Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-28
A TENEMENT COLLAPSES
In Jersey City Killing Four Children
and Injuring Many.
A THREE STORY BUILDING IN RUINS
Heartreading Scenes at the Terrible
Disaster---A Graphic
Account.
ANOTHER DEATH TRAP SPRUNG.


story frame tenement house, No. 76 Colgate
street, collapsed this morning. Five families
occupied the premises, including II persons
Four were killed. Barnie, Nellie and Mary
Anderson, aged nine and seven years and
three months respectively, were all smoth-
cred in bed. Michael Webb, aged 10 years,
had his head crushed. John Coyne, aged
80, an insurance agent, was badly injured
Nine other persons were hurt more or less
seriously. They were cared for BY neigh
bora. The building was known to be inse-
cure. 1t was to have been repaired next
week. Fortunately no fires broke out in
the ruins. The 6remen and police are en-
gagged in the work of clearing away the de-
bris. An immense crowd is collected at the
scene.
Another Account.
Another dispatch says: A terrible disas-
ter, causing the loss of four lives, and the
more or less serious wounding OF an, as yet,
unknown number of persons, occurred at
$50 this morning. The four families In
Patrick Anderson's four story tenement
house, situated on the west eide OF Colgate
street, between First and Second streets,
were about their usual avocations at that
hour, when they were startled by low roar
as of cannon at distance. Then fol
lowed the cracking of timber and the
building began to tremble. In another IN.
slant and before the terrified occupants OF
the building could realize what was
happening the building had col
lapsed. 1t sunk down in the
center like a telescope and cloud of
dust went up in the air. The shrieks of
women and the cries of children alarmed
the neigbbors and the vicinity was soon
swarming with humanity. Strong hands
and willing hearts were speedily engaged in
the work of dragging away the umbers
rescuing the living and taking out the dead.
The screams of the wounded, who were pin
ioned down and crushed between the tim
bers, were agonizing. Immediately after
the disaster occurred, an alarm was given
on the fire bell and the fremen quickly got
10 work and took out the dead, the dying
and those who had BY miracle escaped in
Jury. 1t has been ascertained at this writ
ing that four persons have been killed, three
children of Mr.. and Mrs. Anderson the
owner the building, and young man
named Hayes, Is years Of old. Mrs. An
derson, who lived on the first floor, had gone
to neighboring grocery to get food tor
breakfast. When she returned her house
was wrecked and her three children, COM
posing her entire family, dead. Her hus'
band, who is the baker at Snake Hill prison,
was absent at the time.
The collapsed building was owned By
Patrick Anderson, who, with his wife and
five children, occupied the first floor.
Michael Webb, wife and two children, the
second; John Coyne, wife and five children
and Patrick Corbin and five children jointly
occupied the third floor; II. c. McGurty and
two children occupied the fourth floor. An
dersop, the father, had Just left in the house
kindlipg wood, and his wife had preceded
him few minutes to neighboring grocery
to make purchases for breakfast. The
other victim was Michael Webb, q lad Of II
years, residing on the second floor. Hewas
crushed in trighttul manner, nearly every
bone in his body having been broken.
List of the Injured.
The injured, as far as can be learned, are:
JOHN CoYNE, aged 49 years, bruised badly
about the head and face.
PATSIcE CoYNE, aged 9, ankle broken.
MARY CoYNE, aged II, forehead badly
cut.
Bridget CoYSE, aged SO, badly bruised
about body.
HUGH McGURTY, aged 25, head and face
badly cut.
MARx ANN MCGURTY, aged 20, slightly in
jured about body.
LIZZIE HUssEY, aged 35 years, back bad
ly hurt
MAGGIE ANDERSON, aged IL years, head
ard arm badly hurt.
The accident is attributed to the rotting
away Of the piles upon which the house was
huiit All the injured were cared for in
the various city hospitals.
A Death Trap.
A better type of man.trsp than the rick
city frame rockery that gave way this morn
ing, could not be found in any locality. The
fact that the crash occurred on the calm,
clear morning proved the rotten condition
of the structure. The fireman were as
founded as they hauled away the half de-
csyed slender supports Of the floors from
the debris, and expressed themselves as
surprised to think that the structure could
have so long sustained the weight Of 80
many persons. The Chief of Police stated
to a reporter that he was expecting just
such disaster for long time. why, said
he, there are scores Of shsnties in and
around that locality tenanted by numerous
families Just in about the same condition as
the one that fell this morning. This terri.
bic affair will, hope serve as warning
Mrs. Webb, whose l7-yearo son, Michael,
lost his life by being crushed in the ruins,
is terribly stricken BY the loss of her boy.
She goes around like one bereft, calling
him BY name, and on God to take herself
ont of the world. She stated that the first
warning she had that the building was about
to fall, came to her in the noise Of the crack
ing Of one of the floor beams under the win.
dow. Il ran down stairs" she continued,
''ss fast could, and just cleared the door
when the whole structure came tumbling
down about me. The last remember of
my poor boy was when he called out,
Mother, what is the mstter2 Where are
you goiDgT as / was rushing out. The dead
bodies were removed at once to the morgue
where they are now awaiting the arrival of
the Coroner. In and around the morgue
an excited crowd has gathered clsmoring
for admission to view the bodies, but the
manager refused to allow any person to eu-
ter not having business in the place. Great
sympathy is felt for the father and mother
Of hs,Anderson family. They ara nearly
frantic over the loss Of their children. The
police have formed Gordon around the
ruins Of the collapsed building and no one
is allowed to approach the ruins except the
6remen and those employed in clearing
away the debris. The Coroner will at once
summon a jury and hold an inquest.
A Disastrous Cyclone.
ArcHlsoN, KAs., May 27.-A cyclone
visited Nortonsville, COTS, and Frankfort
| In northeastern Kansas between 10 and IL