The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1885-04-18
A DEATH TRAP.
Fa!lssO of an Entire Block Of v:ye-Story
Houses.

1
| Eight hve'story tenement houses on the
south side OF Sixtv-scventh street, between
Tenth aud Eleventh avenues. in New York
city that had recently been put under roof,
fe!! ON the 18th inst, while efforts wer: be-
ing made to brace them up, so.that the
yielding foundations might be made Sc, .,rc.
The wreck was complete. Not stick re.
manned standing. Not Il timber remained
whole in the entire row.
The crash commenced about 3:15 in the
afternoon when ii shout of warning went
| up that brought pale faces t. many win.
dows. The end of the building toward
nth avenue, was seen to totter and then
tall with thundetous noise. Both tounda-
ton walls had fallen out and the body of
the building, deprived Of the support, fell
into the cellar. The building adjoining.
having nothing to lean upon, fell next and
then the whole row following, like a line
OF card houses, continuous roar following
that seemed to last many minutes, as one
| N'e\A t$h"l1'Nl VI tllC till DNllNl0yS went
down. The worknen in buildings for
blocks around and the people living on
streets for half 4 mile about were startled
BY the shock and in a short time the local.
ity of the wreck was packee by excited pco-
pie whose threats Of vengeance on the
reckless builder filled the air When the
heavy cloud OF dust had cleared away, the
people looked upon the broken pile of bricks
and timbers piled only few feet above the
level of the street, while men with broken
limbs and bruised faces were struggling,
out from under the wreck and dragging
themselves painfully away. Shriel:s and
groans were heard from one on two places
and to these spots the people rnsheA Fire
men and all available ar'>ulances were
summoned. People from al! parts of the
city t1ocked there. Roosevelt Hospital
atnbulances were the first on hanu, and
carried away nine of the wounded. Com
missioner Bremen, of the Charities De.
partmcnt, undertook to direct the work ol
rescue, and Building Inspector D'Gencl,
and the Excise Commissioners did work
in the sanc direction. -Four hook and lad.
der companies and the crews OF three e,.
yne companies set to work TO remove tn,
debris. Large gangs of workmen were
hastily pressed into service, and in Eftee1
minutes the labor Of rescue was we'll un.
der way. Night had set in before the
efforts we're relaxed at all. Once or twir.
the workers tanced they heard cries for
help, but no person was found at either
time. At o'clock Fire Chief Reeves
thought he heard groans under a heap OF
the second building. Gangs went to work
front and rear At half past ? O'Clock a
hole large enough for a fireman and two
citizens to grope their way to the cellar
was made. ~ search with lamp reveal
ed nothing but ruins. Nearly two hours
later, in the same place, groans came from
man caught In an upright position by
many crossing timbers and held fast. lie
was extricated with difficulty. He was
Louis Walters, aged 80, framer, who had
been bolstering up the building. He was
removed to the hospital. Then digging
wasSresumed under strong calcium light.
The policemen drew line across tn.
street. 1t was said the missing builder
had been hurt by a flying brick. When
the buildings fell, Charles Schwazcr, brick.
layer, was standing by him. Schwazer
had refused, the week before, to work any
longer on such buildings. AS the dust
arose, Schwazer turned to Buddcnsick and,
shaking his clenched fist in the builders
face, exclaimed: "You ought to be hung
for what You have done here" Budden
sick made no reply, but limped away
There were many threats of lynching the
man atterward, and it was lucky for him
that he stayed away. Buddensick is no
torious as builder Of cheap residences.
He has generally of recent years built un.
der another name than his own, and has
thus been able to shirk the responsibility.
He was once indicted for violating the
building laws, but escaped punishment.
-~~~~0~~~~~>~o~~~~>~~~~~>>~
The Case as it Stands.
,so1 ~ -,