The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-05-14

court E5nysc. StEtF1l men are kIJXp
~ b. killed aid Others badly hurt
Others are still buried beneath the
ruins. Business - suspended and great
crowd, are In the vicinity Of the disas-
ter waiting the rcsLIt Of removing the
stones
CHICAGO, May IA Tri5une's spe-
eisi from Roekf,rd, Ill, says. The build
.ng was not under roof, and the massive
stone cornice which preceded the roof
was ,-d.y being put on just as the
custom WAS being piaetd iu the dome
Of the main pavilion the brickwork
between the iron aud stone gave way.
] and the entire dome ard the interior
walls If the structure csmc tun bling
dosn with terrible crash that WAS
beard nearly a mile away. \ brief &C.
~cription of the structure will aid la
understanding the accident. The style
IF the building Is French Venetian Of
the Renaissance, designed by Henry :.
Gray. Of Chicago The contract for
Building WAS let to W ID. Richardson.
of Springfield. who. in the Spring Of
1876. began work 1t has Two pavilions
and "a centre dome over the front en-
trance. The two pavilions on each side
rise about 80 feet above the level Of the
cornice. The dome i, 10 fee. from the
ground. supported by the front walls
On the north side the columns are from
lot IL inches in diameter. On the
inner side these columns rest upon u
brick wall going up from the ground
toor To the floor Of the court room
The walls We're about 80 feet high. and
1t appears were entirely inadequate to
hold the immense weight of iron pillars
aud the masonry of the dome which
rested upon the pillars Upon the top
Of the iron columns WAS wrought iron
gird-r, upon which withal was laid the
veneer aud brick of the dome. 1t ap-
p.ars tba, the lower brick wall, were
crushed by the weight OF the upper
masonry. and crumbled like SO
much rotten mortar, bringing down
with il the entire interior of the build
- So -
s..l Of u
its concrete filling The iron joists aud
scsliolding came down with ons terrific
crash, bringing with it nearly all the
~orkmen who were operating Oh the
top of the building at the time Of the
accident There were from twenty 10
twenty We useu at work. The accident
happened at exactly 1880 A. NJ. Tho
whole massive stone top Of the dome
fell with . terrific crash toward State
street. A man named Timothy Flsna.
gan. who was just putting in the key
stone of the final cornice, Jumped for
the guy rope of the big derrick IN front,
but. missing his aim. fell the distance
of 100 feet 10 the earth and Was
dashed 20 pieces At this time few
prisons Was upon the scene. The mass
ut human beings. with the exception of
four or five who jumped from the
Windows. fell inside of the lettering
wallis aud were buried with the debris
The whole structure looked rs though
II would fail. and those assembled
were appalled, aud knew no. what To
do. To 20 near the structure 10 res
cue those mang!od and bleeding Was
hazardous in the extreme, but brave
men went fearIessly nj work before
the dust cleared away. aud commenced
"a extricate the dead aud dying ln-
terribly mut,latei beneath the rocks.
shrieking for assistance that was only
rendered al the risk If the by-s,snders
lives. Oue unfortunate man named
Vim. Glass was extrieated. but one 1T
his legs Was left beneath - ponderons
stone. He saon expired IN great
agony as he lay upon the green ssartl
in front If the courthouse. A negro
Jumped from vi iiow sixty feet from
the ground. ana though badly injured
will probably recov.r. Within ten
minutes Aftsr the disaster no less than
ssur bodies were recovered by the Mt
most supeFhuman esforts Of the i'm meu se
crowds that gathered The city sar-
| g,.ons were promptly or band rendering
great all ~ the wounded, who were
carried nn s:retcaer. - near hotels. A
swcle named Andrew Bildaht, had hi.
head SPLIT open. bat the wound was
F closed aud the victim taken home. aid
may live. The sngu'sh Of the dying
I wa. hrart reading Workmcn's wives
aud mothers we've sooa on the >po.
The air was f1cd With sobS. waiting
aul moaning. aud the .o}ker ou W,
IAenei hy the sigh. ga every hand
( \ cry Il ire was raised but rya Gre
+ urokc ogg A; : a. Y y. the exossa,og.
+ haze ias, ,sken ca, the dead body 81