The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-10
THE OFFICIALS PAUSE
IN THEIR WORK BEFORE THE NOR.
RfBLE CATASTROPHE.
A Fan Cast over the Capital City-OnIy
One Virginian n Victim Of the Dis
aster-Another Slightly Injured.
lines BUREAU. RAPLEY BULDINo,
WASHINGTON. June Q, 1898.

ures and re-echoed the sentiment express
ed by an old man near the ruins, "Oh
man, born Of woman. thy days are few
and full OF sorrow." 1t is an impossibillty
to describe the scene about the old
theatre tonight. Those who have found
their loved ones dead or alive are fixed
In their grief or their joy, but the pitia-
BILE perplexity Of maiden and mother. who
seek tonight amid CHASTITY ruins, the
fate OF the object Of a holy love is an
anguish, too pure for the touch OF a
word"
a black Friday" IS this, and as
gloomy as was that one upon which Mr..
Lincoln was assSssinatcd. and also that one
upon which Mrs. Surratt, Payne and
Harold were hanged, and to-day Edwin
Booth viii be buried, thus Friday and
to-day Will terminate upon the face OF
earth the last tangible reminder OF the
greatest tragis episode within our Anne
rlcan history Strange coincidents all.
that but reminds us Of still stranger
facts that may attend each one who
on tomorrow, "as before, VIII chase his
favorife phantom"
Public business i'm the departments to-
day was largely suspended and given
over TO the terrible accident which oc-
CURED at the Record and Pension Office
Of the War Department. I'm the building
i'm Tenth street, Northwest. which was
formerly Fords Theatre, and I'm which I'm
April, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, then presi-
dent OF the United States, met his death.
Even the meeting of the Cabinet at IL
o'clock was largely given over to a dis
cussion OF the accident and the death of
-.
ployes as It was at that time reported
had met their death I'm the catastrophe
was much talked Of and matters Of re-
lief discussed.
The interior Of the building was ar
ranged I'm the shape OF a hollow square, q
square well leading from the first floor 10
the third, thus giving light and air to
the three balconies or galleries which
formed the floors. Only about a third
OF the floor space I'm each story OF the
building gave way. and this accounts
for the smaller proportion OF injuries than
at first reported. when 1t was thought that
the entire interior had gone to the cellar.
one Virglnan only was reported among
the dead and he was a colored man ap-
pointed as messenger, from Rlchmonu.
His name was George NJ. Arnold. lie
was on the third floor, which was tne
frs to give way, but succeeded In feach-
ing a window. where IL he had stayed, he
would have been safe Instead OF hanging
TO the window he Jumped. and net al
most instant death on the ground De-
meath, having evidently tired TO hlt
shed below the window, which would Fave
lessened the distance OF what proved 10
be- a fatal drop. Arnold was & very
heavy man. which made his chances or
a nromInent member of the colored q.
A. II. of the District, and was very pOpu-
lar. His remains will be taken charge or
by his friends here.
senator John w. Daniel was for a
while an anxious visitor TO the scene OF
the disaster. being interested in the wei
fare of Mr. Mahlon Pursel, or Loudouh
county whose appointment 10 position
in the Record and Pension once he had
been instrumental In securing senator
Daniel thus proved that he does not ior-
get his friends, especially In the hour Vi
their trouble. He was not satisheu 10
leave the scene until he learned from
two of the employees. who were III lhe
building and were saved that Mr. fursel
had been seen safely on the OUTSIDE Ihe
Times correspondent subsequently, sa"
one of the employees who had shaKoh
hands with Mr.. Pursel on his having es-
capped all injury. .
North Carolina has no names among
those reported dead or injured, thoiSh
quite number OF appointees from tlat
state were among the employees IN inc
building J..
William Lecture, Of Virginia Is re,
ported TO be at the emergency nospital
badly cut about the head. ms hahe ~
NOT horne on the War Department Iohs
as from Virginia. He is the only 0ther
Virginan reported injured.
mo following IS list Of the employees
II che bnflding credited TO Virginia ana
North Carolina; ,,u,t, N
Nireinia-FalcOrer DaVidsoh, fIdnh ~
ID Ntontague Isaac HOwling, Richard NJ.
culam Martin Hayberger, Mahion fur-
sel of LoudCun county ana Eiias d.
Thompson. AZ stool,ns
North Carolina-Edward NJ. Meekins'
Edward III. Hunter (colored), Ed"diu ~
Iipscomb (colored), Louis II. Kosap"y' :,
~, ~ Reynolds (colored) william j..
q, rter Daniel c. Hutton. James W. TUG
(coloredD. and Alfred $. Dalton.
CoIopeI l.. w Reid OF Alexandria, VINO
y,as formerly Assistant Register OF the
Treasury. IS now being especially uIbeu
b, Virgfnfans since It has become known
tba+ capfain Peter ]. Otey will be gwen
another uosltion. Colonel Reid has not
onlv the very best certificates Of efficiency
from ex-Secretaries Fairchlih anu
THOMPSON. but has the Endorsement OF
the members OF Congress and many
prominent men of Virginia.
The President again to-day fooled the
anxious North Carolinians and some Few
Nirginians who were expecting rev
Internal revenue collectors, marshais anu
attorneys. but ne IS getting the list ready
and IL will come WITHIN the next ic"
days, unless all signs fail
The fight for fourth-class postoiiices re-
movals is stlll being made By all OF the
congressman present. The rule laid down
nv Postmaster-Gener Bissell that re-
rovals would not be made even when the
Incumbent had served four years, was tue
red dag which has served to excite exas-
nerate and madden the Democratic bnii,
which now daily charges ana caFot'S
about the administration iields. MT. Dig
head Bissell does not know any more
about a fourth-class postoiiice thah ne
dos az the last Pleiad. He does not seem
IN kno,y that more ill-feeling against
member Of Congress - engendered ~
fsilure To change postoiiice stores Ia
o-oss roads town than there Is 10 remove
tbe Incumbent In the largest presidentlai
orice in the district, but such IL the fact.
a,d a member OF Congress Is always ue-
lighted when he can ind sinaii COM
munity anything like satisfied Win any
one man. and even approximately WIZ
@ a., ~ wait thirty days for the deposition
OF the Republican.
In The Treasury Department to-day
robert G. Ould. Of Richmond. Va, was
appointed special inspector OF cus-
Secretary Carlisle, OF the Treasury De
..,r,,osns has requested the resignation
10 t.f,h.- c.flacfor Of cflafomQ