The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-03
BUILT ON THE SAND.
Collapse Of : Three-Story Brick
Building.
SCENES OF MIDNIGHT TERROR.


This Morning.
About half past O'Clock this morning
the occupants OF Kline & Rosenberg .
three-sfory prick building, on the south
side OF Washington street. between Conf
merciai and South Second streets, were
startled BY load crash. and . moment
later BIZ the sudden sinking OF
the center OF the building. about
SIX inches. A moment later . second
crash. which could be plainly heard .
block away. came accompanied by another
sinking of the door and the falling OF the
plaster in all parts of the house IL was
Immediately evident that the brick wall
dividing the two thirty-foos stores on the
street floor had sunk, letting the building
in with il.
The building is forty feet wide and abou I
fifty feet deep. The street door is di-
viied into two store rooms. the one near
est South Second being occupied by Rosen-
that's clothing store and the other one bv
Rapp 4 Powers ''Budweiser" sa-
loon. In the basement H. Las
bey keeps clothes cleaning and dyeing
establishment and the two upper floors are
occupied by the Los Angeles lodging
house, the home of Z large number CT
actors in the Vaudeville theaters.
When the first crash came the occupants
OF the Budw eiser saloon were so surprised
that they could not imagine the
cause OF the noise and Of
the sudden sinking Of the floor;
but when the floor again gave way and the
| bar and shelving were so rocked that the
glassware rolled OF onto the floor, they
rushed out of the building in terror.
The second crash caused intense excite
ment in the upper floors. Every room was
occupied and the falling plaster and sud-
den racking of the building caused nearly
hundred persons to awake in
terror. Many rushed from their rooms
without waiting to dress. while
others, who could not escape from their
rooms, owing TO the springing of the door
jambs, appeared NJ the windows. and inl-
plored to be released from imprisonment
and what they thought was certain death.
Officer George Sheahan who heard the
first crash. promptly notified the fire and
police headquarters and Chief kellogg was
on the ground few minutes latter with
hook and ladder crew. closely followed by
a detachment of police. Order was res
tored and in few minutes those who had
been imprisoned in their rooms were re-
leased by the forcing in of their doors.
Then commenced a general hegira.
Those who had rushed ont of their rooms
at the first alarm now rushed back fran
ticalIy to save their effects, and the mar
row stairway was soon jammed with
trunks and the street in front of the build
ing resembled scene after ire with its
piles OF goods guarded by half-dressed men
and women. The Budweiser saloon moved
part of its stock to the adjoining building.
Rosenthal's store presented the worst
spectacle. The shelving against the parti-
ton wall had fallen into the center of the
store at the first crash, and the gaods lay
piled in all directions upon the floor. Mr..
Rosenthal was not notified until O'Clock
this morning. and has not yet moved his
stock.
: A large and curious crowd gathered in
the street in front of the building and were
with difficulty kept away from it by the
police. Ropes were finally stretched from
the corner of South Second street in front
of the dangerous walls and the police then
succeeded in holding the crowd back.
The Kline & Rosenberg buildlng was the
first one in the block to be built latter the
fire. It's hundsome appearing structure
about 4oxJ0 feet in size, three stories high
and cost $4,000. 1t was poorly con-
structed, however, and predictions were
made before its completion last November
that it would fall inside two two years.
The foundation of the building is known
TO have been very poor. Ii is built upon
sawdust and made land and only thirty
foot piles were used. The
sawdust is estimated to be at least twenty
five feet deep at this place, and the piles.
therefore, could not have touched hard
pan. as the original ground was very soft.
When Ed Siorah leased the Young build
ing, adjoining the wrecked building on the
south, last January. Mr.. Young told him
that the Kline & Rosenberg block would
undoubtedly fall within two years. The
Young block and the George Monroe block
on the other side have independent walls,
and will not be affected in any WY by the
sinking of the Kline & Rosenberg building.
1t il not probable that the building will
fail in. although il may sink a foot
or two more IN the center. As
it is il is wreck. Contractors
who looked at the building at 5 O'Clock
this morning say IL will be out of the cues
ton TO raise the center wall and make the
building safe again. II will probably
be torn down. Ii is not known IL Kline &
Rosenberg viii be able to secure damages
from the builders or not.
At O'Clock this morning all the tenants
are out of the building. Mrs. Mag
gle Funk. who kept the Los An
geles lodging house has not moved
her furniture. bat nearly all of her guests
have taken their effects and sought other
quarters. The building Is under a strong
guard of police.
Crificsxes Emin Pasha.
Lospos. April The TIpses has an edi-
torial reproaching Ernin Pasha IL r,ints