The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-10
That at the Old Ford Theatre the
Worst in the History OF
Washington.
So Far as Has Been Ascertained the
Number of Dead Is Twenty.
Four
And the Injured More Than Twice as
MaRy-Miracnlous Escape of
Large Number.

WASHINGTON, June 10.-The most sp-
palling casualty which has ever oc-
CURED in Washington was that of the
collapse OF the old Ford theater on
Tenth street northwest, between e and
streets, and not far from Pennsyl-
vania avenue. The total number of
dead, as far as reported, is "A, of whom
IL are at the morgue, at the emer-
gency hospital and at other hospitals.
The list of injured numbers 40, so far
as learned, -ut there are undoubtedly
many more. as the less seriously hurt
were taken immediately to their homes.
Had Been Condemned.
The building had been condemned
years ago, some claim as many as Is or
90 and had been repair d, lropped and
renovated from year to year. There
were 457 persons, mostly government
clerks, employed in the building, and
nearly all of these We're at work when
the building fell. An excavation for an
electric plant was being made in the
cellar Of the structure-a 3-story affair
-and according to the best information
obtainable, the workmen had dug below
the foundation supports in the front Of
the building, weakening them to such
an extent that the walls gave way be-
fore they could be lacked. This explain
alton of the cause of the accident is the
only one advanced, but it seems some
what strange in view of the fact that
the
Top Floor Gave Way First.
Men who were in the building say
the crash came without warning.
Those on the top floor were suddenly
precipitated to the floor below, whose
weight and furniture carried the floors
below with it. Fortunately only half
the floors gave way. The rear part of
the structure remained intact. The
walls did not fall
A general fire alarm was turned in
few minutes after the crash and then
all the amDrlances in the city We're
summoned. As quickly as possible the
police and fremen
Formed a Rescue Brigade
and ready hands assisted them to take
out the killed and wounded. In less
than an hour about 25 people had been
taken out and every few minutes there
after some still form would be borne
on stretcher from the building.
Police and army ambulances, cabs,
carriages and vehicles of every descrip-
tion were pressed in for taking away
the dead and injured. All the hospitals
in the city were utilized in caring for
the injured, and scores of physicians
volunteered their services for this work.
Colonel Corbin, assistant adjutant
general of the army, was sent by Major
General Schofeld to represent the war
department, and to decide if it were
necessary to call out troops. Owing to
the excellent police regulations the res
cuers were not hindered in their work
by the an1loas crowds, and it was not
long before the debris had been cleared
away to such an extent that the work
of rescue eoald be carried on without
hindrance.
Took Prompt Action.
Both the military and naval authori-
ties took prompt action. General Scho-
field ordered two troops of cavalry
from Fort Myer, just across the river.
and two companies of infantry from
the arsenal to the scene of the disaster.
The secretary of the navy ordered out
all the naval medical officers stationed
here. and also. opened the naval hos
pital to receive the injured. The CON-
mandant at the navy yard was asked to
render all assistance in his power. -
Why II Was No Worse.
Running directly through all of the
floors, and in the middle of the build
ing was light-well 10 feet or more
long, and nearly as many wide. The
fatal area was in front of this, having a
space or Z feet in width undisturbed
on either side. The entire back part
of the building, containing more than
half of the floor space, remained intact.
There were many very narrow escapes
from death A number of clerks whose
! desks rested directly upon the line
| where the floors broke away. saved
themselves. while the desks at which
they sat We're preeiritated down the
>awfni chasm. Others who were walk
ing across the room heard an ominous
sound and stopped just at the
Very Threshold OF Death.
3
When the crash came those who sur
vived heard-a mighty scream of anguish
from their comrades as they sank ont
of sight and then they found their way
to safety trembling in every Joint and