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

Congressman knew IL "a well as every DodF
else. Many of them knew that the building
which was never designed and could not be
properly fitted for Government office, had been
thrice condemned unsafe. and they also knew
that within its walls were stored some of the
most important-indeed the Indispensable
records of the War OF the Rebellion. relating
to the personal history and services of the men
who fought TO preserve the Cnion Moreover,
they knew that large majority of the custodians
of these records were manned and disabled veterans
of the war. many of whom were minus an arm
or a leg Honest and practical men who give
a name for the cause OF tO-day's disaster call 1t
" IIolmanism," and this Interpretation is so gen.
rral that within the space of few hours 4
Tribune correspondent heard more than twoscore
respectable citizens give free expression to their
indignation against the man whom they regarded
as the prime author OF the calamity, and their
sentiments were received with hearty and unani-
nous APPRECIATION ~"
OTHER GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS rN:AFE~
Everybody in Washington knows that the walls
and floors of the great building in which are
housed the 300 operatives Of the Government
Printing Office are weaker and more heavily over
loaded than were the walls and floors of tho build
ing which succumbed to-day: indeed the fact is
so notorious that for five years Congress h1s been
trying to fix upon site for a new building.
There is fair prospect that on some fine morning
the old building will collapse and the country he
startled by greater and even more incNcusabIc
calamity than that Of today. In the National
Capital are other buildings occupied by the general
Government which equally unsafe. and which
arc occupied because Of tho parsimony Of Congress.
TO such an extent has that nigyardiness been car
ried that even the most sacred and Indispensable
cords of tho (rovprumput daily cXUOscl TO
destruction because there is safe place in which
to deposit them. What this means shown To-
day. Hundreds Of original papers which could not
be replaced and which were necessary to complete
the military history Of veterans Of the Union Army
were scattered and trodden under foot, delug"d
with water, covered with lime and dust shovcllcd
aside. thrown into the strcet-eNposod to every
chance of dcstruction-n the rush to save lives.
Probably most Of these papers were saved or will
he recovered through the efforts Of members of
the Grand Army Of the Republic. who were among
the earliest the scene and among the most
earnest in their efforts to rescue and succor tho
wounded and carry Off the dead. 1t was a shame,
IL will be a lasting disgrace TO the Government
Of the United States, that the parsmony Of its
Congress made such efforts necessary.
II is too soon, probably, 70 fix the dirr"'
responsibility for to-day's disaster, but public
officers Of the War Department, ard in meeting
Of angry citizens held late this afternoon it was
charged by one or two Of the speakers that
Colonel Ainsworth, who has charge OF the meii
cal and hospital records and muster rolls of thr
Union armies during tho Rob"llion was Largely
responsible II was noticed thar this accusation.
which was doubtless an evaporation. excited con;
siderable applause and no disapprohlton in tho
meeting II will hc for the Coronnr's jury. how
ever to fA the direct responsibility for 10 days
wholesale murder. As the R"v. DIR. BARTLETT
said in the citizens meeting this afternoon, th"
Government Of the United States is responsible,
and should be held IN strict account. or course
there are many obstacles in the way Of doing that
The fact is that the "tiovernment Of the United
States" has been engaged FOR years in numbering
ts servants in Washington, bur not by snch
Violent means as wcrc empovel to-day. Within
tho last ton years al least two Secretaries OF IN"
Treasury have fallen victims to th" fonl air AMI
gases Of the Treasury Building, and th" lives OF
scores Of minor officials and clerk, in that and
other department, havp been sacrificed in IN"
same manner ON tins occasion. however. nuick'r
il not more eTcctual means wern employed
MANY EMPLOYEES FEARED DISASTER
This morning tho clerks whose desks were IN
the old building in Tenth-st. known As Forls
and mournful nm interest the scene Of LIN
coins assassination. went 10 their work usual.
II appear, that como OF them had become uneasy
on account Of the apparent insecurity OF tho
building. and as many of them as could do so
had obtained leave of absence for a short time
until certain repairs that were under way should
ho completed and so it happened that less thah
400 were at their desks in "A building wher" over
$50 are bestowed when all AT work. but IN
which not more than onc-half that number couid
be properly accommodated If proper attention
were paid sanitary considerations In" nnlid-
inp is an old one never designed for offices or TO
carry great weight on its floors Some years ago
tbe structure was condemned, and it was re-
rarled as an unsafe and unfit depository Tor GER
tain anatomical specimens and the Vainaoie
medical library belonging to the "ovcrhmeh''
which were therefore removed TO Il new bulldlhg,
which has cost the Government first and last NOR"
than $500, 900. After certain repairs, however,
the old building was thought safe enough not only
as depository for the medical and hospital records
of the War of the Rebellion, hut also as hive
FOR about 500 Government clerks. a majority of
whom were veterans of the War.
These clerks had been at work less than an hour
this morning when, without sound of warning,
about ore-third of each Of the three floors upon
which they were stationed began to shivcr and
sink and within ten seconds these floors with their
living contents were dumped into the cellar and
buried under desks, file cases, beams and all the
other wrcckagc of a complete collapse. The clerks
who were not plunged into the abyss of destruc-
ton rushed 10 the windows to escape
There was not single fire escape on this
infammabc structure. Three made their way
to the ground by means OF a hose which
they found in corner; one slid down a water
spout until il broke under his weight and he fell
to the ground; one or two, forcboding disaster.
had planned route Of escape; one jumped upon
the awning OF an adjacent building three jumped
from the wndows-one of them 70 instant and
the second to lingering death Three fire ladders
were brought and the remaining clerks. who had
been crouchng between an abyss of destruction
and topplng wall, were rescued by tiremen.