress
THE MARTYROLOGY OF PROGRESS.