Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-10
INSIDE OF WELDIN'S.
A Thrilling Personal Narrative of the Catas.
trophe, as Observed by Howard Balph,
of the Miscellaneous Book Depart
,nout-Eorruuota Escanea

ment-Fortunate Escapes.
Mr.. Howard Balph, the gentleman who
was in charge of the miscellaneous book de-
partment in Weldin's store, related to
DISPATCH reporter his own thrilling ex-
perience of The accident in about the follow
ing manner:
1t was about 1890 o'clock, and there were
from 25 to 80 people in the store then. was
waiting upon Miss Metcalf, who was accom-
panied by her cousin. Miss Metcalf had just
bought book of poems, and was about to
take it to the stationery department to wrap
the book up when the crash took place. l
heard a sudden, terrific gust of wind, immedi-
ately followed by terrible concussion, and
then all was dark. For moment see ned to
be dazed with blindness; but soon realized
that big volume of dust was flying from the
back part of the store toward the front. The
ladies all screamed, and some of them at
tempted to run; but soon the men, who kept
very cool under the circumstances, succeeded
in quieting the ladies. Someone shouted:
'Put your handkerchiefs over your heads"
In the meantime, however, the dust cloud
passed away, and we were now able to look at
each other and realize our respective positions.
The rear of the building was one mass Of de-
bris. The laths and beams from the second
floor hung down from the ceiling. The dirt,
stones, lime and "a chaotic mass of rubbish COW
cred the floors, the counters and the book
shelves.
CRIES FOR HELP.
But we had not time to gaze at the scene very
long. We heard groans and cries for help from
the bottom Of the debris, and we at once went
to work to rescue some of the sufferers before
they might be killed.
The first man found was Charles Petticord,
the assistant bookkeeper. He was found near
his desk, with a severe cut over his left eye. He
also complained of being internally injured.
He was taken to the hospital
Mr.. Weldin S. Mason, the son of one of the
proprietors was found to be wedged in between
some of the fallen debris and the big safe. The
firemen dug him out of the fallen walls and
timber after about half an hour. Drs. King
and Thomas McKennan examined him as soon
as he got out, and said that, while Mr. Mason
had no bones broken, his injuries seemed to be
of a very serious internal character.
Elmer E. Mcke1wn, of Allegheny, an en- em;
out of the debris after three-quarters of an
hour. and taken to the hospital in badly in
jured condition.
Charles Mckeown a packer in our store, was
likewise badly injured.
Joe Gearing, our errand boy, was also in the
rear of the office, and he had not yet been
found when 1 left the store, about o'clock.
Another errand boy was to start to work at II
o'clock; but whether he came or not, am not
able to say. If so, he must also have been
buried under the ruins, because no one has
since seen him.
VERY FORTUNATE ABsENTEEs.
The ladies' of whom we have four occupied
in the store, were not present during the catas-
trophe; neither was Mr.. Mason the proprietor.
They were all out at dinner. Had the accident
occurred about 10 o'clock in the morning. or
later in the afternoon, there is no doubt that
it would have been of still graver consequence
to our force.
The second and third stories of our building
were occupied by our firm as the storerooms,
for light stock, such as paper, envelopes and
Mr.. L. Holiday, the President of Common
Council had an office on our second floor
Fortunately he was absent, or 1 should think
that he, Professor Luckey and Mr.. Charles
Reisfar might have been injured, because those
three gentlemen generally sit there during the
hour of the day in which the accident occurred
Dr. ]. L. Read, formerly bookseller on
Fourth avenue, had an Office on the third floor.
H was seen in his office a few minutes before
the accident took place, and if he didn't get out
at once, he must be lying under the debris in
the cellar now, because his entire Office is
wreck.
Another one of our employees, boy named
Charles Little, was occupied on the third floor
when the crash took place, and he jumped out
after the accident, and he had not an injury
about him.
Fred Smith, from our store. was on the second
floor of the building. He escaped out of the
window, walked along the cornice and got down
stairs from the office of the Bulletin.