Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-01-11
PITTSBURG.
A Frightfal Catastrophe-The Wall
Of Building Falls Down With
Terrible Results.
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1t Strikes Several Buildings And
DemOlishes Them-Streets
Filled With Debris.
Several Killed and Many More Badly
~-" Citizens to
the Rescue.
A Friehtfu1 Catastrophe.


catastrophe that Pittsburg has witnessed
for many years occurred at 1890 noon to-
day. At the hour mentioned new four
story building on Diamond street, near
Wood, and in the rear of the Rea Brothers
& Co. and j. r. Wildin & Co.'s stores on
Wood street fell with an awful crash and
was heard for many squares, and, although
the people at distance could not under
stand what was wrong, the ominous sound
sent thrill of horror through their breasts.
The force of the falling building was so
great that the rear walls of the two other
buildings mentioned were crushed as
though they had been made of paper, and
their front walls fell upon the pavement
on Wood street, burying several people in
the debris and mangling them horribly.
OF these two were girls, a boy and one
man unknown, all Of whom were taken in
the patrol wagon to the Homeopathic hos
pital. A barber shop in the rear was also
ruins. The top story in the rear of Eich-
baum's building on Fifth avenue was also
knocked in and three printers who were
working there injured. The falling
walls crushed in buildings on Diamond
street occupied by George Trexler, barber,
and W. G. Thomas, dealer in shoe finding,
were badly damaged, and portions of the
buildings occupied by Joseph Eichbaum
printer on Fifth avenue, r. Weldon g. Co.,
book sellers. and Rea Bros, brokers on
Wood street. The catastrophe created in
tense excitement and in few minutes the
streets surrounding the falling buildings
were blocked with people. Hundreds of
willing hands, needless of danger to them
selves, went to work to extricate the VIC
Tins of the terrible accident. AS fast as
taken from the ruins they are being con-
veyed to the various hospitals in the city.
The storm lasted about 80 minutes and
was the worst known in this section for
years. The wind blew hurricane, while
the rain and hail fell in torrents. A num-
Der of other buildings were damaged by
high winds. Portions of the foundry of
Mcintosh, Hemphill & Co., Thirteenth
street, was blown down, but as far as known
no one was killed or injured.
Within five minutes after the collapse of
the building the streets were filled with
an excited crowd, Notwithstanding the fact
that rain and hail was pOring down in
perfect deluge. With the arrival of the
tiremen the work of rescue was begun.
Ladders We're run up to the second and
third stories of the Weldin building, and
the first one taken out was a young lady
employed as type writer, who fortunately
escaped serious injury. Crowds of willing
hands eagerly took up the work of rescue,
and every little while fresh localities where
men had been caught were found. At the
time OF the disaster about twenty-five men
were at work Oh the building and none
escaped injury, In the barber shop next
door seven men were imprisoned, while
half dozen more were buried beneath the
debris of the Weldin building. Chief
Brown, Coroner Mcdowell, Inspectors
Frank and Eickley and a score Of ply
sicians were early at the scene. The
hospitals were notified and short time
later the clang of the ambulance bells and
patrol wagons were heard.
Contractors Booth & Finn had twenty
five wagons and carts on the scene inside
of an hour and private expressmen went
with their wagons and their aid in helping
to rescue the victims. When poor UNI
fortunate was found he was given tempo
rary relief by the physicians and then
In the meantime the crowd continued to
increase until finally it was found neces-
sary to call the police and have the streets
closed for a square both ways. Streets
were rOped in and no one was allowed
about the ruins but those assisting in the
rescue. Work was continued all the after
noon and about ten O'clock tO-nighta num-
Der of persons were known to be still
underneath tie debris. Up to that hour
forty mangled and bruised bodies had
beer taken from the ruins. Some
were dead and others were dying
and many were fatally injured. One OF
two died on the way to the hospital. From
the best information Obtainable Ieight were
killed outright or died in short time and
thirty five others were injured. 1t is be.
lieved the list of dead !. ~ be greatly in
creased before mOrniks. OF the killed
only two have keen identified so far. One
was q little girl named McGlOve who was
walking along the street with her brother
when the building fell and the two were
buried in the wreck. The lutte girl was
killed instantly and it is thought her
brother is fatally injured. The body of
George Kirsch, q barber, IS years old, was
found in the cellar of the barber shop.
Five unknown men and one boy are now
at the mOrgue awaiting Identification. DIR.
j. u. Reed, a prominent physician of Allie
ghany, was in Weldin's at the time and he
is still missing. It is feared he is dead.
The Sugar Trust Suit.
Z New YORK, Jan. 9. Judge Barrett in
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