New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-10
THE WORK OF A WIND STORM.
AN UNFINISHED BUILDING BLOWN DOWN.

FOUR WoRKMEN KILLED IN BUFFALo-OTnERs sE-
RIoUsLY INJURED-wHERE THE FAULT Is SAID
TO LIE.
BUFFALO, Nov. "a severe wind storm struck
this city at o'clock this afternoon. 1t came with
out moments warning and, though of
snort duration, caused great havoc. On
William-st., near Townsend, Jacob Dold, the
pork-packer, was erecting a large fOur-story
wooden building to be used as a cooper shop
Twelve men were employed on the structure, when
the storm swept down upon it. In an instant the
building was whirled from its foundation; its tim
Ders snapped like pipe stems, and before the work
men could realize what had happened the immense
structure totally collapsed Nearly all Of
the men were buried beneath the timbers and their
cries could be heard above the noise of the rushing
wind.
The hurricane lasted about ten minutes. As soon
as fury had abated, messages were sent by tee-
phone to station No for officers and surgeons, and at
the same time orders were turned in at station No.
to send ont its entire force and impress all the
doctors in the vicinity. 1t was time before
any adequate force arrived to begin clearing away
the tmbers and search for the buried men. About
o'clock the body of William Echner was found.
He lay on his face, crushed to death. heavy
timber lay across his back another forced his head
into the ground.
Jacob Schocnthal, the foreman, was also found
horribly crushed. He lived about an hour John
Otto and Joseph Grodcll, labOrers were dead when
their bodies were recovered. They were lying
beneath dozens of timbcrs. Charles Finner car
pcnter, had his jaw broken, and was otherwise
badly injured. A POlandcr had a leg broken, and
Andrew Hess was found in an unconscious state.
Several other workmcn, whose names were not
learned were seriously hurt.
q OF hpfprp hp Ia. iniurp1
taken from the ruins. Great excitement prevailed
and the police kept busy in holding the crowd
back. Ii ~ thought that several more OF the men
viii die.
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
The disaster appears to have been wholly due to
an attempt to construct at nominal expense
building which should have received
the most careful attention in building, and on the
construction of which no expense should have been
spared. The building was 120 feet in length by 80
feet in width, and four stories in height.
IL was constructed of by g uprights tackled to
joist 10 by II on the first floor 10 10y 10 on on
the second, and by 10 on the thlId
and fourth In its construction only
ordinary sized nails were used. No bolts or bars
for the purposes of safety were employed, ana sec
tiOns of the building were built 0t the cheapest
materials. No precautiOn was taken against hlgh
winds by boarding Up the different floors.
Experienced builders give it rs their opinion
that had the building been completed 1t
would have been an unsafe structure
for auv purpose At the time Of the collapse of the
structure, the wind was not sufficient to cause any
injury 10 adjoining property, aud II Is generally
believed that the loose and cheap ton OF Inc
budding was the cause of its falling reports from
the hospital state that Charles Futncr the carpcn-
ter who was severely injured, cannot live through
ont the night. An official investigation as To the
construction of the building VIII be held.