Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16
CRUSHED BIZ CHURCH WALLS
Collapse OF a New Presbyterian Church
at Brooklyn.
Two Families Crushed Beneath the
Falling Debris.
The Work Of ReScuing the Wounded
at Once Begun.

New YoRE, Jan. 11-An appalling dis
aster occurred IN Brooklyn this morning.
The heavy winds Ct last night shook the
new Presbyterian church at 296 Tnroop
avenue to its foundation. and at 4:30 this
morning n Of the walls fell with a crash
on a three-story frame building adjoining,
and brought with 1t death and destruction.
The ruined building was tenanted by the
Mott and Purdy families. They numbered
nine persons. Five of them are reported
dead. Two of them were carried out OF
the ruins so seriously injured that their
death is only a question of a few hours.
Following is a list Of those reported dead:
Mary Purdy, aged 10.
David Purdy, aged Is.
The injured are:
Mrs. Caroline Mott, aged 70, shoulder
hurt.
Miss Sarah Mott, her daughter, cut about
the head.
Mrs. Emma Purdy, widow and mother,
respectively, of the two killed. few
scratches; suffering much from the shock.
Carrie Purdy, her daughter, aged II,
ankle and left shoulder hurt.
Richard Poole, cousin of Mrs. Purdy,
back strained, head and shoulders in
jured.
The tenants in the little frame house adj
joining were alarmed last night by the
manner in which the church walls shook
and ratified. Their own dwelling was con-
siderably shaken, and it was with fear and
trembling that they retired. Twice dur
ing the night some of the inmates were
aroused by the roaring wind, but every
one was in bed and asleep when the dis
aster occurred this morning. The heavy
brick wall of the church fell suddenly with
a crash and in a heap that bored through
the cockleshell structure adjoining like a
battering ram. The dwelling seemed to
part in twain, and instantly the shrieks
residents for blocks around.
The noise of the falling wall attracted
the attention of a policeman and he sent in
a fire alarm and summoned the reserve
from a police station near at hand. A
great crowd gathered, gazing blankly at
the ruined dwelling and the shattered
church. The house had been torn in such
a manner that a bedroom was exposed, and
within the bed within plain view of those
in the street, lay the dead body Of Miss
Mary Purdy, borne down beneath a mass
of debris. The fearful spectacle seemed to
stun those who witnessed it, and for a few
moments nothing was done to render as
s~istance to those within.
Then the police and fremen arrived and
started in to the rescue. They first found
Mrs. Emma Purdy lying In her bed,
crushed beneath a mass of timberS and
bricks, so seriously injured that she could
not speak or move when they carried her
out of the charnel house into the street.
Robert Poole was the next one found alive.
He is also so seriously injured that no
hope is entertained of his re-
covery. So far as known, at this writing,
none of the inmates in the house escaped
death or injury. Miss Mary Purdy's body
was crushed and mangled in a fearful
way, it was brought out and laid on the
sidewalk under the blankets in which she
slept last night. She was a beautiful
young woman, and is reported that she
engaged to be married soon.
The church itself is rendered useles
and will have to be replaced by a new 0ne