The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-16
CRUSHED BENEATH FALLING WALLS.

Fright nj Catastrophe Mt Pittsburg in Which
Many People Were Killed and Injured.
PTTTsBURG, Jan. "a terrible storm of wind
and hail, the worst known for years, swept
over the city shortly after noon to-day, carry
ing with it death and destruction. The storm
was formed with a suddenness that was over
whelming and as the wind, accompanied by
hail and torrents of rain, swept along the
streets pedestrians were hurled before it and
barely escaped being crushed under vehicles
passing along the thoroughfares. Suddenly,
in the center of the city, there was terrible
crash, and few minutes later the central fire
alarm bell sounded a call from box II, on the
corner of Diamond and Wood-sts. Hundreds
OF people with blanched faces hurried TO the
scene when it was found that the cyclone had
caught the new building on Diamond-st owned
by C. L. Wiley and hurled it to the earth,
covering up two scores of mangled human
bodies The building was in the course
of erection. IL was so by so feet in
dimensions and was seven stories high The
front of the building had not been put in and
the wind seemed to enter the high shell from
the open end. The high walls of brick and I'M
dried were parted, one falling each way, partly
wrecking nearly dozen surrounding build
ings The main force of the crushing building
was thrown against Weldon & Co.'S book store,
on Wood-st, and the barber shop of Fred
Shurnaker at No. Al DiamOnd-st. The rear end
of Weldons store crushed IN and the front
OF the building forced out into WOOd-st.
The barber shop was completely demolished.
The leather store next to the Willie budding,
occupied BY W. III. Thomas, also totally
wrecked The rear end of I'll. Watt x Co.'S
book store was crushed in, while some OF the
falling structure struck Joseph Elehbaum S
building fronting on Fifth-ave., breaking the
windows and injuring a number OF employees.
portion OF the wall OF a millinery store next
to Thomas was crushed in, and the windows
and doors in a number Oi surrounding build
ings were broken. The building OF Rea Bros.
& CO., stock brokers. on the corner OF Diamond
and Wood-st.. was partly wrecked and the
occupants barely escaped.
Within five minutes after the collapse of the
building the streets were filled with excited
crowd Notwithstanding the fact that the rain
and hail was pouring down IN perfect deluge.
With the arrival of the fremen, the work of
rescue was begun. Ladders up TO
the second and third stories OF the Weldon
building, and the first taken out was young
lady employed as a typewriter who fortunately
had 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 on the building and not one
escaped injury. In the barber shop, next door,
seven men were imprisoned, while hall dozen
more were buried beneath the debris OF the
Weldon building.
Chief Brown. Coroner Mcdowell Building
Inspectors Frank and Eichler and score of
physicians were early at the scene. The hos
pitfalls were notified, and a short tine later the
clang OF ambulance bells and patrol wagon
gongs were heard. Contractors Booth & Finn
had twenty-five wagons and carts on the scene
inside OF an hour, and private expresSmen lent
their wagons and their aid in helping TO rescue
the victims. When a poor unfortunate was
found he was gwen temporary relief by the
physicians and then carefully removed to one
of the hospitals. Meantime the crowd con-
tInued TO increase until finally it was found
necessary 10 call out the police and have the
streets cleared for a square each way. The
streets were rOped in and one was allowed
about the ruins but those assisting in the
rescue. The work was continuedall afternoon,
and at 10 O'Clock tonight number OF persons
were known to be still underneath the debris.
Up 10 that hour forty manged and bruised
bodies had been taken from the ruins. Some
were dead, some were dying and many others
we're fatally injured. One or two died on the
way to the hospital. From the best inforna-
ton obtainsble, eight were killed outright or
died in short time. and thirty-hve Others
were injured. II is believed that the list of
dead will be greatly increased before morning.
OF the eight killed only two have been identl-
fed so lar. One was little girl named
MclflOne who was walking along the street
fell and the two buried in the wreck.
The little girl was killed instantly and her
brother, it is thought, fatally injured. The
body OF George kirch, a barber, eighteen
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. L. Reed prominent physician OF Allegheny
was in Weldons at the time and is still missing
II is feared that he is dead.
The following is the list OF the wounded up
to 10 O'Clock:
DANIEL COURTNEY, badly bruised and SUI
fering from conclusion OF the brain.
EUGESE +. DAVIS printer, caught between
two rafters and seriously injured.
CHARLES II. PETTICORD, bookkeeper for
Weldon 4 Co, seriously injured.
WELDOS Mason, severely cut about the
head; viii recover.
ALICE CARTE. sixteen-years-old, injured
slightly.
JoHS RIDoUI, carpenter, back and head in
jured and leg fractured; will recover.
BERNARD 0'CONNoE, bricklayer, seriously
bruised about the head and body; not fatally.
FRANK BASSETT, head and breast crushed I;
serious, but not believed to be fatal.
THOMAS LEMON bricklayer, ribs broken;
very serious.
ALBEIT LAMBERT, compcsitor in Jordan's
printing otice; seriously hurt on head and
back, but not fatally;
W. A. MCCURDY, bricklayer. badly injured.
JAMES WATT, carpenter, injuries not fatal.
MICHAEL RYAN, brcklayer, badly bruised
about back ana legs VIII recover.
JOHN DONNELLY, bricklayer, blinded by
sand and badly bruised; will not die.
HENRY faulkner, badly injured about
head and hurt internally; recovery doubtful.
THOMAS MCKEE, bricklayer. legs broken
will recover.
OSCAR Z. SMITH, stenographer, slightly in
jured.
ELMER MCKEowS, clerk, not serious.
MARTIN HALLORAN, engineer, badly bruised,
but not fatally hurt
GEORGE MASON, very seriously injured
about head aud body; his life is despaired of.
WILLIAM SPRINGER, engineer, badly but
not fatally injured.
WILLIAM BARKER. injured internally
death mOmentarily expected.
JOHN GOHERISG, lawyer. severely hurt about
head and leg fractured, will recover.
NORRIS VIST, bricklaver, blown from the
top OF building and taken from Wedon's cellar;
injuries not fatal
OWEN DONNElLY, brieklayer, hurt about
head and back quite seriously.
GEORGE THRIsHLER, barber, severe scalp
wounds and conclusion OF the brain; serious.
W. w. McKeown, both legs broken; will re-
cover.
SAMUEL THROWN. bricklayer, serious.
GEORGE SCOTT, printer, severely hurt: but
not fatally.
GEORGE Lang, printer back injured; not
seriously.
J. f. MELVIN, printer, arm dislocated and
head cut.