Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09
FRIGHTFUL DISASTER
CONTINUED from Third Page.)


got out on the roof and came
down to the street through Hasslett's awning
establishment He was the third man out, Mr..
z. g. Chapman, chief of section two, and
another having escaped by the same means.
How Capt. Dowd Was Rescued.
Shortly after IL O'Clock, while the workmen
were engaged in clearing away the debris that
had been looked over, member of the fire de.
partment heard faint cry for help from . pile
OF debris near the front of the building.
He gave the alarm and the crowd at once set
to work to rescue him. They worked for
twenty minutes before they were able to get
the beams clear and then lifted middle-aged
man from amidst the rubbish
He presented CORY sight with big ugly
cut over his right eye and his right hand
frightfully crushed. A messenger in the build
ing recognized him as Capt J. b. Dowd. A
stretcher from the Garfield Hospital ambulance
was summoned and he was taken to the ambu-
lance and driven to the hospital
When he came on the street cheer went up
from the multitude. Capt. Dowd said that
Capt. B. F. Miller was under him and the
rescuing party went to work again.
Hanging to q Girder.
Among the marvellous escapes may be mem
toned that Of young King, the son Of Mr.. King.
the cashier Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company. Mr.. King was left on q hanging
girder, to which he chung until relieved BY the
fremen.
Several others were left on the third floor at
the rear and remained there for some time in
imminent fear that the floor would fall every
minute. They were, however, rescued by the
fremen.
Jumped From . Fourth-story window.
When the crash came clerk named Chap
man jumped from the fourth-story window in
the alley and alighted unhurt, save scratches
on his leg. He stood for an hour after in front
Of the National Union Insurance building and
was able to give information, sometimes re-
assuring, Of other clerks to their friends
Escaped Through the Annex.
VIM. A. Rawson and half a dozen others were
on the second floor ut the side, and when the
crash came he and those around him ran
through the door into the annex, getting away
safely.
The Unsafe Condition OF the Building.
An employe of the building said TO a STAR re-
porter that ii was common knowledge among
the clerks that the unsafe condition Of the
building had been officially brought to the at
tention Of the authorities, but that they had
refused to take any action.
The back wall of the building Is plainly bulg-
ing, but an army engineer who was called in to
examine it said there was no danger Of its fall
ing.
The Clocks Never Stopped.
An indication that the girders were pulled
from the front wall out Of their places toward
the center was the fact that on each floor, hang
ing against the front wall was a clock. These
clocks we're uniniured and now remain there,
keeping perfect time, though every piece Of
flooring is in the bottom Of the demolished
structure.
Saving the Records.
Capt s. E. Fsunce, commander Of the De-
partment Of the Potomac, G. A. r., was on
hand looking after the pension papers that
were being thrown out from the wrecked
building, and he enlisted a number Of q. A r.
men in the service Of saving a. many of the
records - possible.
The Scenes This Afternoon.
At2 o'clock this afternoon the work Of exca-
walton had SO far progressed that it was safe to
presume that no more dead bodies would be
found on the first floor. The workmen had
succeeded in clearing of that floor pretty
effectually.
There is yet another hole to be cleared out,
and in this it is thought more bodies are still
buried. In the front part Of the building and
in the center there is an excavation If
teen or twenty feet across and about
eight feet deep below the level Of the
sidewalk. As this is in the center toward which
the fall went il is more than likely that there
are still more there who were carried down
and who lie still covered up beneath this mass.
1t was necessary TO clear OF the main floor
before this could be touched, but at the rate
they were going this afternoon it was evident
the bottom of it would be reached before night
and everything in it removed What it will
bring forth NO man can say.
1t would be cruel to say that the work
Of rescue was slow, or that in the
presence Of that awful calamity the
police and the fremen stood dunn
founded. The first members Of the police
force who entered the building this morning
began lifting dirt and mortar with their bare
hands. and continued to work manfully In that
way until shovels and other tools could be So
cured.
MEN, NOT PAPERS.
This afternoon the iremen turned q stream
Of water into the building. This Was done to
lay the dust 20 that the work Of clearing away
could be better accomplished dyed
in-the-wool government clerk objected
to this procedure. because, he said,
the place was stored with important govern
ment papers which would be ruined by water
A man who standing beside him shouted back
excitedy, 1--WE don't care q d-n for the
papers Of government that lets its clerks work