Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-18
IA BUILDING IN RUINS. Collapse of a Fourteen Story
 Structure in Chicago. YALENSlkNS' CELEBRATION. North Carolina on the Verge
 of a Race War. GERMANY WANTS A SETTLEMENT. Klein Says He Was Merely a
 Spectator at Samoa.
GERMANY WANTS A SETTLEMENT.

THE COLLAPSE OF A BUILDING. A Fourteen story OMce Structure in Chicago is Reduced to 8 Huge Mass of Debris-The sky.Reaching Build Ing DangerOusly Constructed on a Piece of Land Fifty Feet Square-No Lives LosI-The Financial Loss Un- known.
 CHICAGO, Feb. 17.-The Owings block, IA stories, and one of the tallest office buildings in America, collapsed this morning, a number of workmen barely escaping in time to save their lives. It was beautiful Gothic struc- ture at the corner of Dearborn and Adams streets, just opposite the postofdce, in the center of the business district. The ten lower stories fell in one after another, leaving the walls the four upper floors and the roof standing in a decidedly shakY condition. In the tenth story the tile flooring was defective or was damaged by the natural settling of the building, for without the slightest warning the great mass of tiles and girding forming the injured floor crashed to the story below, carrying that with it, and the two together pounded a way for themselves to the bottom. About 125 workmen have been steadily gagged in the building, but to-day being Sum- day less than dozen were on hand. All were in the basement, when, at 6:30, an om- inous cracking and tremendous crash was heard. No one stopped to inquire into the cause, but rushed pell nell into the street. They were not moment too soon. suc- cession of thunderous reports, then one pro- longed mighty din and each scurrying trembling workman was enVeloped in great uprising cloud of dust and and 8 few of the hardier spirits ventur- ed back inside, and where before arose story above story east of central skylight in mathe- nautical precision and with every appearance of colossal strength and durability now oe a1or hi Ia %ho space 130 feet above was empty save for bent and distorted iron beams that here and there projected from the walls. CnieT Swenie of the fire department, after looking over the structure, decided that it would not be neces- sary to pull down the walls at once although they seemed to be out of plumb, there was no immediate danger of there falling in. The building, which was rapidly ap- ! preaching com pletion, was considered one of the finest in the city from the stand points of convenience, strength and archi- tectural magnifcenee. It's upper stories were of pressed brick, the three lower of stone. The roof was completed about three weeks ago. The interior was entirely of tile sup- ported in iron girders. Work has been push ed as rapidly as possible, and the contractors have at times literally filled the structure with workmen. Yesterday three iron tanks intended to hold water for the elevator power ! arrived at the building. One of these,
 weighing 2,900 pounds. was hoisted to the twelfth story, while another, about 300 pounds lighter, was placed in position to be ' elevated to- morrow. To the east of the
 shaft extending through the center of the
 | building the walls and floors of tile had been
 completed and work had been begun on the
 ' iron staircase. The immediate cause of the
 collapse was undoubtedly the giving way of
 ! the tile flooring at the tenth story. This
 | fell to the floor below, knocking out more
 | tiling which fell through gaining in weight
 until the fifth story was reached when the
 falling mass tore away the iron beams on
 ! this and the floors below bending them out
 ! of shape and shaking the walls to the foun-
 dations. It is presumed that the settling of
 ! the building caused the fist break.
 The tiles of which the floors are made fit together like keystones and depend on each
 other for support. Any extension of the
 space confning them would tend to allow the
 entire mass to drop out. In the fearful se-
 ries of concussions this tiling was ground
 | into dust. High upon either side great ! patches are torn out of the interior cross
 wall.
 Notwithstanding the great height of the building the land on which it stands is not more than fifty feet square. The design was to utilize every inch to the utmost. F. R. Owings, Boston capitalist, after whom the
 wrecked building was named, is the owner. No information as to the probable loss or
 what was to be done could be obtained from
 any person around the wreck.