The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-08-04
SEARCHING THE RUINS.


toiled and toiled all last night but, not
withstanding this fact, put in just as efi-
cient blows this morning
Captain John Burroughs has charge of
the workmen, while the police arrange
ments, which arc perfect, are looked after
by Lieutenant John Kelly.
The objective point aimed to DO reached
this morning was the laundry in the centre
OF the rear portion of the house, where Mrs.
Addie Fletcher, colored, the head chamber
maid, was supposed to be.
The Husband OF the Poor Woman,
Bufus Fletcher, stood alongside of the work.
men, the greatest grief depicted on his face,
apparently counting the ticks put In by the
men.
Those hours were days to that poor man.
He believed, though tons of rotten mate
rial lay upon his wife's form, that she might
be alive, and so expressed himself. lie
could not realize that tho one whom ho had
spent o portion Of the Sabbath with, and
whom he left in such good health, had been
so ruthlessly cut OFF from him.
Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of dirt,
sand, timber and bricks were hauled away,
and at ten o'clock an article belonging to
the laundry was found. Then IL was that
the men believed they were nearing Mrs.
Fletcher, and they seemed to get new life,
anu began 10 W0fk ike 1rOlanS.
Mrs. Fletcher's BODY Found.
1t was 25 minutes of IL o'clock when the
gallant corps Of workmen camo across the
body of Mrs. Fletcher. She lay in heap
directly under the laundry one mass OF cuts
and bruises, and, indeed, almost unrecog-
nizable. When the body was first espied,
the brave workmen handled their picks as
gently and carefully as it was possible
to do.
1t was soon reached and five stalwart men
drew 1T tenderly out and placed 1t upon q
mattress and bore it to tho John O. Leo's
undertaking establishment.
Coroner Patterson and DIR. Percy Hick-
ling madea preliminary examination Of the
body. An inquest will BIO held at $3.50 to-day.
The Curiosity of the People.
All the available space in the various
alleys leading to the scene Of the ruins
was filled with people all the morn
ing. While great many were there out of
mere curiosity, it was very plain that nine
out of every ten men present would will
ingly have pulled off their coats and gone
to work and assisted IN the rescuing. This
Of course could not be done, as only a
limited number could work.
An Examination of the Debris
shows that nearly every brick taken out is
almost entirely free from mortar, which
would indicate that dirt and sand, instead
of mortar, had been used in the brick work
Altogether. the back building of the United
| States Hotel was the worst constructed
house to be found anywhere.
A huge wall now remains standing, which
| looks as If it might tumble down at any
| moment. II 1t does, it is likely to play
havoc with the adjoining building-Mari'
| nellfs.
what Might Have Becn.
If the accident had happened one hour
earlier there is no telling how many live
| would have been lost, as between forty and
fifty guests were at that time taking sup
/ per in the dining.room.
| Condition of the Injured.
| Mrs. Beldipp IL very mucb improvod tbi,
afternoon. She ia stiIl nj tho National Ho
fol Tho other iniured ones-tho tyy,
Dickson women. CHARLES Whiting and th,
little Snools bov-are all doing nnite we'll
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