Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-10

brick wall running from the back OF the
building to the middle of the lower floor
which it supported number OF work
men were excavating under this wall for
the purpose, as l was told, OF putting in an
independent electric light plant and they
were preparing TO support II oy unoerptn-
ming Ii now seems very evident 10 me
that as they undermined this brick wall
the first floor gave way; the second hoor
being supported by columns which rested
on the first floor collapsed also. ana the
third floor collapsed in like manner"
As soon as Secretary Lamont returns
to Washington steps will probably be
taken TO thoroughly investigate the
cause of the disaster and 10 ix the re-
sponsibility, if the Coroner's jury does
not anticipate the department. In that
direction.
The collapse of this building has di-
rected attention to two other pubic
buildings believed TO be in equally un-
safe condition-one the Government
Printing Office, where 1,s00 people are
Employed; the other is the rickety shell
known as the Windsor building, also
belonging to the War Department, and
Is occupied by hundreds OF clerks OF that
department and the Second Auditors
effice. This place
Is VIGOROUSLY DANGEROUS
and the floors are overloaded, all OF the
facts being known to Congress for
years, but receiving no attention.
II is thought that when the debris is
cleared away all the papers OF value
will be recovered.
The last body discovered was that OF
DR.. Nelson. He was buried beneath
the timbers in the extreme front OF the
building, ana was removed shortly after
5 o'clock. The laborers did not cease
their efforts until about O'Clock. BY
that time they had reached the bottom
of the excavation in the basement, and
further search seemed useless as the
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
the accident were still missing, but as
the search had been so thorough, moth
ing to warrant its continuance could be
shown.
But one body, that Of DR.. Nelson
was found during the last seven hours
of the search, and those In charge OF the
work think IL impossible that more re-
main in the ruins, The work was
therefore stopped, the streets roped
close to the building and police guard
stationed there for the night.
CAUsTIc BUT JUST COMMENT.
The Star speaks editorially OF the dis
aster as follows:
There is innocent blood on the head of
that intangible power known as the gov
ernment of the United States. The miserly
Congressional fingers are red with the fluid
which but a few heurs since coursed
through the veins Of active manhood. Of-
fetal garments are smeared win accusing
crimson aud official feet stand paralyzed in
pools of condemnatory gore The WIDOWS
and the orphans weep for the nusDanuS
and fathers sacrificed on the altar OF legis-
lative economy and administrative disre-
gard. For years there has been practically
been but one opinion as to the floors that
collapsed, and yet men and desks and file
cabinets were crowded in upon them until
every available foot Of space was utilized.
Again and again has the note Of warning
been sounded, time and time again has Con-
gress been appealed TO for the relief which
few wisely expended dollars would bring,
over and over have properly fearful clerks
made public their only too well grounded
prophecies of disaster. But the petitions
have never received moments atten-
tion from those to whom they were
addressed. Condemned by every person
vino knew anything as to construction, the
building was nevertheless used 10 the eX-
tent of its capacity, not because the au-
thorities deemed it safe, but because there
was no other place in which the great
clerical force could De accommodated. 1t
was VIGOROUSLY unhealthy and rotten
she'll, utterly unfn for habitatiOn and had
il been even reasonably strong, 1t was no
place in which to contine human beings
whom necessity compelled to work for
their daily bread The calamity OF to-day
may be repeated tomorrow in the
government printing Office with frightful
multiplication OF horrors. The past is
sickening and heartbreaking, the future is
laden with dark probabilities. May inno-
cent blood be shed with impunityl
PROMPT MEASURES FOR RELIEF.
Various plans for the relief of the snf-
ferers are on foot. AT meeting OF cit
izens this afternoon $500 was sub
scribed. President Cleveland, who had
been asked to preside over the meeting,
but was unable TO do so because Of C
pressing official business engagement,
sent his check for S10O, and Secretary
Thurber his for SIS. The newspapers
of the city are actively engaged In the
good work and the clerks in the depart
ments are contributing literally.