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

WASHINGTON, d. c., June 9.-Hun-
dreds Of men carried down by the fail-
ing walls of building which was nOto-
riOusly insecure.
Human lives crushed out by tons OF
bricks and iron aud sent unheralded to
the throne OF their Creator.
Men by the score MANNED anG dishg-
ured for life.
Happy families hurled into the depths
OF despair; wOmen calling Tor their huS-
bands; children calling for their faith
ers; mothers calling for their sons: not
an answer to cry.
This is but a shadow Of the awful ca
iamity that beiell this city this morn
ing. Words cannot picture the awful
ness OF the accident The imagination
stands back and fails to give any idea
OF the scene.
It's horrors will never be fully told.
It's suddenness was almost the chief
horror. In a moment, In the twinkling
of an eve, there was change, and men
who came 10 the scene Of their daily
toll this morning will never return
alive. Women who kissed their loved
ones this morning as they separated
will have but the cold bruised faces to
kiss tonight
Other cities have felt the vIsitatlonl
of awful calamities. They have been
swept by fire and deluged by food, and
plaques have decimated their communi-
ties. In the national capital Of the
proudest nation OF the earth, there has
been a catastrophe unparalleled in the
annals OF its history, and in every mind
there is the horrible conviction that It's
genesis Is to be found in the criminal
negligence Of a government,
TOO PARsIMONIOUs TO PROVIDE
for the safety of It's loyal servants by
erecting buildings proper for their &C
cOmmOdstiOn-
On each floor there we're scores Of men
at work.
Without warning they were carried
down as by an awful cataract.
The flood was made Of iron girders,
hardly strong enough to support the
walls, but heavy enough, heaven knows,
70 stamp out human lives; OF bricks
that were held together by plaster long
since dried out; OF wooden beams that
had been in place too long.
There was no escape from such
flood.
The government OF great nation
could not afford TO provide a safe build
ing for its faithful employees, but herded
them together in q building whose IN
sound condition was notorious.
Again and again have the columns OF
the press been filed with the story Of
the rotten walls.
There is shame and remorse on the
souls OF some men who were reSpOnsi-
bic for the state Of things that confined
men who were working for their daily
bread in building that every one in
the city Of Washington knew was un-
safe.
Twenty-eight years ago, there was
another tragedy within the walls Of this
building. The news OF IL was flashed
to the four quarters OF the earth, and il
brought CONSERVATION wherever is went.
The man who WAS killed was the
President OF the United states.
AS though the building had borne q
curse upon il from that time, it ended
It's career in a fitting manner; but how
much better IL would have been II the
government had removed the structure
years dku.
There was no connection between the
events. but the superstitiOus shuddsred
and the strong minded commented.
The evidence as found in official rec
ords appears conclusive that as long age
as 1885 this building, which the govern
ment purchased after the assassination
and used as an army museum, was Off
cially proclaimed by Congress ss an un'
safe depository for even the inanimate
skeletons, mummies and books OF the
army medical museum, for which a
place Of storage was provided by an act
oLCOngress. But Notwithstanding the
fact that 10 the public press, and in COu'
Eress also. continued attention was call.
ed to the walls Of the building and its
darkness and general instability and
unsafety. it continued to be used for thI
dailv employment 0f neariv five hun
dred government clerks o. she pension
record dlvlsion Of the war oIice.
The building collapsed 10 the midst