The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-09
DEADLY DEBRIS.
FATAL PAIL OF A DEPOT ROOF AT
BUFFALO.
Several Lives Lost aud Number OF Cars
Crushed 10 Spllnters-A Weakened
Roof Gives Way TO the weight
OF SNOW and Falls with
Fearful Eject.

BUFFALO, February S.-shortly aitel
nine o'clock this morning the arch Of the
old New York Central depot on Exchange
street was overweighted with acCumu'
lated snow, and being weaked by the re-
moval Of the former offices, which had
formed large portion OF It's support, fell
buryiug number Of cars and human
beings beneath the tangled mas OF iron,
wood, glass, snow and brick. The St,
Louis express on the Central was three
hours and a half late. The connecting
train on the Lake Shore, composed OF four
Cars,wlth thssleeper "Metta," stood upon
the outer track. The Canada Southern
train had just hauled out, and only twenty
minutes before the day express on the
Central had borne eastward q large load
Of living freight, Switch engine No. 1856,
Frank schater engineer, was on the track
ready TO take Coroner Scott to East Buff
alo. Near the other end OF the new depot
was q train OF fiat cars, Just outside the
south wall were some old fashioned pass.
enger cars belonging to the Central.
Among the people known to be In the
depot just previous to the crash, were The
Depot Master, Byron King; and John
Ready, OF johnson Bros. eating house,
who stood close together about the centre
Of the building; Dewitt O. Gibson switch.
man; h. NJ. Stevens and Robert Berry,
baggagemen; Il. o. Smith, passenger
agent on the Lake Shore; s. j. Hsrtwing,
Henry Eckert, d, s, Hubb and other en-.
ployes,
A half dozen passengers were in the
cars waiting for the Lake Shore train, and
one or tive others believed lost, were
standing in the depot near the flat cars,
Coroner Scott had Just boarded tho switch
engine, and was on the point OF bidding
goodbye 10 Henry Walters, Superinten.
dent 1illinghaat's confidential secretary.
through whose orders the engine had
been placed at his disposal, when a aud.
den hollow sound, as OF snow falling In q
mass from the roof, was heard, and imme.
diately the south wall, about 90 feet from
the new portion, began to totter and
fall. Depot Master King succeeded In
getting beneath the brick wall, which held
its position, but his cap was torn from hls
head by falling fragments.
Smith ran into the vestibule OF an
abandoned eating house and escaped
through the cellar. Walters, Just behind
him, was caught by the timber and held a
prisoner until the other portions OF the fall.
ing roof crushed out both life and human
shape. The Lake Shore train was buried
from sight by the roofing material. The
switch engine was broken and partly dis.
mantled. An unsightly gap was torn out
oil the wall OF the beautiful new waiting
room by the fatal mass which had crushed
the lie ont OF Captain Byrnes.
The old cars on the track were torn 10
pieces.
The work OF oyerhauling the ruins was
Immediately begun by the the FIRE depart.
ment and the employees OF the railroad.
The first two bodies recovered were
those Of Captain Byrnes and Henry Wal.
ters. Shortly after the workmen found
the nangIed body Of William Wells, clerk
of the car inspector for the Lake Shore
railroad. Two other bodies were found.
John II. jackson (colored) was In the
closet oil the waitingToom, and immed.
ately on hearing the crash, smashed the
window and jumped into the street. He
was followed by VIM. +. Odell, agent Of
the Wagner Sleeping Gar Company. ].
Oovey. who has charge OF the news
stand, escaped through the window, In
smashing the glass OF which he cut his
hand severely.