St. Landry democrat., 1884-08-16
FRIGHTFUL CASUALTY.

Falling of the Rear Portion of the United
States Hotel at Washington, D. C.s-Sey.
eraI Persons Burned in the Debris, Four
81 Whom Were Rescued AIiye-Searching
for the Victims.
WASHINGTON. D. c., August 4.
The most frightful accident that ever
occurred in Washington happened at
half. 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 fiocked to the dreadful scene.
One of the injured people was extri~
Gated from the debris within few min
utes, but the others were buried beneath
the ruins. A few minutes later general
alarm was sounded, and all 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 she'll of
building it was. The building has 'front.'
age Of rs feet on Pennsylvania avenue
and depth of 1876 feet. The tumble be-
gan'With small portion of the wall at
the rear end. This precipitated the gen.
eral crash, and in minute or two the
whole mass was dusty ruin. The dust
rose so that at little distance it looked
as If a fire was started in that neighbour
hood. Several of the buried persons were
not Immediately killed and the cries of
the wounded were frightiul to listen to.
The following persons are known to have
been in the building:
Mrs. Be.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, colored employe.
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 general collapse. She suffered dis
located wrist, bruised leg and q scalp
wound. Her injuries were dressed, and
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, a 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
Snooks 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. It 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 dishevelled mass
ut rapid rate.
Up to midnight four persons, Mrs.
Belden, the boy Shocks and two colored
women, Addte Fletcher and Annie Dick
son, had been taken from the ruins. Mrs.
BeIden was badly bruised and mangled,
and it is feared can not survive. The
others were considerably bruised, but
will, il is thought, recover. There are
probably three or four 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.