Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-23
AFTER THE CRASH
AT THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
Large Crowds Of People Viewing the Ruins
-Forewarning Of the Unsafe Con-
dtiOn Of the Building
Sad Scenes.

NEW YORK, April 22.-The neighbor-
hood of Madison Square Garden was
visited this morning by many persons
curious to see the relics Of the disaster
at that place last evening, Madison av-
enue, between Twenty-sixth and TWEEN
ty-seventh streets, was fenced in by rude
ratings. At each end number OF po-
licemen were stationed within the en-
closure to keep it clear OF tresspassers,
and crowd OF men, women and chill
dren stood at each end gazing at
The Scene Of Ruin.
Masses Of brick and slender timbers
lay on the sidewalk and the roadway
near the east end OF the building
Among them were the fragments OF
shattered coach and cab, beside each OF
which was the body of dead horse.
Half Of the roof of this end OF the build
ing was caved in, and the upper part OF
the wall beneath had fallen into the av-
enue.
At meeting OF the Executive Com
mittee of the Hahneman Hospital fair.
this morning, il was decided to close the
exhibition to-day. The terrible death OF
Mrs. Hegeman, who was one OF the most
active and highly esteemed ladies con-
nected with the fair, has, of course, cast
a deep gloom over all the ladies engaged
in its management.
Forewarnings.
Alfred Mackey, Superintendent OF the
fair, said that in consequence OF some
cracks observable in the plastering OF
the walls and ceiling OF the art gallery,
he sent to the Grand Central depart
ment, Yesterday, for Nanarsdale, who
has charge OF renting the garden for the
New York and Harlem Railroad Com
pauy. They looked together at the
cracks and Nanarsdale said that the
plastering had crumblsd in consequence
OF the heat OF the gas in
the room. Nanarsdale also looked
at the wall from the street and said it
was plumb. He advised that some pa
per be pasted over the cracks TO prevent
any of the plaster from falling Mr..
Mackey said Mr.. Nanarsdale then sent
for one Of the contractors who had
charge ofthe mason work in that part OF
the building. The contractor examined
the art gallery and declared it perfectly
safe, remarking that the wall could not
possibly fall, as he had taken especial
pains to anchor it securely. The con-
tractor also said that the injury 10 the
pastering could be repaired Tor
fifteen dollars. Mr.. Mackey said that
after this positive judgment by an ex-
pert, he had OF course, no fear Tor the
safety of the building, but he was afraid
that some OF the plastering might fall
on the heads OF the visitors. BY the di-
rection OF the art committee, some OF
the loose plaster was scraped away.
About . o'clock last evening, MaCkey
said police officer came to him and
said that some persons who were going
away had spoken OF the cracks in the
plastering in the art gallery. He then
determined, more from vague, intultive
apprehension than from anv definite
fear that the place was not safe, to get
all visitors out OF the gallery as quickly
as he could without creating panic.
Mrs. Annie l.. Willetts, not Miss Will
let's, is among the killed. She was the
widow OF Samuel Willetts, grandson OF
Samuel Willetts, and lived with her
mother, Mrs. A. Ii. Mickle, widow of
ex-Mayor Mickle. She was on visit to
the city for few days at the house OF
Henry A. Smythe, formerly Collector OF
the port, and was accompanied last even
lug by +. Lehman and Miss Blodgett.
They had not entered the building when
the wall fell.