Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09
he was found alive, but hurs about the Md

he was found alive. but hurs about the Md
and face.
As he was borne to tn. rmbulanes hn fAcs'
was wreathe6> with smiles, 90 gild w.s he to
escape befofe being siudffocsted, fof he Nd been
almost an hour hemmed in : narrow soApast
Under Heavy Beam.
. The rescuihs party heard faint cry ssr
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 lifeless and Dr.
hewitt pressed whisky flask to his lips and
administered drugs to him hypodermicaliy
He was sent to the Emergency Hospital
Clerk Mellac's Account.
A young man named Meiiac claims TO have
been the frst 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 o 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 schas.'s Story.
Arthur schatz, clerk on the third door, In
Chief Clerk Yont's division, told srAa ~
porter the story Of the catastrophe.
BE was sitting in the front portion writing,
when without . moments warning he saw
the front foor cave in, carrying with it Msssra
Yont. Drew, Patrick. Taylor and the entire $50
ton under Mr.. Patrick.
There were at least sixty mon precipitated.
The cave-in took place about = foot from
where he was sitting and IT wss like an earth
quake. There was absolutely no warning
Whatever.
The door fell in and carried With II score
Of human beings. The clerks who remained in
the building stood speschless and with blanched
cheeks
II was only q moment, however. and then,
like one man, the remaining clerks, numbering
about seventy-Hve, rushed for their hves to the
rear Of tho building and escaped over the ad-
joining roof.
Marvellous Esoapss.
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.
Citissns Called 10 Assemble af -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 & ". Woodward, John Joy Edison
and other members Of the board Of trade.
Al 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 Win
then be taken.
II is earnestly urged that all citizens Who can
do anything toward the object for which the
meeting is called be present
The necessity for relief among the many
needy and distressed among the families SO
suddenly and terribly bsresved BY the
Ford's Theater catastrophe is urgent
Tho number Of these destitute ones
is great. their employer, the United
States government, who has permitted them to
be needlessly slaughtered, 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 viii gladly
and quickly respond to the cry Of distress from
afflicted and destitute nsighbors and fellow
beings.
Those who wish to contribute to the fund
that ID to be raised and who may be unable to
attend the public meeting can send their con-
tributions to THE STAR. They viii receive
proper credit and the money will be turned
over to The citizens relief fund.
| The EVENING STAR has started the citizens
fund with contribution OF $20o.
TIE star requests that all who we're in the
building and escaped alive furnish their names
to The STAR for publication in order that the
full extent Of the disaster may bs speedily
known.
THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
The Excavation Under the walls-Hov 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 az
could be learned the building, though very
old one, had meyer 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 excavsting
which was being done under the front wall
subcellar was being dug to give more room
and at the same time afford q means Of veutila-
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
IA <ba loh ho;n 10, NJ d % Nh,