The Lamar register., 1891-08-29
THE FALL or a BUILDING.
Fifty Persons Supposedto Have Been
Killed in the Collapse.

1
A dreadful catastrophe fraught
with great loss of life occurred in New
York City shortly after the noon hour
last Saturday. Men, women and children,
who after weeks weary toll, within but
few minutes of their usual Saturday
half holiday, met death without word
of warning by the fall of Taylor's build
ing, Nos. IS and 20 Park Place. Any
where from thirty 10 fifty persons were
killed. Six had been taken out dead at
5 80 O'Clock, and these only from the
edge of the street How many are in the
ruins nobody knows. Neither is it known
what caused the collapse. 1t may have
been an explosion, or the building may
have fallen because it was overweighted,
or by the vibration OF the printing presses
The building was condemned thirteen
years ago. Some persons said that the
boiler in the basement exploded.
Whatever it was, the wreck was com
plete and the havoc awful, The whole
front wall of the building was torn out
and dashed into heap of ruins, which
extended entirely across, and partially
blocks the street. Following the crash
came an outburst Of flame, aud in ten
minutes all that was left Of the building
was a sea Of fire.
The fall Of the building was followed by
one OF the swiftestand tercest fires known
in New York for many day. The FIRE
men with great difficulty held the flames
in check and kept them from licking up
three or four Of the surrounding buildings,
Roundsman John G. Taylor Of the Fifth
precinct tells the following story;
~ was on my way home TO luncheon
he said. 1T was about 1880 or l2+5
O'Clock. had reached the corner Of
Chambers street and College place when
heard the clang Of the ambulance and
the rafting Of fire engines. l Immediately
hurried in the direction they were tax
ing. The street was filed with excited
persons all running in one direction. l
finally reached the scene OF the disaster.
A. that time Nos. 40 and - were in flames
and the other buildings had fallen.
thought that probably number Of persons
had been buried in the ruins, so went
down to Greenwich street in the rear OF
the buildings, l climbed on a mass Of
wreckaEe and thought that heard some
one moaning. put my ear to tue wal
and heard some one cry out: oh, God
Oh, for an axen Take heart, cried, 4
will fetch you one
Then rushed up the street where
knew there was a hardware store. went
in the store and ordered them to get out
all the axes in the place. They gave me
dozen axes. I hurried with them TO the
scene Of the disaster. As soon as they
saw me with the axes they rushed up &c
and seized them took one myself and
we began to beat down the walls. We
could hear those poor fellows in there
moaning. l tell you il was something ter
ribIe. The wal.s were tough and did not
yield instantly. Finally we concentrated
all our exertious in one place and ii gave
way. We made a hole about three feet
big. 1t opened into the basement OF the
building. a great gust OF hot wind burs
out into cur faces and VIC staggered back.
God knows how they lived in that furnace
''The first TO come cut was a woman,
weak, pretty little thing, with pale cheeks
and an ugly burn on her face, Thea came
another woman. The men ia that hel
stood back to let the women out first
Then came the men, fifteen in ali Of them.
There were seventeen Ia that one place,
They all came out safely. They did not
wait to say anything, but scampered OF to
their homes. They were all burned iu
places about their heads aud bodies
Up to Sunday night seventeen bodies
had been rescued. But slow progress
could be made on accout Of the heavy tim
bers and machinery.