The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-08-09
FRIGHTFUL CASUALTY.

Failing of the Rear Portion of the United
states Hotel at Washington, ID. C.,-Sev.
eraI Persons Burned in the Debris, -Four
~ Whom Were Rescued Alive-Searchins
Tor the Victims.
WASHINGTON, d. c., August 4.
The most frightful accident that ever
occurred in Washington happened at
haf.past seven last evening. With
out moments warning the entire rear
portion of the United States Hotel fell in,
burying seven or more people in the
ruins. For some time after the disaster
occurred the real nature was not known
outside of the immediate neighborhood.
There the excitement was tremendous,
and as the news spread, thousands of
people flocked to the dreadful scene.
One of the I'M ured people was eXtrl-
Gated from the debris within a few min
utes, but the others were buried beneath
the ruins. A few minutes later general
alarm was sounded, and al the hook and
ladder companies in the city rushed
to the vicinity of the hotel.
The United States Hotel is one of the
oldest structures in the city, and has long
been in an unsafe condition. Dangerous
cracks in the walls were visible on the
outside and the complete proStration of
the whole mass showed what shell of a
building it was. The building has front
age OF l25 feet ON Pennsylvania avenue
and depth of lS5 feet. The tumble be-
gan with small portion of the wan at
the rear end. This precipitated the gen.
eral crash, and in u minute or two the
whole mass was dusty ruin. The dust
rose so that at a little distance 1t looked
as if q fire was started in that neighbour
hood. Several of the buried persons were
nos immediaIe.y killed and the cries of
the wounded were frightlul to listen to.
The follow ng persons are known to have
been in the building:
Mrs. Bc.den, wife of the proprietor.
Earnest Shocks, eleven years of age.
Mrs Addie Fletcher, (colored) cham
bermaid.
Annie Dickson, do Solomon Wilson,
(colOred) pastry cook.
- Harrison, a colored employee.
Henry Hall, (Colored) cook
The rescue OF Annie Dickson was eff
fected Immediately after the fall of the
building. She heard the coming crash,
and was in the act of jumping out of the
laundry window when she was caught in
the genera collapse. She suffered dis
located wrist, u bruised leg aud a scalp
NOuuNs IlGI uJullCS hSlC bACSoSbi anu
she was conveyed to the hospital. No
guests were in the portion of the build
ing which fell.
AS soon as the Department arrived on
the scene, hundred stalwart men set to
work with might and main to remove the
upper portion of the debris in the hope
OF saving some lives. The boy Earnest
Shocks was the one nearest at hand, and
great was the excitement when at nine
O'Clock it was found that he could be
rescued alive. 1t is greatly feared that
the other five whose names are given
above are all dead.
AT 10 p. m. the men were working gal
lantly by locomotive headlight and
were tearing away the dlsheyelIed mass
1t rapid rate.
Up to midnight four persons, Mrs.
BedelI, the boy Snooks and two colored
women, Addie Fletcher and Annie Dick
son, had been taken from the ruins. Mrs.
Belden was badly bruised and mangled,
and it Is feared can not survive. The
others were considerably bruised, but
will, it is thought, recover. There are
PROBABLY three or tour persons still under
the debris, and who may not be reached
Tor several hours yet, and If not already
dead can hardly survive until help comes
to them.