Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-05
Buried Under Bricks.
The Wind Works Terrible Havoc
in Nebraska.
A FRIGHTFUL DISASTER IN OMAHA

| Half Score of Persons Crushed by FALL
ing Wall and Several of Them Die Hor-
riblc Deaths-School House Wrecked in
Hastings-Seven Victims Lose Their
Lives. Some of Them Children-Twenty-
four Drowned in q Collision at Sea.
OMAHA, Neb, Feb 5-Max Meyers three
| story building at Farnam and Eleventh
streets, occupied by barrow s. Logan, Max
Meyer & Co.'S branch store, and s. Seligman,
| was burned out about fortnight ago. The
roofess walls remained standing, and 1t was
intended to repair them and add fourth
story. Yesterday the wind was blowing a
caught the east wall and blsw down portion
Of 1t on the buildings adjoining, with a tire
mendous crash.
The structure which caught the brunt Of
the wreck was Max Meyers two-story brick,
No. lois Farnam street. 1t was occupied ON
the main floor by P. Boyers' safe store and
on the second story by d. c. Dunbar's en-
craving and printing house Adjoining on
| the east was an old one-story frame, occupied
as clothing store by +. Olsen
There was no warning. A white puff of
crumbling mortar, the rafting of few bits
of plaster, and the crash of the wall followed
in quick succession. When the cloud of dust
blew away it revealed Dunbar's office crushed
fat The roof, walls and stock of Olsen's
store were crushed to the ground A shanty
in the rear, occupied by Mrs Hengen, was
also wrecked
A fire alarm was sent in and the force was
called to the scene. The firemen with ropes
sought to pull down the walls on the other
side and give access to those imprisoned. The
street filled with curious people who did not
realize that any one was hurt until they saw
men and women crawling out of the debris
and others, cut and hmping, brought out by
the firemen. The scenes then were heart
rending, and those who had friends in the
wreck could hardly be kept back Means
and tears were heard and seen as the bodies
of the dead and wounded were brought out
The ruins were crowded with business men
and men in all conditions of life, who worked
earnestly when they found an opening to save
the lives of the unfortunates.
When the rescuers first arrived at the scene
the cries of Olsen were heard in the northeast
corner of the ruins. The rescuers went to
work to save the unfortunate man Every
cry from the dying man brought new hands
10 the work Of rescue. 1t required too much
they reached him Olsen was dead The body
of Mike Martin, Dunbar's fireman, was taken
out from the ruins in the vicinity of the boiler
The body was roasted and mutilated, and
presented shocking appearance. Miss Emma
Oliver, the stenographer for Dunbar, was
found about 2:30, half an hour after the
wreck, lying between the safe and the walls
One leg was broken, and she was severely
bruised and had sustained a serious conclusion
of the brain. She will die. Tom Huston, of
Dunbar's stereotyping department, was found
lying up near the boiler His body was hor-
ribly burned from head to foot, and his screams
could be heard for blocks He will probably
die john jackson, aged II years. was res
cued with broken leg and other injuries
Daniels, the driver for Halls safe agency,
was taken out badly bruised and injured in
ternally, but will recover Two girls en-
ployed by Dunbar fell from the second floor
and were severely bruised Mrs Hengen,
who lived in the cottage in the rear of Olsen's
store, was buried under her own roof, but
was extricated after sustaining a broken rib.
Charles Cesar, engraver, sustained broken
leg just below the right knee
A list of the killed is as follows so far as
known: Mike Martin, fireman at Dunbar,s;
P. Boyer, agent for Halls Safe and Lock
company; E. Olsen, clothier; - Lombard,
bookkeeper; Rudolph Mitchell, agent Equita-
BILE Insurance company. 1t is expected that
other bodies will be brought to light
The loss in property as far as can be ascer-
tanned is: Max Mayors building, 5000; Boy
er's safe agency, s., 900; Dunbar's engraving
establishment, 5000; Owens clothing house,
5000; Mrs. Hengen's personal effects, etc
81 900. As the fire insurance does not cover
cyclones, the loss will fall on the parties
whose business was DESTROYED