Daily Republican., 1883-08-20
FALL OF A STABLE.
A Terrific Crash at Fourth and
French streets Yesterday After.

ETbhCh DeTOOtS 1cot0Tuoy AItoTs
noon.
About half past four o'clock yester.
day afternoon, Lizzie, wife of John
Guy, hostler for Barkley brothers, who
resides in the immediate vicinity of the
firms stables at Folrth and French
streets, was startled by a cracking
sound, followed by the falling of dirt,
and she barely had time to get to her
door when the north end and part of the
side wall of the stable tumbied with a
crash, that was heard for squares, into
the cellar that is being dug alongside
for the new building Of |. d. Philips g.
Son.
There W ere five wagons in the build
ing, four of which were loaded with
confecton cry and cakesto supply their
customers through ut the country.
Four Of the wagons were removed un-
injured; the fifth was badly broker
by the joists of the upper floor falling
upon it. On the second floor were a
number of empty boxes that prevented
the roof fr ON falling, and the wagon
on the first floor probably prevented
the entire building from tumblmg.
There were seven horses in the build
iug,all of which escaped without injury,
but for fear Of the remainder of the
building falling during the night they
were removed to place of safety.
Among other things slowed in the
building were sixteen gross of parlor
matches, and so tightly were they
weiged in tie ruins that James Bark
ley was obliged to take them out box by
box 1t is IA wonder that they were not
gnited by the shock, and if they had
been, a terrible fire would have re-
suited.
The stable was two-story brick
building, 90 by 20 feet, and was erected
by the Messrs. Barkley about six years
ago. 1t had no cellar, and the fonda
ton walls were about 10 inches deep
In digging the cellar for the building
that is to be erected at Fourt and
French streets, the contractors, j. II.
ID Seeds Il Son, allowed the men to
work so close to the line that the fOun-
dations were undermined, and this,
combined with the heavy rain early in
the afternoon, was the cause of the ac-
cident.
Mr.. Barkley was fearful on Saturday
that the men were digging too close to
the foundations of the stable, and com
planned to Mr.. Phillips, who in turn
called the attention of Mr.. Seeds to the
matter, but no measures were taken to
guard against the catastrophe. Mr.
Samuel Ba "kley is n New York, and
Immediately after the stable fell Mr.
James Barkley and Mr.. Seeds were
notified and soon arrived, aud had the
remainder of the building propped up,
hut it is evident that it will all have to
be taken down and an enti re new
building erected, as the walls that are
standing are cracked and leaning over
Mr.. Barkley said this morning that
he could not state the full amount of
the loss, but it is probable that it will
not fall short of T., 900 for which the
firm will hold j. Il. ID. Seeds 4 Son re-
sponsible. When the accident occurred
John Guy, the hostler, had gone out, and
the horses were rescued by three colored
men who were at his house. The work
of tearing down the remainder of the
building will be proceeded with at once
as owing 10 the large amount of business
done by the tirm, they will suffer con-
siderable Inconvenience until a new
stable is constructed.