Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-25
SEARCHING THE RUINS
The Great Mass of the Wreck on Park
Place Still Untouched.
FIFTY CORPSES MAY BE THERE
Fourteen Dead Bodies Are Removed From
the Outer Edges Only.
SEVERAL INDICTMENTS MAY FOLLOW


form Of a dead and mangled body.
just before two bodies had been taken from
the ruins, crowd of people standing on tn,
steps of the building opposite the wreck
saw one of the Italians working in the
ruins stoop over the body of one of the
victims and take something out Of
the vest pocket. They shouted 10 the
police and a boy ran across the street
and told Policeman Sweeney, of the Ninth
precinct, who arrested the Italian. He
was compelled to show what he had in his
pockets, and the first thing he pulled out
was silver watch which he admitted he
had picked up
He was taken to the Second precinct
station house, followed by mob, many Of
whom shouted, Lynch him, lynch him. ''
From the police station the italian was
taken to the Tombs Police Court. There he
gave his name as RosSo Savano. He said
he intended TO give his watch to the boss
He was held for trial.
SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE.
Since the occurrence of the disaster at the
Taylor building the fire marshal has been
almost constantly at the scene endeavoring
TO learn the cause He is as Yet unprepared
10 say whether he has arrived ut any con-
clusions on the subject or not.
At the morgue there were repeated to-
day the scenes witnessed there yesterday.
From early morning there was a constant
stream Of mourning friends and relatives
seeking among the lead lying there the body
OF some loved one whose absence leaves no
hope OF escape from the wrecked building.
superintendent Brady and 4 force of dep
uties went TO the ruins and began thor
ough investigation OF the causes of the ac-
Cident. 1t was learned positively there was
no boiler in the building and thar the heavy
hthogmphic presses were not working
when the accident occurred. The theory
that the disaster was due to faulty construc-
tion OF the building is gaining strength.
volunteer force OF workmen from the
Marvin safe Company, with one of the COM
uany'S trucks and its Safe-hoisting ma
cninery was at work at noon hauling the big
Hoe presses out of the ruins. Underneath
one OF these presses was visible the bodies
OF two men.
THE MASS OF RUIN UNTOUCHED.
50 far only the edge ofthe ruins has been
searched. Down beneath the center of the
buildings are probably the graves Of the
great majority of those who have perished.
The firemen, who have heard all sorts of
stories as to the number of persons in the
buildings when they fell, believe that at
least 50 bodies are still under the debris
Deputy Fire Chief Reilly is of that opinion,
and he has made careful calculations from
the numerous and contradictory reports
submitted to him.
Another complication is added to-day to the
situation AZ the place of the disaster Itnow
looks as if the Board of Fire Underwriters
theory that the fire companies are not liza
BILE for anY Of the damages. either to the |
building or the frail structure would be in |
sisted upon by the courts At least such is |
the position taken by Secretary William |
Raniell. of the Board of Fire Underwriters.
rN-1HN facts
Secretary Randell issued a call for q meet |
ing OF the board this morning. clause of |
the regular policy which provides for this |
particular case, reads as follows: "f q |
building or any part thereof fall, except as a |
result o: fire. all insurance by this policy on |
such building and contents shall end"
INSURANCE COMPANIES NOT LIABLE
So the very contract under which the fire |
insurance policy is issued makes null and |
void all claims for insurance for the heavy |
losers in the fearful disaster. There is still |
another clause in all policies, which pro-
vides that The fire insurance companies |
shall not be liable for any damages in cases
OF explosion.
It was to consider these clauses and their |
application TO the Park Place collapse that |
the meetidg OF the fire underwriters was
called to-day. Only two members of the |
board appeared. and the consideration OF
the matter was postponed.
Twelve bodies were found in the ruins up /
to o'clock. The work of taking six of them
out of the debris was completed at 3:25 when |
ii was learned that five of the bodies were
those Of women or girls and one of them |
that of boy.
District Attorney Nicol is considering the |
question OF indictlng the person or persons |
responsible for the disaster. After a long |
consultation with his chief assistant, eX- |
Judge Bedford, has placed the case in the |
hands of Assistant District Attorney Town. |
send.
MORE BODIES RECOVERED.
The odor OF decomposing flesh that arises |
from the ruin is becoming horrible, and |
tie disinfectants hitherto used seem to pro- |
duce little effect At o'clock another body |
was brought out from the basement of No. !
~. 1t was found beneath the press frame |
that had been lifted out of the debris few |
minutes before, and was the body of a man. |
Tie head and body were burned beyond |
recognition, but the legs and feet were COM
uarntively intact.
At $50 o clock the next body was brought |
out from the press room. 1t was the remains |
- young man who looked to be about II |
years old. His face was burned beyond rec |
OSuition, but most of his clothes were In |
relatively fair shape. He was probably one |
OF the employees of the press room.
City Chamberlain Grain, whose mother |
owned the wrecked building, arrived at his 1
Office today. When questioned as to the |
condition of the building, he said: 81 know |
nothing personally about it. 1t was built in |
lS72, and wa acquired by my mother in 1Ss3. |
The building, / have always understood, |
Fyas well constructed and never was con- |
dcmned, nor was it considered unsafe. 1t |
was always used for the purposes tor which |
il was used at the time of the fire.
THE THEORY OF FIRE ADVANCED.
"As TO the claim that the stock of material |
and the heavy presses on the upper floors |
caused the building to collapse, why, any |
one who looks at the facts calmly end dis /
passionately will admit that such was not |
the case. Ny opinion is that the cause of /
the accident was fire followed by an ex-
plosiOn-the same theory that the iremen |
have about the matter. The explosion oc- |
CURED on one of the lower floors. What |
caused il or when il took place is not for me |
to say. The building was insured for $50 900 !
and was worth just about that sum. 1never |
knew that it was considered extra hazard |
Gus"
\ man who has been engaged for IS years |
in placing printing machinery in position /
Snld to-day that the presses of Ellis Il Nc i
Donald and Leibler & Mas were so placed 4
{ hat the vibrations ran with the beams and |
and that the eight-inch resting plane |
was insufficient to support the enormous |
weight that was on it. On the third floor |
alone, he said, nearly 40 tons of machinery |
stood.
An alarm was sent ont from police head |
quarters to-day for Louis Rosenfeld, pro-
prietor of the paint store at No. 20 Park |
place. He has been missing since the dis |
asUer, and his brother thinks the fearful |
scenes ne Witnessed after the crash came |
unsettled his mind.
ONCE tried, no more corns. Daisy Corn |
Cure. 10 cents; of druggists.