Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-31
A BIG. BLOCK CAVES IN.
EIGHT OR TEN LIVES LIVES
LOST IN BALTIMORE,

Chances that the List of Fatalities Nav
Go Stin Higher-The Building Sup
posed to Have Been One of the Most
Substantial in the City.
BALTIMORE, May 30, 4P.M.-A terrible
accident occurred at Hooper's building,
No. 81 South Gay street, at 2 O'Clock this
afternoon, by which several persons are
known to have been crushed to death. The
weight of cotton stored in the building
caused it to collapse. When the front of
the building fell in three or four persons
were in the counting room, and four in the
shipping Office. There were at least
fifteen or twenty people in front of the
structure. Firemen and police are busfly
engaged in removing the debris in order
to get the people out. The body of Morti-
mer H. Lfnthicum, cashier of the house.
was found packed in between several
barrels. A man named Kelly and a
colored boy have also been found among
the ruins. Eight bodies have so far been
discovered.
TWO MORE BODIES RECOVERED.
BALTIMORE, May go Mp to 7
O'Clock this evening only the bodies of
Linthicum and cOlored boy named j.
K. Bowen had been recovered from
Hoopers warehouse, in addition to those
already named. Edward Bowen, the
colored porter of Messrs. Hooper, is in
the wreck. William II. COrkran, clerk,
was caught under the falling timbers, but
was little injured.
Dugdale q Long, dealers in fertilizers,
occupied the front office on the second
floor of the building, and Benjamin Green
wood, Gedea Hook and Kenneth McLea,
employees, are known to have been there
W 40 -
reached the window and was rescued
without serious injury. Hook and Nc
Lea are still under the debris, the whole
OF which is filled with gas from broken
pipes.
STRENGTH OF THE BUILDING.
The building was supposed to be one of
the most substantial in the city, with
heavy side walls and q bluestone 'front.'
1t had been occupied for several years by
William E. Hooper & Sons, cotton goods
manufacturers, and an immense stock
was stored on the five floors. On which
1o0r the break occurred is not known,
and all are down from the front to within
about forty feet of the rear, which opens
on Frederick street. The counting room
is located in the rear of the first
noor, and most of the persons
were there when the break occurred.
One-half OF the upper front was thrown
uONut anu Tue remainder so broken ana
pushed outward that it is liable to fall at
any moment. The warehouse was built
about twenty-five years ago, and was long
used as tobacco house. The ground
was filled in, having once been the river
shore. The foundation is said to have
settled down, and the immense weight of
the goods was the cause of the calamity.
THE LIST OE FATALITIES INCREASING.
BALTIMORE, May 80, IL 80 P. Mt has
been ascertained tonight that a cOlored
drayman named M0ulton was in the
building at the time of its falling and is
supposed to be in the wreck dead. A
young man named Noah Martin who was
in the building received compound frac-
ture of the left leg and was taken to the
city hospital. After midnight a portion
of the front wall left standing Will be
thrown down so that the debris may be
removed where Hook and McLea fell. Up
to II O'Clock tonight there were fully
1000 persons about the ruins.