New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-28
A FLIMSY HOUSE COLLAPSES.
FOUR PERSONS KILLED IN JERSEY CITY.

at6:3O M yesterday burylng twenyniue occupants
in the ruins. OF these four killed ten
less seriously wounded. The killed are
ANDERSON BERNARD. ago nine sunocated.
ANDERSON, MARY, three months; suffocated.
ANDERSON NELLIE, age seven. spine fractured.
WEBB, MICHAEL, seventeen; head crushed by O
beam; death must have been instantaneous.
The injured
ANDERSON MAGGIE age twelve; arms and legs severely
bruised, and head cut by broken glass
CAkIIS, JULIA age eight; slightly bruised about the
CorsE; BRIDGET age tbiry-threo injured the head
corSE, JonS, thrtynlne; suffering from shock and
~ badly bruised about the head and body.
CorNE JULIA age nino both legs broken at the ankle,
and crushed about the body.
CoYNE, MARY twelve; cut slightly on the head and
face
CoYYE. PATRICK, sixteen; seriously bruised about
HUssEY JULIA, age twentysix OF Harlcm bruised about
the body aud suffering from nervous prostratlon.
MCGURTY HUGH, age twenty-eigh: head and faco Sc
verely cut and leg bruised
MCGURTY MARY ANN, twenty-siX; ribs crushed and
suffering from nervous prostration.
The bodies OF che dead taken to Coyle's morgue
and the wounded carried into neighborlng houses
where they were tendery cared for
The house situated in Of the poorer tenement
districts and owned by John Anderson, who is
ployed baker for the county institutions at Snake
HILL Andersons family. consisting OF his wife and five
children, occupied the first floor. Hugh McGurty and
wife and two children occupied part OF the second
floor and Michael Webb and his wife and children
occupied the other. The tenants the top floor
Patrick COyne, his wife and five children who occupied
the front aud John COyne wife and six children,
the rooms At 6:20 a. Mrs. Anderson went to
neighboringgrocery leaving her elder children to
make the fire and set the table. The other three
children TIL In bed. She had been but few
minutes out Of the house when the building began to
tremble and of tho tenants who were
awake heard cracking noise. moment
later the building collapsed with loud crash
and dense cloud OF dust rose Some persons state
toDued side while others.
including the members OF tho Police aud Fire Depart
ments, declare that 1t sank down in the centre.
The catastrophe was followed by tho shrieks and
groans OF men, women and children. crowd quickly
gathered and engaged In the work OF removing the dead
ard living Little progress made until
the arrival OF the nremen and policemen. who worked
energeticay Systematically. Chief OF Police Murphy
aud Chief Engineer Farrer early on hand and d.
rccted the movements OF the policemen and hremen
The two Coyne families the first reached and were
alive. few moments later the workmen came
upon the licless body Of Michael Webb. heavy beam
had fallen upon his head and crushed his skull.
The three Anderson children found lying side by
side In bed where their mother had left them Their
faces bruised aud dsgured, but from their posi-
tons It evident that they had died without q
struggle OF heartrendlng character attended
their removal Mrs Anderson had made her purchases
at the grocery ami the point OF returning home
She reached door OF the grocery just In time to hear
the crash ami her homo tumble With a shrek she
the space Intervening between the store
ami h,r home screaming" Ny children! My children y
She rushed ia the debris and began tearing at the
tmber. brui,ins aud aoerItug her hanls In hr fran
tic efforts them. Some Of tho neigibors fin
ally succeeded taking her away short distance, bui
she firmly resisted all efforts take her out Of sight Of
the place. Her grief not moderated by the as
surlnce that two OF tho children hal been
taken out alive and woull probably recover.
In about half nh hour all tho debris and timbers hd
: q rxara
no more persons either dead living In the ruins
While had been at work ambulance calls had
been sent and physicians sent for that as soon AS
the wounded eKtrcated they were properly cared
for Tho dead bodies were removed TO the Morgne'
ard John Coyne WAS taken 10 St. Franciss Hospital.
All the other wounded cared for IN the houses OF
neighbors.
There was another affecting when John Anderson,
the owner and the father Of the three dead
Children arrived He had been telephOned for ana came
down from snake Hill fast horse could bring him.
when hc reached the plc, the crowd nyoluntary fell
back and m lde way for him. As his wife saw
him rushed up and clapng her about his neck
exclaimed through her tears ami sObs On John, dear,
have you heard the terrible news r.
Where's the baby whores the little one" asked tho
father In a Gazed sort Of way.
They're all gone. all dead sobbel his wife as she
clung about his neck. "Barney's gone Nellys gOue
and our little darling Mary's gone"
MY God my Got! this is terrible" cried Anderson
he caspcd his wife TO his breast both sobDng cou-
vulsvey Anderson partly recovered his composure in
few moments aud tried to comfort his wife,
Hugh McGurty said to TRIBUNE reporter had
Just left my bed when felt the house tottering and tho
tlmbers strainlng and cracking. Before could
call my wife, VINO was sleeping In che bed
with the two children beside her. the build
ing toppled sideways and the next moment
/ found myself fastened under pile Of timbers and
nearly chOked with dust cou!d not see my Wile OF
children could hear my wfos gronns and my niue
Annie calling PapaI Papa! save me / struggled
to go their assistance but was so tightly Wedgrd IN
by the timberz that could not move. believe ost
con sciou for I do not remember anything more
until found myself lying on the sidewalk ana my wlle
aud child with me-" ,,,.
An investlaton will be held to fix the responsibility
for disaster Several OF the neigDors declare tnat
Mr Anderson was warned Of the dangerous cohdluoh
of the building some months ago Ihr gIou%n, % o VIII
the stood marshy, but the house rested
ON piles. 10 Is thought that the tops OF the
piles and cappng had rotted away ana causeu nV & To
Lapse Mr. AndorsDn says thII ne hlow ',n vo 5 venr
altogether safe II was erected fourteen years
ago but he hid owned It only four years Two or Three
weeks ago e noticed tlat II was III ~ tI I'm, ~
ist below the second story and rs he hhl tlc time 10
have it attended TO- Mrs Anderson that she at
once engaged Thomas Il .Sld hOus5n0ver' 10 sh1I9
the building up. That ten days ago, nut fSah dld
look at tho house until last saturday anu no
has done nothing since Dut cart TWO long poFs 70 o
adjoining vacant lot. That he did on IucsIay anu no
had promised 10 begin work Yesterday -, -.
Eagan was last nightb TRIBUNE Tepoftgr, ,at AZ
after he examined the building on saturday anu Ct1u
its condition lie told Mrs. Anderson that was uns9 70
live In and advised her move out herself anu get n
tenants until after 1t had been sh0red up aud maue
safe. Mrs Anderson replied that size cOnslered IL Us
safe IL had "A week or two and sh9 was not
work at IT, Eagan ascrbcs tho collapse OF the building
to general weakness. IL originally punt or StoIc,
but afterward altered into tenement house lneo
were heavy ght tmbers In II and nothing saoequa'o
10 support the weight. - rt..
There number Of similar houses IN Jersey yi NY
but there by which the authorities can co"P'i
their owners to make thom safe or tear them uown.
County Physician Converse has directed Norono'
Hughes TO hold an inquest
HISTORY or WORTHY CHARITY
PHILADELPHIA, May 27 (SpeciGO. Sani-