Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-04-28
AN AWFUL DISASTER.
The Newly Built Vaults of the
Court House Fall in.
Five Men We're Buried in the Ruins.
Ny Others Wounded.
Jump for your lives, men !"

A long, loud rumbling, as of heavily
loaded wagon being driven rapidly over
a rough road
A cry of despair, as three lives are
put out and three men are horribly
mashed and mangled!
The news travels like wild fire.
What has happened?
Men with blanched faces and women
with trembling forms rush to see the
most horrible disaster that has ever oc-
Cured in Jonesboro
The vaults that were being built on
the east end of the court house, and
which had reached height of 40
feet, with but second S warning, had
toppled to the ground.
1t was 1880 p. IN. of last Friday.
As the crowd gathered at the scene,
men were heard to say:
THANK God {; it is dinner time, and
no one can be in that pile of mortar
and brick"
But, no! the startling intelligence is
conveyed that five quivering, mangled
human bodies lie 10 feet below that
mass of debris.
God, help them, is the prayer on ev-
cry lip and in every heart.
Then, as if with but one impulse,
men sprang to the pile of brick under
hich,lay fellow beings, and with al
most superhuman strength and energy
began the work of digging out the
bodies. Men worked like demons.
They tore at the hard bricks, and dug
their hands in the damp mortar, until
their nails were worn to the quick.
Blood spurted from many hand.
But what cared they for that. Per-
haps some of those men are alive!
Hush !"
A stiffness like death falls on the as
sembled multitude.
From the pile of brick and mortar,
as from grave, the people catch faint
cry:
Help, quick !"
With redoubled energy work is re-
sumed. keep the crowd back. stand
back! !" is the cry, 1--WE have come to a
body"
Tenderly and carefully the brick was
removed from around poor James Will
son, noble and Christian man. He
was dead. The head was crushed, and
the body SCARED. 1t was 1:25 when he
was taken out
They dig little further. Then Ran.
som Esterlidge's body was recovered
He was smothered to DEATH Could he
have been reached in time he would
have lived. Oh, the agony of that
death! His body was recovered at 80
Five minutes later the head of Ell
Moore was uncovered. He directed the
workmen how to dig out his hands and
feet. He stood upright with extended
hands. held down by that awful weight
His head was bent down, which inter
fcred with his breathing. He could moi
have lived one minute longer had he
not been reached when he was.
Moore then directed the workmer
where to find Wade Snodgrass, who
was lying near him. He, too, was also
alive, but very badly crushed, face
hands and body.
Where is Frank May, has he beer
accounted for?" was now the question
Some one cried: "There he is now
coming down the hill"
The crowd rush to the corner to see
mo; that's his brother Frank is in
the wreck"
Again the men 60 at the work. In Q
few minutes the dead body of May wa.
recovered. He was plasterer. He wat
in the lower vault working when the
crash came. He did not have time t.
drop his tools. He was found in an
upright position, his trowel in one hant
and mortar board in the other.
These were all the men caught in the
wreck. Death came in moment, wip
ing away life as with breath.
FURTHER DETAILS.
The vaults were being built by ]. j
Adams, a johnson City contractor
They were nearly 20 feet square. Tn,
floors were to have been concrete, sup
ported by brick arches. The work hat
been pushed rapidly and was nearly
finished. AT the time of the disaster
eight men were at work. May was il
the lower vault, Esterlidge, Wilson
Moore and Snodgrass were on the tol
of the building, and ]. j. Adams, james
Reed and Frank Harper were on tn,
scaffold. People on the street noticed
the building sway. They cried to thu
men to escape. The cry was taken VI
by Mr.. Adams, who uttered the word
at the head of this article. 1t was to,
late for all to escape. Mr.. Adam
jumped and caught one of the poles o
the scaffold and slid to the pavement
being bruised slightly.
Jim Reed was thrown forty feet 10 tn
ground, but escaped. with badl.
mashed head!
Frank Harper, colored, went hea,
over heels from the top and lande'
safely, without scratch. 1t was
most remarkable escape. He got u
and walked away.
I