Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-06-12
INVESTIGATION BEGUN
The Coroner Inquiring into the
Theatre Disaster.
YESTERDAY WAS FUNERAL DAY


Places-Two More Likely to Die-The
Popular Resentment GrOwing-A Wit
ness Statement.
WASHINGTON, June 12.-The coroner's
jury impanelled to inquire into the horror
at Ford's theatre, in which twenty -four
persons lost their lives, began work at
10 o'clock this morning.
The following statement was made by
Chief Ainsworth of the Bureau OF Rec
ords and Pensions in reference to the work
being done on the building: The column
in the rear of the building was simply to
be extended through to the front and
there was very little excavating to be done
only about 10 feet in width by 20 feet.
No walls were being taken down; no
arches were disturbed.
The object was to secure light and air
underneath the building and to put in an
electric light plant for the benefit of the
clerks. The work has been going on for
about six weeks or more. Bids were ad-
vertised for, and ten or twelve contractors
submitted proposals for doing the work,
each guaranteeing to do it without dis
turbing the building in any way.
The contract was awarded to George w.
Dant of this city, who is one of the Oldest
and best known builders in the District,
and who has long made a speciality of this
class of work. During the excavation
there was no sign of weakness; tbs build
ing had never been condemned to my
knowledge and so far as l know it was
considered perfectly safe.
For many years it had carried the enor-
nous weight of the Army Medical Museum
on the third floor and the great library of
the Surgeon Generals Office on the second
floor the largest medical library in the
world. Both the library and the museums,
the iron cases, the heavy records and every
thing of weight were removed in 1887, and
since then there have been no records stored
in the building, and the floors have carried
no weight save that of the clerks and the
de SKIS at which they worked.
All of the bidders who examined the
building before the contract was awarded
with view of doing the work pronounced
the building perfectly safe. AS the work
progressed there was no sign of weakness;
there was not the slightest hint or intima-
ton that there was any danger 1have no
theory to account for the collapse; l am
not builder or engineer. The contract
was let to the lowest responsible bidder,
one of the most responsible men in the
District of Columbia, and only an official
investigation can determine where the
fault lay.
The remains of the dead victims have
nearly all been disposed Of Washington
was city of funerals yesterday, and all
day long mourners went about the streets.
Everyone knew what the sad procession
meant, and the sympathy of all was ex-
tended, albeit unexpressed in many cases.
to the sorrow stricken ones.
Inquiry confirms the statement that
none of the victims were men of property.
Most of them lived on their salaries, which
furnished means of livelihood, but left none
for day like this. Most of them were mar
ried, and some had large families, who are
now left, if not entirely dependent upon
friends and relatives at least lacking in
funds for immediate use.
The most of the bodies were taken out
of the District for interment. Many of the
men had been members OF civic or mill
tary organizations, and their comrades in
each case attended the funerals and es-
cOrted the remains to the railroad stations.
Much of the talk is now of relief meas
ures and the circulators of subscription
papers i'll the departments and the Wash
ington newspapers in their efforts to
gather funds for the relief of the victims
and their families are meeting with sue
cess to degree that does credit to the
benevolence of the citizens. The govern
| ment clerks as a class are not we'll to- do
| and the expenses of living here absorb
| most of their salaries, but few indeed were
too poor to contribute sum that ap-
peared to be generous in view of their
] means, for the relief of the widows and
| orphans.
One notable fact is the growth of the
| feeling of resentment on the part Of the
public against the persons responsible fol
the wreck. In advance of the verdict
| of the coroner's jury and OF the findings
Of the court of inquiry ordered by the Wal
| Department.. there is no general agree
ment upon this point, and the public IL
rather Unfortunately condemninR every
body who had anything to do with thu
control of the wrecked building, from
Congress down to the very laborers who
were digging in the cellar when the crash
/ came.
The injured now in the hospitals are,
with the exception of two, in fair way tt
| recover.
The serious cases are those of J. P. Nc.
Cornack, of Wisconsin,, and Frank Met
calf of Massachusetts,. The former re
ceived a depressed fracture of the ribs
and has been in a critical condition
Death is likely to occur at any moment.
Mr.. Metcalf has II dislotated hip ant
was doing as well as could be expecte'
under the circumstances until pneumonia
developed and the physicians are not nov
able to predict the result in his case.