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

Division.
One company Of troopers was placed under the
direction of Chief Of Police Moore. The second COM
pany was intended for fatigue duty, which meant
that they Were to assist in the work OF rescue, and
I'm bringing out the bodies. General Grant received
reports from time to time, and upon these he based
the hope and belief that the calamity would prove
TO be- less In extent that had been at first feared
He says that the rolls showed that the full force
employed I'm the building numbered 514 persons. A
number Of these absent leave or because Of
Illness, so that probably not more than 400 or 40
persons were In the building when the crash came.
| Then, as only half OF the floors fell the number
of persons who went down was further reduced and
of those who actually fell many escaped with slight
injuries without harm.
shortly after midday, Major Moore chief Of police,
notified the surgeon in charge that all those taken
from the ruins from that time forward would be sent
to the United states Naval Hospital, where three
wards had been prepared TO receive the Injured Dr.
Shannon OF the personal staff Of the surgeon general
was put in charge OF all the Government medical
officers, and every such officer was promptly ordered
the Of the accident or to the various hospitals
| The ambulances Of the Red Cross Society rendered
conspicuous service.
The rescung parties worked frcessantly In the
intense heat When the dag was Ear advanced there
was still large quantity OF wreckage which had not
| yet been explored. 1t was nearly IL the centre
OF the section OF the floor that fell and that fact
led the belief that number OF bodies would be
found beneath it. II the open space where 10
timber arrested in It's fall might shield an unfortunate
from the crushing weight Of the falling floors. AZ
there seemed TO be no hope OF saving the lives OF
any who might have fallen there, the efforts OF the
wOrkmen first directed to exploring the SIDES
OF the building.
The last body to be discovered was that OF Dr.
Nelson lie buried beneath the wreckage IN the
extreme front OF the building, and was removed
shortly after O'Clock. The laborers did not cease
their efforts until about o'clock BY TINS time
they had reached the bottom OF the excavation In the
basement. and further search seemed useless as lilo
debris In all parts OF the building had been entirely
cleared away. some held that two laborers who
were at work In the basement at the time Of the
accident were st missing, but as the search had
been so thorough nothing to warrant Its continuance
could be shown.
Only one body, that OF DR.. Nelson, was found
during the last hours OF the Search and those
In charge the work think It impossible that more
remain In ruins. The work therefore stopped,
the streets were roped close to the building and q
police guard stationed there for the night.
The great crowd that had thronged the streets
during the day seemed TO Increase rather thah
diminish after shutdown. Thousands OF curious per-
sons who had been ut work all day, hocked about
the building after dark and anxious were they to
get peep inside the wrecked structure that police
Interference necessary to prevent them breaking
through the ropes.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The question OF the responsibility for the accident
| Is Of earnestly discussed. Though officials
| connected with the building not inclined 50 to
state, and declare they cannot understand the reason
for the fall there seems TO be- little doubt that the
primary cause was eXcavating which was being
done u:Scr the front wall. a srbcellar was being
dug to give room and at the same time to afford
a OF ventilation. In order that this should be
he'd
The contractor for this work George W. Dant, while
the digging in connections with the Job was being
done by =. r. Pullman. Mr.. Pullman appeared at the
scene shortly after the accident ard said that he
could not explain why the floors should have caved
In.
The work in the cellar" he said, was about
COM lctcd and II was only yesterday that | was
looking at II. cOngratuating myself that the
work almost at an end and that the danger was
passed. The crash began the third floor.
that the underpinnng could not have been the
cause. The work most carefully done, and only
a few bricks were taken out a ume.'
The fact that the collapse occurred through the
Orders being pulled out OF their places In the front
wall toward the centre l. established In q remark
able manner by unmpeachablc though inarticulate
testimony Against the front wall OF each floor
hung an Office clock All these clocks were unin-
lured and remain there keeping perfect time
though every piece OF flooring Is In the bottom OF
From Colonel Ainsworth, chief Of the record and
pension division. 1t learned that there was no
storage on the floors and that the only weight was
the desks and the clerks employed there. lie said
that the underpinnng was not being done In order
to strengthen the building. it had never been init
mated that 1t was In any way insecure. lie was
unable TO suggest any reason for the disaster
Chief Paris Of the Fire Department. had not had
an opportunity make even "A superficial eXamina-
ton OF the building. and said that from glance he
would say that the Orders which supported the floors
must have weakened. From view Of the Interior
Of the building 1t would appear that the floors be-
tween the joi,ts filled In with about one foot
OF brick and mortar. On top OF this was laid tho
tillng. Each floor supported by iron girders
and iron uprightS II the general opinion OF
those who came from the building and who were
acquainted with the work that was being done In
the cellar that the front wall must have settled or
sprung sufficiently to have loosene, the sirders.
This caused pulling apart OF the ironwork On the
centre OF the building and the crash followed. The
position OF the grders and the appearance OF the
walls would seem 10 indicate this cause.
THE BUILDING UNDER FEDERAL SUPERVISION
building Inspector Entwsle, with two OF his as.
sistants on hand shortly after the caveln &C.
currrd lie said that last week application was
made TO him for permit 10 underpin the building,
but he declined to give 1t, rs II was n Government
building and came under the direct supervision OF
the Federal officers In fact. he had no jurisdiction
Of Government buildings and was prohibited by law
from Interfering. "Thc cause OF the whole affair."
ne said was undoubtedly due 10 the underplnning.
The worlxmen dug under the heavy upright columns
which supported the building and the collapse fol
lowed"
ono of the workmen, COlored man. who was ON.
Moved I'm excavaiing the cellar, and who escaped with
only slight cuts said: 81 told them yesterday that
the archway would fall. for every time any one walked
over the floor it would bend tell you was scared
and got out just quick rs could There were
twenty at work with me. Deed don't Know
what became Of them
william Funk OF Funk & Funk, contractors and
bulld.rs was one OF the first on the scene. He
said he thought the wreck was caused by the faulty
manner In which the work Of undcrpnning seemed to
have been DONE He said he had noticed 1t several
times during the last few days, and no later than
-, ,.o-nin., Ind Looked af IL IL did not seem 10