Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09


eSted in the fallen section on the second floor.
He had gone to the third floor on some errand
and returned and had entered the door and was
about to 60 to his desk when the crash came
and he stepped back. One minute more and he
would have gone down with the rest.
How Three Men Escaped.
Mr.. Harold N. Saxton Of sos L street north
west, who was on the third floor, escaped IN
injured. He was in the back part of the build
ing, and when the fall came
got out on the roof and came
down to the street through Hassletts awning
establishment He was the third man out, Mr..
E. G.. Chapman, chief Of section two, and
another having escaped by the same means.
How Capt. Dowd Was Rescued.
Shortly after IL o'clock, while the workmsn
were engaged in clearing away the debris that
had been looked over, member Of the fire de-
partment heard a faint cry for help from pile
OF debris near the front OF the building.
He gave the alarm and the crowd at once set
to work to rescue him. They worked for
twenty minutes before thsy were able to get
the beams clear and then lifted middle-aged
man from amidst the rubbish
He presented . CORY sight with a big ugly
cut over his right eye and his right hand
frightfully crushed. A messenger in the build
ing recognized him a. Capt J. B. Dowd. A
stretcher from the Garfield Hospital ambulance
was summoned and he was taken to the ambu-
lance and driven to the hospital.
When he came on the street cheer went up
from the multitude. Capt Dowd said that
Capt. b. F. Miller was under him and the
rescuing party vent to work again.
Hanging to . Girder.
Among the marvellous escapes may be mem
toned that Of young King, the son of Mr.. King,
the cashier Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company. Mr.. King was left on hanging
girder, to which he chung until relieved by the
fremen.
Several others were left on the third floor at
the rear and remained there for some time in
imminent fear that the floor would fall every
minute. They were, however, rescued by the
hremen.
Jumped From . Fourth-Story window.
When the crash came q clerk named Chap
man jumped from the fourth-story window in
the alley and alighted unhurt, save scratches
on his leg. He stood for an hour after in front
Of the National Union Insurance building and
was able to give information. sometimes re-
~
Escaped Through the Annex.
VIM. A. Rawson and half dozen others were
on the second floor at the side, and when the
crash came he and those around him ran
through the door into the annex, getting away
safely.
The Unsafe Condition Of the Building.
An employee Of the building said to STAR re-
porter that it was common knowledge among
the clerks that the unsafe condition Of the
building had been officially brought to the at
tention Of the authorities, but that they had
refused to take any action.
The back wall Of the building Is plainly bulg-
ing, but an army engineer who was called in to
examine it said there was no danger Of its fall
Ing.
The Clocks Never Stopped.
An indication that the girders were pulled
from the front wall out Of their places toward
the center was the fact that on each floor, hang
ing against the front wall was clock. These
clocks were uninjured and now remain there,
keeping perfect time, though every piece Of
flooring is in the bottom Of the demolished
structure.
Saving the Records.
Capt. s. E. Faunce, commander Of the De-
partment Of the Potomac, G. A. R., was on
hand looking after the pension papers that
we're being thrown out from the wrecked
building, and he enlisted a number Of G. A. r.
men in the service Of saving as many Of the
records as possible.
THOSE IN THA BUILDING.