The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-22
A FALLEN FRONT.
THE WINDSOR coRNlcg TuMsLEs
A Crash that Created Momentary Conster-
nation and Nearly Killed Mute
BOotblack Damrge Suit
Threatened by Parent.

Just before noon yesterday some
twenty feet of the heavy cornice on the
west end of the Grand Windsor hotel,
fronting on Main street, fell with thun-
dering crash, that made such loud
noise that the guests and those on the
streets who saw and heard it thought for
a time, until the dense dust cleared
away, that the mammoth part known as
the old LeGrand building had fallen
in. For brief while there
was intense excitement, and the cloud of
dust had hardly lifted before Main
street, in front of the building, was pack
cd by an excited crowd eager to learn
who was hurt or killed. The guests in
the hotel lost no time in gaining the
streets, for so fearful was tho noise of
the crash, as it echoed through the
building, all labored under the belief
that the hotel itself was tumbling down.
A little negro lad, Johnnie Cooper,
a deaf and dumb bootblack,
who CHANGED to be passing along the
sidewalk at the time soliciting by signs
"shines' from those sitting in front, was
caught by part of the cornice, and will,
no doubt, die of the injuries he sustain
ed. lie was taken rom beneath the
fallen debris and carried across the
street where he was attended by DR..
Carter, the Health Officer and Dir. Veal.
lie was subsequently, re-
moved to the city hospital where
his wounds were examined and
dressed. His injuries are of serious
nature, and the chances are that he will
not survive, The flesh was literally
torn for several inches above the right
knee to a point several in hes below,
leaving the bone almost bare, while his
knee pan was crushed. His left leg was
badly fractured Just above the left
ankle. and he was more or less bruised
on other parts of his person, and in
all probability is internally injured.
The cries, if such they could be termed,
of this poor, unfortunate deaf and dumb
boy were sad to hear,to say the least of it,
and caused those who heard him to make
some very forcible and pronounced re-
marks about the city allowing such a
building to stanu at the peril of the lives
of her citizens. When the Cornice
began to give away il gave
warning by the noise made by its sever
ing its connections, and those who were
sitting in front heard it just in time to
escape. Some of the guests fearing that
the building might follow the cornice,
settled their bills and left.
The building is the property of Col.
W. II. Hughes, and is leased by Mr.. w.
&. Howard, the proprietor of the hotel,
the duration of which will soon expire.
The building is cracked all over,
in places aud was condemned nearly
two years ago, by City Engineer John
son, as unsafe. A compromise was eff
fected Mt the time by the owner of the
property, having iron bars through the
structure, serving as a brace to the tot
tering walls. After the c0rRicc fell, a
rope was stretched, shutting OFF the front
of the building to travel. Mayor Cabell
appointed committee of three to pass
upon the safety of the remaining cornice
composed OF Pat Butler and j. j. Brick,
contractors, and Wilson, architect, who
condemned the same. II was removed
later by Mr.. G. A. Gill and his force
without any further damage resulting.
There Is talk on behalf OF the wounded
boys mother, Anna Cooper, suing the
city and Col. w. E.lIughes fordamages.
This morning the committee will pass
upon tho safety of the building.
Col. Hughes is having a handsome adj
dition built to it, fronting on Austin and
commerce streets, which is now receive
ing the finishing tOucnes, and when
ready to be occupied he intended build
ing new walls TO the building above re-
teTred to.
The attending physicians are of the
opinion that the ainputatiQn Of the boys
leg is necessary.