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

With binding lime dust. Running directly through
all Of the floors In the middle OF the bhilhS WIS
a uchtwell ten feet or more long and nearly a
wide The fatal was In front OF ,h'' iea'"s
a space Of six or seven feet In width undls'u''e''
on either side The entlro back part OF the huulbR
containing more than half Of the oor space, remained
intact.
There were many very narrow escapes rom u'"'n'
A number Of clerks whose desks rested dlr"'"S "P'"
the line where the floors broke away saved 'h'ih'
solves while the desks at which they sat "er"
precipl,ated down the awful ohasm. Others VINO "'r'
walking across the room heard an omho'S SCUM anu
e,onncd lust at the very threshold Of death Nheh
the crash came, those who survived heard nl'shH
scream OF anguish from their comSics ~ th'S ha'"
ont ~ sight and then cropping In the Darkness They
found their way to safety, trembling in every JOINT
with the pallor OF the dead IN their faces.
no WOMEN IN THE BUILDING.
M women were employed In the building. but win
in few minutes after the crash the wives.
uo,hers and daughters Of the victims began 10 :"
rive Within a few moments hundred or NOR
,o, s,rpp.d for hot work Jumped into the building
and began throwing the wrcckage In front ana
under the floors which remained standing IN 'he r'"r
About II 80 O'Clock a company Of the 18th United
States Artillery from the Washington l'aTFacRs 1T
rived on the scene Of the accident ami A' men "'c
about the ruined structure 10 guard against
,,,t,,ence with IN. 0orlmen. shortly after their
r,,val IA. cavalry from Fort Myer, Va, reached IN"
epot and assisted the other regulars In maintaining
order The main duty Of the soldiers was 10 guar"
the Rebellion records stored in the building '"rh
who escaped were pressed Into service ana went
r,urc,v ,o work removing bundles Of valuable docu-
,,e A great deal OF the work Of III" ici'l'h
0ncc IS dependent upon these records ana their
value TO the Government and To lhd'iuuaiS 10 III
cstimable They cannot BE- replaced.
CHEERING THE WORK or RESCUE.
Every few minutes during the first two hours after
tho accident dead and wounded men were taken OIL
of the wrecknge. To IN" onlook"rs' Ill 'he or'''"'
MANNED and dust-cOvcrci bodies seemed bereit oI
life one man. whose face was covered WIFI p'"o'
and who was seemingly dead. suddenly raised "i'h''i
ND in the ambulance in which he WIS placed ana
swallowed a glass Of whishcy. THIS bronght CHEER
from the crowd, ana thereafter 'N''S i0'"' w. 90
companied by applause
All the carts and worhmcb that cond be secured
wore pressed into service u clear away the debris
Tho ,ror,nen shovellcd plaster brick documents and
broken furniture into the carts, and each load was
taken away TO a dumping ground nearby There WIS
much danger 10 the rscuing gang, ior me engea
Of the fallen floors hung thrcaeningly down"hru over
the heads Of tho workers. II seemed mat HUI"
progress could be made In clearing away the Immense
Of fallen rubbish, pul 'he WI" "'''''"'''''
advanced rapidly
An incident Of the day the number Of clergy
men who ON hearing of the disaster, Hooked 10 the
scene Utterly regardless Of their own snftiy the,
entered the building the rear walls of which were
uhrningly lultng out. and administered 10 The dying
and the injured. Ministers OF all creeds were present
SOME MARROW ESCAPES.
The hairbrcadth escapes narrated By the survivors
were numbcrlcss. One OF the most thrilling scenes Of
the whole affair the sight Of IA dozen pen, who
were LETT In a corner Of the third story cambcrIng
down a hose pipe 10 the ground One OF these men,
and the first to get down, T.. Baer. who worked
in the centre OF the third floor. The story best
be- told In his words
al was at my DESK" he said. "when heard
great roar There was prcmonitpry trembling
any kind Of warning just roar and crash, and the
desks and tables seemed 10 rise up In the centre of
the floor and then disappear In II binding cloud OF
white dust. / sprang for the window and called
TO my companions 10 follow. Those who right
near did 50, and gained safe place ut the
OF the buildings the windows. I'VE com
pletely Isolated, however, with no way TO get down
The floor had sunk beneath IN front and the
building was sill trembling from the shock. We did
not know what minute the rear OF the structure would
20 down, and stood there almost frantic Then /
thought of reel OF ir'hosc that knew wus near
by. We CROPPED through the binding dust TO this
aI ID quickly unwound II until rnc end touched
the ground. Then | caught hold Of the hose and
slid down 1t, alightlng safely on the ground"
HE HAD PLANNED A WAY OF ESCAPE
W. II. Mcllach Of New-Jersey claims TO have
been the first TO leave the building lie was I'm the
second story when h. looked up ana the ceiling
giving way. For two years he has been planning
out route OF escape. lie always knew, he says,
the building would fall day lie got thorough
by the side building. Another man saved himself
BY jumping from the window into the awning Of II
tobacco store next door.
Had the accident occurred five minutes earlier.
J, Imbrie. Of Pennsylvanla, the chief In charge