The daily gazette., 1879-12-22

jury to his spine, while his left bfea st :
hands and legs were more or less brui sed.
Ills hurts are quite serious, hut no fatal
result Is apprehended.
Frank Ruth had a sev, re cut on his
leit leg, below the knee, and sustained
severe bruises all over his body. None
OF his Injuries, however, are serious,a and
he Will be completely recovered in a few
days. lie is about 20 years old.
VIM. Euth had severe scalp wound,
about three inches long, and appears TO
De injured internally. but to what extent
Is not at present known. He was also
more or less bruised from head to foot.
He is about 18 years old.
Charles Rath, aged about fifteen year.
was the only one who suffered broken
bone. His hips were severely bruised,
and "A small bone in the right one was
fractured. He was also bruised from
head to foot, aud Is internally injured
Ills condition is regarded as rather crit.
cal.
Lewis Ruth, aged about ~ years, was
lucky enough to escape with some hard
bruises and few uuimportant cuts Oh
his head.
| The three eldest boys worked with
their father, and Lewis attt nds school.
Charles Solluway was also fortunate to
escape witbuu, serious injury, though
he was completely bruised from head to
foot. He also had several scratches on
his face. He appeared to have no inter
nal injuries, and though exceedingly
sore, will probably be able to be out in
| few days.
Young Lynch appears to be very seri-
oasly injured. The .jOist that fell across
his head produced severe cut, and 1t is
feared that his BRAIN is affected. His lett
leg was also terribly bruised, and he sus.
aimed number of cOntusions all over
his person. During Saturday night he
was scarcely expected to live. but on
Sunday appeared somewhat improved,
AFTER THE DISASTER.
Immediately after the accident, the
site of the two houses presented a shock.
ing appearance. The cellars were piled
| man building having fallen In excepting
the southern portion of the front wall.
This, however, was sprung out OF posi-
| ton all the way up, from. one inch to
one foot, and looked ready to topple
over into the street at any moment The
| front sea folding also remained standing
| but leaned out of the line in the III os
threatening manDer.
Chief OF Police Maxwell being mott fed
i vi tut dCCiutut, Weut Out ",
| and seeing the dangerous condition of
affairs he called on Mr.. Dillon, and told
him he must tear down the shaky piece
OF wall aud the soafiolding at once. Mr..
| Dillon Obeyed this order, and before ten
o'clock, had the danger removed to an
extent sufficient to render 1t safe for
persons to walk along the street.
FORTUNATE FACT.
The house of Mrs. McGaraghy as above
stated, Immediately joined the uew
buildings on the south. But, contrary
10 general custom, the wall of her house
was not used as party wall for the hous.
immediately adjoining, and separate
wall was built This was a fortunate
fact, as bad the new house been joined
with her dwelling, the latter woDld have
been severely Jared by the accident,and
| perhaps gone down with the genera
smash.
THE CAUSE OF THE FALL.
The causes which led to the sudden
| falling of the building are as yet a my
stery. The general supposition Is, how
ever, that fall was occasioned by the
sinking Of the foundation walls, proba-
| bly, from the effects of the frost. The
cellar was dug in good, hard ground con
J tanning considerable qu nifty of rock,
| which had to be drilled out before the
walls could be laid. The suppositlon
that the sinking of the foundations eau,
ed the accident is maintained by the
fact that the wall on the rorth side OF
the cellar not only settled, but fell down
TO The ground. As to the cause of the
iefect in the foundation walls it is at
fributed by some to frost, and by others
to careless workmanship, in not using
proper care and the right kind of mater
als.
Some people also criticise the brick
work, from the fact that the walls of the
alley that extended between the Two
houses were only four inches thick. The
first floor joists extended over these
walls, and an these joists the division
wall of the houses was erected. Pract
cal builders, however, insist that TIL :
was not a serious defect, and could not
have caused the accident, as the juis',
would steady the walls and prevent
them from toppling over unless they
were assailed by an unusually strong
wind. No wind of any account prevail
ed Saturday evening, which fact streng'
thens the opinion that the cause of the
accident rested solely in tn foundation
walls.
Street Commissioner Lewis +. Lynch
whose family Is ail icted by the accident
positively expresses the opinion that
the unfortunate fall was due to defective
foundations He asserts that many
houses have been put up in thus city, OF
late, the foundations of which are entire
ly inadequate to properly support the
walls.
AN oRJECT OF CURIOSITY.
During all of Sunday the fallen build
ings were an object of curiosity, and
were visited by hundreds of persons
from all parts of the city. As each one
gazed upon the frightful looking pile o
stones, bricks and timbers,he involuntar.
lily wondered how it was seven hamar
beings could he hurled down and buriet
beneath such mass OF debris, and es
cape with their lives.
THB CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED.
t A visit 10 the different patients thi
, morning, showed them all 10 be in
tolerably comfortable condition. 1t il
, thought that all will recover.