The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-04
BURIED IN THE RUINS.
Seven Persons Buried Under Falling Walls,
Five Of Whom Lose Their Lives.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-The back part of the
United States Hotel building, situated on Penn
sylyania avenue, a short distance west of the
Capitol, fell in without warming this evening and
buried in the ruins a number of the inmates.
The building has a frontage of lbs feet on the
avenve and a dephth of 1856 feet, the rear end
opening upon the alley leading from Third to
Four-and-a-half street. A NAL portion of the
rear wall was the first to give way, and a general
collapse of the whole rear portion Immediately
followed, sending up a great cloud of dust. A
general fire alarm was sounded, which brought
to the scene of disaster a number Of fire engines
and hook and ladder companies and a force of
police. There were about forty-five persons in
the hotel at the time the disaster occurred, in.
Guiding guests and employees, and it was impos-
slble at first to ascertain how many were buried
in the mass of debris which occupied the ground
upon which the rear portion of the building had
stood. Cries and groans could be heard from
the ruins, showing that all who were there inn
prisoned were not dead.
A large force of men went to work at once,
and in the course of an hour. Earnest Snooks, a
boy eleven years of age, and Annie Dickson, a
colored chambermaid. were taken out. Both
were alive, but badly injured. In the meantime
1T had been ascertained that the number of per,
sons buried in the ruins did not probably exceed
seven, viz: Mrs. Belden, wife of the pro-
prleGori EARNEST SnookS, a BOY eleven
years of age, son of a restaurant-keeper,
next door, and five celored servants. 1t is feared
that those who have not yet been rescued are
dead. The part of the building which fell CON
tanned chiefly rooms appropriated to the use of
the employees of the hotel, and it is believed that
none of the guests have been either killed or in
jured.
The United Stat s Hotel is one of the Oldest
structures in the city, and it is said to have been
for a long time in unsafe condition, The book
keeper is reported to have made complaint to
the Inspector of Buildings, some days ago, with
regard to its condition, dangerous cracks in the
walls having become visible on the outside. The
portion which fell was erected about twenty-five
years ago, and was five stories in height.
Mrs. Beldon, wife of the proprietor of the ho-
tel, was rescued alive at 1880 o'clock, after hav-
ing been imprisoned four hours. She was on
the first floor of the back building, and was
caught in a narrow V shaped space formed by
part of the second floor resting in a slanting po-
sition against the side wall After the fremen
and volunteers had worked two hours, digging
Town into debris from the surface, a force of
firemen, under Captain Cronin, entered from the
front of the building, against the back of which
the timbers and brick had partly lodged, and,
hearing groans, worked their way back, by re-
moving timbers. They finally got near enough
to see Mrs. Belden, and talk with
her, and eventually to hand her some
water and whisky. She was not crushed,
but was held down by her clothes, and penned
in by fallen timbers. Jacks were brought and
the weight held up while saws and axes were
used to cut q way to her At last the rescuers
got close enough to cut her clothing loose, when
they were enabled to extricate her. She was
apparently not severely injured, but was very
much exhausted, and tainted as she was carried
out.