The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-16

mass of bricks, timbers, and plasterins
The top of the building was so heavy tina
when it fell it crushed out all spsc
of rooms, and made the wreck that
left almost as solid as the ground Nc
soul escaped from the building till .efbe
it had fallen. William jenkins was en
of the first to get out of the debris. Hi
back was badly hurt. He was not to-
badly hurt to talk. and told a thrilling story
Il was Just initiated into the Knights o.
Honor. The meeting had been calledto or
der, the minutes read, and some little pre-
liminary business had been transacted
There were about a hundred of the members
present more than halfef them ladies. W.
were just getting ready to initiate some new
members 1 heard terrific blowing
and bowling Of the wind. 1t rocked
the building slightly. I became
frightened and told the peopls
around me that we had better get out
but they were all smiling and appeared no.
to he frightened thought stone time that
/ would get up and 60 out myself. l thought,
though it would look eoward]y, so stayed
with the rest. Suddenly the storm seemed
TO grow stronger and the wind yelled like q
great human voice The window in the rear
was blown out and the flying sphnters of glass
were scattered all over the floor. 1t had
hardly fallen when the plastering of the rear
wall began to crumble and crack and topple
off in great patches. The ereaking in the
house alarmed the assemblage, and all
started for the door. There was such arush
that the doorway was blocked, and few got
There was darkness then. All the lights
went out, and I felt the floor sink
ing under me. It sank slowly, and
1T was several seconds before it struck
with a jar, and joists, beams, pla Ter
ing, and everything came falling down lpen
us all. It was terrible moment wher the
floor was going down. The women scre' med
wildly. One woman l never knew c.ught
my wrist and 1 caught woman's arm.
and we three went down together. 1 Leo-
pened to light on my feet I was hedgeo
in by the falling timbers but my hands
were free. l felt a lot of people In all
sorts Of contorted positions all about me.
There was a little open space beyond: could
feel into it with my hand. In fifteen minutes
Twas rescued. ] happened to be near the
surface
In the light of the bonfire the crowd
fell to work on the building The smothered
cries of the wounded could be heard from be-
meath the ruins. A great many of them were
near the surface and we're quickly eIhumed.
Fifteen dead bodies were recovered In the
first half hour and a number of wounded
rescued. The surrounding stores were turned
wounded were taken into Schreutze's drug
store, where they were ministered to.
At 12 o'clock the opening up Of a
portion of the debris of the Falls
City Hall caused a draught to pen
citrate the ruins, whereupon the smoul-
dering fire broke out with tremendous
fierceness. 1t spread rapidly, and forced the
workers to desert the pile. As soon as the
fire gained headway the groans of the inn
prisoned people became shrieks, and 50 great
was the horror of the moment that the
watchers grew frantic and ran about
like wild men. The terrible sufferings
which they were unable to alleviate
drove them to despair Several lines
of hose were soon throwing water on
the flames, but it was more than an hour be-
fore work could be proceeded with, and then
it was carried on with much more difficulty
than before, on account of the heat.
The coming of the night did not prevent
the bands of brave rescuers from continuing
silently though no less arduously and to
take OF the gruesome appearance
Of ghouls. As each remnant OF
the piles of wreckage was lifted, it was
with the anticipation Of uncovering to view
the ifeless form of some human victim of
that awful storm. In the presence Of such
awful disaster even a whisper sounds SO loud
that the utterer hesitates, half expecting to
see the dead aroused from his eternal sleep.
AS the night wore on, the work became
more awful. Then the advantage of light
and its fear-dispelling quantities were denied.
the workers, for all the electric wires were.
torn down by the storm and left the city to
be enshrouded in the deepest gloom. Still
the untiring and strong-hearted workers
continued to dig in the storm-made graves
of the dead.
Hundreds of thousands Of dollars worth Of
goods lay upon the business streets at the
mercy of thieves. 1t seemed almost impossi-
Bile to find storehouses for this vast
amount Of merchandise. At many places
towering walls of brick were oscillating in
the air ready to descend at any moment.
These points of danger were guarded by the
police and q military company called the
Louisville Legion, who drove the surging
crowds back at the point of the bayonet At
the entrance of the various dead rooms"
stood a breatkiess mob clamoring for admit
tance, but it wasinvariably refused unless it
be to identify some relative or friend.
A well-attended meeting Of the Louisville
Board Of Trade was held at noon with the
intention of discussing some measure for the
relief of the sufferers, President William
Cornwall Jr., presiding. A Relief Commit
tee ul 1nsy members were selected by the
President and consented to serve. 1t was
decided that four members should be as.
signed to each block, and that all parts OF
the wrecked district be visited. An estl-
mate & the damage was ordered to be made
a.ad help extended to the poor people in
destitute condition. 1t was requested that
those having teams should close their busi-
ness and use every effort to assist those need
ing help. An executive committee OF seven
was selected to secure homes for those who
are homeless. Within few minutes after
the passage of those resolutions 1000 had
been subscribed.
The damage to property in Louisville will
amount to 81, 500, 600.