Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-01
INSECURE STACKS

Apparently the Cause of the Elba Mill Dis
aster-The Coroner Begins His Inquest
on the Death of the Three Victims of the
| Accident.
Coroner Mcdowell yesterday afternoon
began the inquest on the three deaths in the
| Elba mill disaster last Wednesday, The
testimony was largely to the effect that the
/ collapse of the building resulted from the
stacks being poorly supported. d. Bald
win, a foreman, was present at the acci-
dent Tuesday evening the building was
in safe condition. The guys to the stacks
| haH been loosened about ten days before to
admit the setting of truss. All the girders
were up and every precaution had been
| taken At the time of the accident the wit
ness and several other men were taking in
slack of a line from truss being righted
into position. The pulling in of the slack
could not have had strain sufficient to make
the building fall
W. MEYERS corroborated this testimony.
James Bach, of Baltimore, was not work
ing on the building. but from what heeaw
it was in safe condition. There were very
| few guy lines to the stacks. The latter
were three or four feet out of plumb, and
falling, and taking the building with them.
Had the building fallen toward the river or
any other way it would have shown faulty
construction, but TO collapse as it did proved
that something had fallen to the top. He
did not think the stacks were safe.
Thomas b. Easton had noticed the stack
leaning, and said to his fellow-workmen
''It looks a little shaky for us to work
there" He made no mention of this matter
TO any of the officers of the company in
terested or to the foreman. There were very
few guy lines.
Edward Condor was working on the roof,
and saw guy line unlocked from below.
He then felt the vibration of the building
and jumped in time to save himself He
heard remarks about the unsafetv of the
stacks and of their being out of plumb.
He saw the fall of the south stack. The
guy lines were of iron.
John Battles testified that pulling the
beam into place had no effect on the stacks.
James Taylor on Tuesday evening saw
that the third truss was considerably bent
and leaning toward Second avenue Wednes-
day morning the bend was greater and
the part OF the building so supported looked
unsafe.
W. A. Mullane, of Akron, O., who had
the contract from Ritter & Conley for plac-
ing the roof on the building, said he had
charge, and Mr.. Everson and Cook, of the
Oil Well Supply Company, were at the
building the evening prior to the accident.
No strain had been brought on the building
that could have thrown it down by any
work he had ordered done. Everything
was in good condition except the stacks,
which were old and rusty and were not sup
ported enough.
Thomas Evans saw the bend in the third
truss and told some workmen. The latter
commenced to fix the truss. A little later
the building collapsed.
Mr.. Baldwin was here recalled. He said
the truss was not bent Tuesday.
John Cook, superintendent of the Elba
Iron Works, saw truss 3 buckle over to
Second avenue He called Mr.. Everson's
attention to it. Men were put to set it
right, but instead of pulling it up they
pulled it down and set the building in
motion. None of the mill men had anything
to do with the work
The inquest was here adjourned until this
morning at 10 o'clock.