Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-03-18
A HORRIBLE HOLOCAUST
The Walls of Burning Build
ing Fall Burying More
Than a Score of Men.
Fastened by Debris the Crushed
and Mangled Bodies Con-
sumed by Fire.
The Crowd of Helpless Specta-
tators Crazed by the Hor-
rible Scene of Death.

lNplNNAFoiIN. ina, March l1.-Ihis
afternoon tire from the furnace in the
basement in the large book publishing
establishment of Bowen. Merrill 4 Co
reached some paper and instantly the
ilamrS were carried by the elevator shaft
to the fourth story. The building was a
llne stone and iron structure, fronting ON
Washington street and was stored with
books and stationery of all kinds. This
large stock was consumed and the build
ing wrecked. At $50 o'clock the loss of
more than Sl50.0J1 on the building and
stock was followed by the falling in of the
roof. which carried down more than
twenty persons, including those working
ON the various floors. The fire at this
hour had been driven to the corner be-
tween the ceiling Of the fourth story and
the coruices. Parts of the lire companies
were on the roof working their way down
- the fire. The roof seemed sound and
he walls substantial, but suddenly the
walls yielded. \ man threw up his arms
and sank into the Scething ruins below.
Another man dropped, and then the " hole
rear roof. with fifteen men ON it, fell on
the top toor where the fire was raging.
four men were on the upper floor under
the roof. These were crushed beneath
the grinding timbcrs, and all the men
were hurled through the falling floor be-
meath. which gave way with the weight
OF the mass. One Of the hremcn ON top
oi the adjoining building ran 10 the front
OF the building and shouted to those be-
low: For Gods sake throw water into
the upper windows Twenty men are
burlVd there Instantly ambulances
were telephoncd for, and presently the
crowd below moaned under the portentiOn
OF developments.
The scene ON the heap of debris imme-
diatcly after the collapse was ptiable
and dreadful beyond all power of descrip-
ton. Limbs of men We're seen vrithng.
while the trunks 10 which they belonged
were buried from sight. A ladder lay
across three men and was weighted down
with tons Of brick and timber. Another
poor fellow, who was beyond all pain, Law
close beside his fellows shapelesS aud
mangled mass, i ladder lay across the
stomach q, one man who was screaming
with agony. Another man with broken
arm aud twisted body lay next to him.
~ fast as willing hands could move the
bricks the weight was removed. but the
ladder was too firmly held to yield. The
man With broken arm was dragged free
aud carried away. Under, lying mute,
wa. the upturned face of poor fellow
not seen before. Mortar and dust were
cleared away from his lips. but he was
buried too deep for immediate help to
come 10 him. On all sides blackened
aud bleeding faces distorted with agony.
or dreadful ia death. urged the crowd
who had scaled the heap To assist them
to double their efforts. The debris had
fallen So that lay with the valley shaped
surface. aud this made the available
space for the work very small. as there
Was no place 10 deposit materials dug
from the bottom of the valley, except To
throw them upon the sides of the depres-
sion. from which they continually rolled
down toward the center again.
All Worl, Of relief was thus carried ON
with great difficulty. One by one. the
men nearest the surface were eXtricatcd.
hut as the workers went down further
they discovered new victims and the hor-
ror steadily grew. The forward part of
the building still stood aud was burning
ticrcplv aud threatened every moment to
fall down aud bury the brave rescuerS.
but they gave no heed to the peril On
either side the walls lowered and seemed
ready Ia fall. but there was no time to
think OF them. As fast aS men at work
became exhausted others stood ready and
anxious to ill their places. 50 there was
not a moment Of delay in the labor Of re-
lief Every moment was filled with an
awful suspense. for all were thinking Of
friends who lay beneath them. The
names which the men inquired after were
passed hurrcdly from lib to lip
and the people bent down To scan
closely the blackcncd aud scared faces
Persons who had friends among the fire
men or among citizens who were supposed
to have been in or near the fatal walls,
became frantic rs time passed aud they
could get no word. As the wounded were
carried out OF the ruins, they were met
with embraces aud tears OF joy. but when
still. broken forms were borne away,
motionlcSs aud limp. then il was when
the full sadness and horror Of the calam-
iiy came upon the waiting crowd. Al
this hour. 1880 p. M. twenty-five men
have been taken from the ruins: nine OF
them were dead. aud the rest more or less
injured Others are known To he under
thc mass Of debris. but have not yet been
reached.