Morris tribune., 1891-12-09
UNDER FALLING WALLS.
TERRIBLE SEQUEL TO TIE RE-
CENT FIRE AT ST. PAUL.

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workmen Buried Beneath the Failing
Debris-Eight Men Taken Out Dead
and Seven Badly Injured, Some of
Whom VIII Die.
ST. PAUL, Dec. A sequel, terrible
in its fatality, has just been enacted to
the great fire in tho st. Paul wholesale
district of midnight of Nov. 49, Shortly
after / p. IN. the center wall Of the west
section of the Shepard building, recently
occupied by Griggs, Cooper & Co., fell
in, burying the workmen beneath the
ruins.
OF the men at work beneath the wall
at the time it fell eight were taken out
dead and seven badly injured.
Removing the Dead and Injured.
Immediately after the accident oc-
CURED all the patrol wagons in the city
were summoned, and Chief Clark, with
Chief jackson and Assistant Chief Mar
tin, made an attempt to organize the
laborers who were net under the wall
and get them to work.
The men were wild with excitement.
however, and it was long time before
more than half dozen could be induced
to go to work. The others ran back and
forth around the building shouting to
each other aad uttering imprecations
against the contractors, or stood gazing
blankly at the ruin.
The group that went to work in less
than half an hour had taken out ten
men,
Five of Whom Were Killed,
and five injured, one so severely that
the physicians on the ground stated
that he could not live until he reached
the hospital. By this time q larger
gang had been put to work and the
work of removing the debris went on
rapidly. Finally the contractor, VIII
COX, was taken out dead and mangled
beyond recognition, his head appar-
emily mashed to pulp.
The wounded were taken to the city
hospital in the patrol wagons and the
dead, with the exception of one man,
We're laid out in the Great Northern
freight house.
Scenes on the Spot.
1t was sight never to be forgotten as
the dead and injured were taken out,
some of them crushed almost to pulp.
One of the men, supposed to have
been sub-foreman, was taken out in
his fur coat, nothing but his feet and
limbs being visible. His head and body
appeared to be crushed out Of all shape.
There were men with all their limbs
broken, faces bruised and crushed out
of all semblance of humanity. Others
were not SO badly mangled, but had evi-
IDENTIFY been instantly killed by brick
falling on their heads.
Cause of the Accident.
The cause of the accident, as near as
can be learned, is that the wall, which
was much weakened by the fire, became
top heavy from the large amount of
debris removed from the bottom, and
fell over of its own weight. For some
time it has been considered dangerous
by people who frequehted the place, but
the contractors, who examined it, pro-
nounced the wall sound and the men
continued to work without fear of scci-
dent.
The wall had appeared firm and syave
no sign Of weakening up to the time OF
the fall, when it came down ip heap
without a seconds warning. The ex-
cavations about the base have been car
ried on very rapidly and the greater
part of the debris had been removed.
The killed and Injured.
ST. PAUL, Dec. Sup to the present
time the number of fatalities reported
from the disaster at the corner of Third
and Wacouta streets is eight, and of
those now in the hospital it is thought
that two must soon die. The others may
survive. The corrected list of the killed
and injured is as follows:
EDWARD WILCOX, employed by
Kenny Bros. to make contracts.
JOHN ADAMSKI, 1aborer.
CHARLES KATRITZKI, foreman.
JOHN KOLESKI, laborer
FRANK SEWEL, laborer.
ALLEN YOUNG, laborer.
FRANK MARKS, laborer.
PETER LARSON, laberer.
List of Injured.
Frank Teshler, will probably die.
Thomas Morter, skull fractured and can
not live.
Frank st. Peter. chance of recovery very
doubtful
John Maurer, badly bruised.
Thomas Seemutter, face and hands
hurt.
Mike Mcnamara, left hand smashed and
right hip hurt.
Stephen Ronde, left arm severely IN
jured
Two men are still reported missing,
and their mangled bodies will probably
be found in the ruins.
A coroner's jury has been summoned,
and are at present Investigating the
cause of the disaster.