The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-14
Crush Several WOrkmen Employed in
BraciDg Them Up-The Guilty
Contractor Makes His
Escape.
Great Excitement Around the
Debris Several of the Wound
ed Taken Out.
FALL OF TENEMENT BUILDINGS.
A Half a Hunared WOrkmen Were Brace
ing Them Up at the Time-Gseat
Excitement-Many raken
To the hospital.

NEw YORK, April 13.-Eight five story
tenements, on the south sids of West Sixty.
second street, betEee Tenth and Eleven ID
avenues, that had recently been put under
roof, fell this afternoon while efforts wsre
being made to brace them up, that the
yielding foundation might be made secure.
The wreck was complete, not a stick
remained standing. lot a timber re-
msined whole 10 the entire row. Half
q hundred woTkmen were at work in or
about the buildings at the time. At least
thirteen OF them were injured, none fatally.
1t was said soon after the accident that
twenty persons were buried in the rains,
bat up to 3 late hour nobody had
been found. The excitemont about
the place was so great that it was diff
fcult to co.aa any reliable information
as to who N s1t have been lost, bat the
gangs OF workmen engaged in searching for
remains found no clue to any object OF their
search. The most superficial examination OF
the debris showed the cause OF the disaster
to be wretched workmanship and poor ms-
terisl. The mortar contained little or no
sand, but lCam or mud instead, and
was wholly unit for use. This and
the fact that the building had been erected
during the cold weather Of wet and frozen
bricks were directly the cause OF the col
lapse. The builder, Charles A. Buddensick,
who was respor sible, left the neigh borhool
In csrrisgs Immediately after the disaster
and drove TO his residence, in East Seventy
seventh street. Where he went from there
nobody could learn. The police, who ar
rested the master bricklayer, Charles
Frank, could Lot find the builder.
BuddeDsick has been for years
in trouble with the authorities on
account OF the "skin" buildings he has put
up. The evidence given by Frank and
Charles sWsRer, another brlckIayer, is very
damaging to Mr.. Buddensick. The erection
of 'he building had been going on since last
December, during all the cold weather. The
fourth story walls showed weakness in a
sudden thaw before the fifth story was
reached, and had TO be taken down.
Workmen were forbidden to carry
home scraps Of timber left by the
carpenters. By the builders order thew
were to be used in filing the walls to save
bricks, which were sometimes pat in by
armiuls. When a good thaw set in, the
walls began to weaken, and steps were taken
to brace them up from both ends, 40 that
they would stick together until the roofs
could be put on and the end walls bliit.
They stood for week or two without. s.
far as could be sscertsined, exciting tn,
curiosity OF the building department. The
heavy warm rain of yesterday morning com.
piesed the work begun by the thaw. This
morning it was seen the three houses
ut the west end were about to fall.
The foundation had bulged noticeably
and the wslls were shkky. Builder
Baddensick's attention vas called 10 the fact.
and he set men to work upon the walls, A. 4
sightten carpenters were at work On this
when the crash came. There were roofers
painters, fathers and plumbers, number ne,
perhaps, thirty, at work about ths premises
1t the time. Fifty msn had been laid of.
IS some material had not arrived. About
':l5 p m. shout of warning went up
bat brorgat pale faces to many windows.
vas seen to totter and then fall with thun-
ierous noise. Both foundations and side
walls had fallen cut, and the body of |
he house, deprived Of its support, fell |
% the cellar. Tie building adjoining il, /
laYirg nothing TO lean upon, fell next. |
then the whole row followed, like lire o. !
ard houses. A continuous roar followed |
hat seemed to last many minutes. as one |
fier the other CT the tall buildings went
own. Workmen In buildings for blocks /
round, and people living on the streets for
ali mile about were startled by tie noise
nd shock, and in a very short time the To-
allty Of the wrecks was packed
nth excited people whose threats OF venge.
nee on the reckless builder filled the air.
Vhsn the hesvy clsuds OF dust had cleared
way, the peo2e looked upon a heap of |
roken bricks and timhers, piled only t,w
set abeTe the level oil the street, men
Iith broken limbs and brpissd faces were
truggling out from under The wreck, and
Tagging themselves painfully swGy. Shrieks
nd gresns were heard from one or two
laces, and to these spots the people rushed.
ireRen and all available ambulances were
ummoned. People from all parts Of the city
ocked there The Roosevelt Hospital am-
ulsnces were first on the ground. and car
led away niRe Of the wounded. Commits
loner Brennan, OF the Charities Depart
lent, undertook 20 direct the
'oTk OF rescue, and Building In
ptctor ID. oench, OF The Fire