New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-10
TWENTY-FIVE LIVES LOST.


carry out the dead and wounded. some OF inc
former had been instantly killed, while Others had
annarcntly died from suf1ocaton and in great
agony. Several died as they were iifted IRON 'he
ruins or before they could be conveyed u
hospital. l., , .hos.
On every face. both of tho dead and those
who were seriously wounded surprise ana hoT Te
were plainly drawn Every man naa o pe' ambush
in many cases the semblance to humanity haa
almost entirely disappeared. Il seemed a,,iUns
as if the workers about the lll-iatca soarad
were carrying out mere bags OF matter, suvniud
all over with blood. filthy with dirt. arr g,ouhs
into them; blood oozing IRON e' own father
wife not recognized her husoanu. Id s"n;
tenderness as rough and excited men c1u'" az sun W.
strntcbcrs and carried out TO the ambulances
that filled the adjoining streets. Inc doc,o,S
could do little for them there All ,n, y. I;rt
possibly do was to clear away some OF tne ui,'
the plaster and the filth from the faces o.
the injured men, II was grounded INTO .ncdr
eyes. and mouths increasing ,i snd aond
NOT have helped themselves. The amDulah.es
had ali they could possibly attend to- Soon the
hospitals were crowded ana IL Syca,ho into
temporary hospitals. Lven the noors OF tle ~,
fees Of two physicians were covered Wl,h '"c
wounded and bleeding forms oil the Nlc'nhs'
TWENTY BODIES IDENTIFIED.
By o'clock tonight TWENTY-FIVE bodies
had been recovered from the ruins and identiied
The number of injured or wounded was forty-live
the list of dead will not be further increased by
the discovery Of ether bodies in the ruins or by
the death of the fatally injured lying in hos
pitals and private houses. The last body was
taken out of the ruins this afternoon at o clocK'
but il was 90 disfgured as to make immediate
Identification impossible.
The sympathy and practical aid extended by
everybody IN a position to help the sufferers anu
those dependent upon them are deserving OF COM
mont. Nearly every store in the neighoorhood sent
supplies to the workmen engaged in digging IN
the ruins, offered to place rooms at the disposal
of the wounded. The spiritual needs Of those
not yet beyond the reach Of their ministratlons
was looked after by four priests, who ran from
a neighborins parsonage Immediately after the
collapse Of the building and were on the spot
almost as soon as the Fire Department and the
police Tie Acting Secretary Of War ordered
company of artillery from the Arsenal to march
to the scene of the disaster to assist the police and
the ambuances from Fort Meyer and troop Of
cavalry were placed at the disposal of the local
authorities.
At a meeting of citizens held hastily this
afternoon at Wizards Hotel for the purpose of
extending immediate relief to the sufferers and
their families. $500 raised within fifteen
minutes Of which the President contributed $500
and the local newspaper offices 5000 Every oae
on the ground within fifteen minutes after the
catastrophe had occurred, each assuming share
in the duty Of directing the workmen In then
grewsome task. Commissioner NJ a. Parker left
the building only long enough in the afternoon
to attend the meeting Of the citizens committee;
and Immediately after its adjournment returned
to the scene of the disaster to resume the work
of directing the laborers. Engineer Commissioner
Powell's practical experience gave his ald ~,
peculiar value which those who watched te
work were readily able to appreciate
A REPETITION OF THE DISASTER POSSIBLE
1t has already been said that the city is honey
combed with buildings owned or occupied by the
Government in which repetition of to-day's dis
aster is the fearful possibility of each hour The
pages of " The CONFESSIONS Record TEEN with the
speeches exposing the utter rottenness Of the Pub
lie Printing Office. the dangers which its 5000
employees run daily. the menace II constantly Is 10
hfe and property. The pigeonholes OF the com,
pittees Of both houses are crowded with the
protests and petitions of employees asking that
quarters be furnished for them that are at least
safe 1t required years to convince Congress .nde
IL was necessary to act. But even then the battie
waHnot won. 1t is raging even now. Fer more
than five years real estate specuatois, lobbers,
lobbyists, pulling and hauling members OF Congress
about without the least resistance on the part of
the latter. have known how to defer the selection
Of proper site. The safety of the 5000 EN-,
ployes is nothing to them. Congress. paralyZed
by the inaction of it's own members. founders
about from year to year, and only a calamity IKE
that of to-day can ronse it from its lethargy and
awaken it to a realization of its criminal lndlner-
ence. ~
Est, south of the POstofice Department, for use
Of the Sixth Auditor. Upon its floors were packed
not less than sixty tons of old files. in addition
to the safes and desks and other furniture, not
counting the weight of 2Oo or more clerks Tho
structure soon showed that it could not carry such
weight but the Postofice authorities evidently
thought otherwise. II was a woman employe
finally that had the courage to make complaint
in the public prints which brought about the visit
of building Inspector. lie recommended certain
alterations which the landlord OF the Government,
or more likely the Government itself. undertook
with some reluctance to make. But even now it
continues to be ranked among the suspected build
The winder building in Seventeenthst. is not
much better. II is an old brick structure that
The tns war var by General Winder, Of Libby Prison
fame. for a hotel, and subsequently acquired by
the Government under tax sale title, it was
never intended to meet the requirements Of a
public building. Its floors are light and fraii,
and not constructed TO carry the heavy weight OF
files. And vet the constantly expanding bust
ness of the Government continues to be crowded
upon the same floors that were made TO do duty
twenty five years ago The building has ben in
spected from time to time put inspection, as Is
property held by private owners, and it is ap,
buildings owned by the Government. Within
the last Ave years the people of Washington have
sen a music hall in course Of erection blown
Of either the builder the contractor
OF the Inspector. Not long before that church
tower, all but completed, collapsed in one Of
the most fashionable parts Of the town. and
only the early hour Of the morning at which it
followed By consequences more serious than imam
cial loss. At about the same time the stone
staircase in a hotel just opened to tn. public
gave way, and it was only merciful Proyl-
Ssnce which in this case saved the lives Of the
inmates Six or seven years ago tunne! upon
which more than 81, O0O. 900 hid been extended
was found to show signs of cracking before II
,yas half completed. II hai TO h. bandoned. ana
.h civ renroof administered to the Government
engineer in charge of the work was detail out
West In none Of these cases has the respons-
h;I;tv been finally placed any adequate punish
ment meted out The community and the tax;
payers in a word, are at the mercy OF p3'esna as
~ lint more frequently acts not at all