Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09
rear and many was saved by their promptness
in getting away from the peril
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.

Al 6cttAuS away lTOu tue peril
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.
The Horrible Scene Presented When the
Building Collapsed.
Mr.. M. E. Sabin was one Of those who es-
capped from the third foor. Fortunately for
him he was seated in the rear part Of the build
ing, but when the crash came he looked to the
front Of the building and witnessed sickening
sight.
In the midst Of the volumes Of dust that
arose he saw men crawling on their hands and
knees up the steep incline Of the fitting floor to
the blessed region Of safety.
How many escaped he did not know, but he
thinks not more than ten went down with the
floor. He with the others escaped from the
windows by means Of ladders which had been
hurriedly run up from the outside.
A thrilling story is told by Capt. Troutman,
who occupied desk near the south wall on the
first floor in the wrecked area He was, he says.
engaged In looking at the case of John CASTLE
of the one hundred and fortieth Indiana, when
he heard a noise, and the next minute he
was enveloped
| II was on the lower floor in the hallway
when the crash came" said Mr.. Thos. Adams,
who was in charge Of the hall ~ heard what
sounded like an explosion, and the door
slammed together and was SO tightly closed
that 1 could not open it. Then came the bricks,
timbers and mortar. When the noise was fin
ished could hear the groans Of the injured,
and those who were not injured were screaming
for assistance.
Thrilling Scene.
One of the most thrilling scenes Of the whole
affair was the sight Of dozen men who were
left in q corner Of the third story clambering
down hose pipe to the ground
One Of these men and the first TO get down
was Mr.. E. Baier, who worked in the center of
the third floor. The story can best be told in
his own words.
Il was at my desk" he said, "when heard
great roar. There was no premonitory
trembling or any kind of warning; just .
roar and crash, and the desks and tables seemed
to raise up in the center of the floor and then
disappear in a binding cloud II white dust
81 sprang for the rear window and called to
right near me did so, and we gained safe
place at the rear Of the building near the win
dows.
I'VE were completely isolated. however, with
L a. -
meath us in front and the building was still
trembling from the shock
1--WE did not know what minute the rear OF
the structure would 60 down. and stood there
almost frantic. Then 1 thought Of reel Of
fre hose that knew was near by. We CROPPED
through the binding dust to this and quickly
unwound n until the end touched the ground.
Then 1 caught hold Of the hose and slid down
it, aliehting safely on the ground.
at was terrible slide down that hose from
the third story, and thought would never
get to the bottom.
"when my companions saw that was all right
they started down also, and every man in that
corner came down on the hose"
How q Crippled Clerk Escaped.
Capt. Griffith of AT 10th street, . crippled
clerk, was at work at his desk when he heard
the crash. Looking up quickly, he at once
dropped on the floor and crawled under q
| table.
Then the crash came. the debris just grazing
him. Leaving his canes behind, which he is
accustomed to use in walking, he crawled toward
the back alley, where friend found and took
him home.
MT. Hammond Smiled.
When at 10:45 O'Clock the workmen came to
Mr.. Hammond, clerk, residing on 18th street,
he was found alive, but hurt about the head
and face.
As he was borne to the ambulance his face
was wreathed with smiles, SO glad was he to
escape before being suffocated, for he had been
almost an hour hemmed in q narrow compass.
Under Heavy Beam.
The rescuing party heard . faint cry for
help under . heavy iron beam and they turned
to it After some work the well-known features
Of Douglas R. Miller came to view.
He was lifted out almost hfeless and DR..
hewitt pressed q whisky flask to his lips and
administered drugs to him hypodermically.
He was sent to the Emergency Hospital
Clerk Mellac's Account.
A young man named Mellsc claims to have
been the first to leave the building.
He was in the second story when he looked
up and saw the ceiling giving away. For two
years he had plotted out q route Of escape
He always knew the building would fall some
day. He got through by the side building
Another man saved himself by jumping from
the window into the awning of tobacco store
next door.
Mr.. Arthur schatz's Story.
Arthur Schatz, q clerk on the third floor, in
Chief Clerk Yont's division, told star re-
porter the story of the catastrophe
He was sitting in the front portion writing,
when without . moments warning he saw
the front floor cave in, carrying with it Messrs.
Yont. Drew. Patrick. Taylor and the entire Sec
ton under Mr.. Patrick.
There were at least al xtv man prac;n;f.tad