Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09

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 a 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 we'll known features
Of Douglas R. Miller came to view.
He was lifted out almost lifeless and DR..
hewitt pressed a whisky flask to his lips and
administered drugs to him hypodermically.
He was sent to the Emergency Hospital
Clerk MelIac's Account.
Ayoung man named Mellac 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 schatx's Story.
Arthur Schatz, 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 a 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 sixty men precipitated.
The cavern took place about q foot from
where he was sitting and it was like an earth
quake. There was absolutely no warning
whatever.
The floor fell in and carried with 1t score
Of human beings The clerks who remained in
the building stood speechless and with blanched
cheeks.
1t was only moment, however, and then,
like one man, the remaining clerks, numbering
about seventy-fve, rushed for their lives to the
rear Of the building and escaped over the adj
joining roof.
Marvellous Escapes.
Some Of the escapes have been marvellous
Men have been taken out from under piles Of
heavy timbers who have seemingly received
only external cuts, some heavy girder saving
them from worse injury.
A RELIEF MEETING.
Citizens Called to Assemble at Four O'clock
Today.
Outside Of the building Just before noon the
Commissioners held an informal meeting. A
number Of prominent citizens were present,
including s. W. Woodward, John Joy Edison
and other members of the board of trade.
At the sugges ton Of Mr.. Woodward the Com
missioners decided to call public relief meet
ing. The meeting will be held at Willard Hall
at o'clock today. Action looking to the relief
of those who suffered from the catastrophe will
then be taken.
1t is earnestly urged that all citizens who can
do anything toward the object for which the
meeting is called be present
needy and distressed among the families so
suddenly and terribly bereaved by the
Ford's Theater catastrophe is urgent
The number Of these destitute ones
is great, their employer, the United
States government, who has permitted them to
be needlessly slaughter ed, is unable to furnish
the immediate and effective relief which the
| occasion requires, and a. in other cases of pub
lie calamity the sympathetic and public-spirited
among the people of Washington will gladly
and quickly respond to the cry Of distress from
afflicted and destitute neighbors and fellow
beings.
Those who wish to contribute to the fund
that is to be raised and who may be unable to
attend the public meeting can send their con-
tributions to The STAR. They will receive
proper credit and the money will be turned
over to :he citizens relief fund.
The EVENING STAR has started the citizens
fund with q contribution of e2O0.
The STAR requests that all who were in the
building and escaped alive furnish their names
W Ahk CIAh luz puUitceuou In Or0er mat the
full extent of the disaster may be speedily
known.
THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
The Excavation Under the walls-How the
Floors Were Constructed.
During the morning, while the heroic work
Of rescue was going on, the officials paid
little attention to the causes which
led to the horrible disaster. No one
could say exactly at that time where the
blame lay or the fault rested. So far as
could be learned the building, though . very
old one, had never been condemned. nor had any
orders been issued to have it strengthened.
Though officials connected with the building
are not inclined to so state, and declare
that they cannot understand the reason
for the fall, there seems but little doubt that
the primary cause was some excavating
which was being done under the front wall.
subcellar was being dug to give more room
and at the same time afford means Of ventila-
ton. In order that this should be
accomplished there was considerable under
pinning. The contractor for this work was Mr..
George Dant, while the digging in connection