Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-04
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. UNDER A FALLEN WALL. People Buried in a Wreck
 ed Hotel, AN OLD WALL GIVES WAY, Several PersonsC Crushed
 to Death. THE QUEEN OF THE TURF, Maud s. Beats Jay Eye
 Sees Time.
THE QUEEN OF THE TURF.
Maud s. Beats Jay Eye
 Sees Time.
A TERRIFIC CRASH.

Fall of a Hotel WaII-A Number of Per
 sons Buried i'm the R u1ns.
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-The most frightful accident that ever occurred in Washington happened at half-past seven o'clock this evening. Without a 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 disas- ter occurred its real nature was not known outside of the immediate neighborhood. There the excitement was tremendous and as the news spread thousands of people gather ed to the dreadful scene. One of the injured was extricated from the ruins within few minutes, but the others were buried. A few minutes later general alarm was sounded and all the hook and ladder companies in the city rushed to the scene The United States Hotel was one of the oldest structures in the city and has for long time been deemed unsafe. Dangerous cracks in the walls were visible and the complete prostration of the whole mass showed what shell the building was. It had frontage of 125 feet on Pennsylvania avenue and depth of 1855 feet. The tumble began with a small DOT tion of the wall at the rear end. This pre- cipitated the general crash, and in a minute or two the whole mass was dusty ruin. The dust rose like smoke, so that at little dis tance it looked as if fire was starting in that neighborhood. Several of the buried persons were not immediately killed, and their cries were frightful to listen to. The following persons are known to have been in the building: Mrs. Belden, wife of the proprietor; Earnest Shocks, eleven years; Mrs. Addie Fletcher, (colored) chambermaid, Annie Dickson (colored cham, bermaid, Solomon Wilson (colored) Cook
 Harrison, colored porter; Henry Hall, (colored) cook. The rescue of Annie Dickson was effected immediately after the fall of the building. She heard the coming crash and was in the act of jumping out the laundry window when she was caught by the wreck She suffered a dislocated wrist, broken leg and scalp wound Her wounds were dressed and she sent to the hospital No guests were in that portion of the building which fell
 As soon as the fire department arrived on the scene hundred stalwart men set to work removing the upper portion of the debris in the hopes of saving lives. The boy Earnest Shocks was the one nearest at hand, and great as the excitement was, at 9 o'clock it was found that he could be reached. It is greatly feared that the other five whose names are given above are dead. At this hour, 10 D. m., the men are working gallant ly by locomotive headlight and are tearing away the ruins at a rapid rate.
 Up to midnight four persons, Mrs. Belden, the boy Snooks and the two colored women, Addie Fletcher and Annie Dickson, had been taken from the ruins. Mrs. Belden was bad ly burned and mangled and it is feared can not survive. The others are badly bruised, but will it is thought recover. There are probably three or four persons still under the ruins who will not probably be reached for several hours yet, and if not already dead can not survive until aid reaches them.