The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-10

their own safety they entered the building,
the rear walls OF which were warnlngly
bullying out, and ministered to the dying
and injured. Ministers Of oil creeds were
present.
LONG CONSIDERED UNSAFE.
Congress and Government officials Knew
that the Building Was FraiI
WASHINGTON. juno Am examination
of official records shows that the insecurity
of the building was brought TO the atten-
tion of Congress in q pointed manner as far
back as 1885. Attention was then directed
simply to the safety of the army medical
library and the museum. The protection
of human life was not especially brought
in question. Mr.. s. NJ. Stockslsger of In
diana, who was chairman of the committee
on public buildings and grounds in the
Forty-eighth Congress. made a report in
favor OF the construction of q new build.
ing for the museum and library In which
he said of Ford's Theater. then used for
that purpose:
The building now used by the medical depart
ment for library and museum is not only too
small to contain the records of the library and
museum. but is unsubstantial and disposed to
destruction by fire.
When the bill was before the House for
it's consideration Feb. IL. 1885. Mr.. Stock
slayer said: E.
There is a medical museum, the most complete
In the world the result of the great war, which
Is now kept in the old Ford Theater building, a
building totally inadequate to its safe keeping
a mere tin ier-box. surrounded by wooden build
ings and liable TO be destroyed by fire at any
time | visited II short time ago in company
with the Surgeon-eeneral.a and found the building
in an absolutely dangerous condition.
The building was originally put up under q con-
tract III ninety days and was very badly con-
structed. The east wall is more than twelve
inches out OF plumb. The southwest corner of
the building has given away until there is
great crack In the wall, and the officers in charge
have been prohibited from putting heavy arti-
cles in the upper story for fear OF pressing out
the west wall 1t is, indeed, in q tumhfe-down
condition.
General Slocum. who also visited the
building. In the course of the same debate.
said:
My attention was directed to tho Importance
OF this proposed buil0lng by visit TO the build
Ing where the manuscripts and hooks and speci-
mems are now kept. and do not believe there is
a gentleman on this floor who would hesitate to
vote for this bill after going there and seeing for
himself the value OF the contents OF that build
ing aud the danger to which they are now ex-
posed.
Congress acted upon these statements to
the extent of removing the Illuminate con-
tents OF tho museum TO q new and safe
building. But Congress and the War De-
partment thought proper TO expose govern
ment clerks TO risks from which they shield
| ed skeletons and medical books.
From q responsible gentleman, who yes
terdsy took look at the work of the men
under the doomed building, this statement
Is obtained:
chief OF the Bureau OF Supplies of the War De-
| partment seemed 10 be directing some work. and
| wall running from the back OF the building TO
the middle OF the lower floor. which IL supported.
| number OF workmen were excavating under
this wall for the purpose. was told. of putting
In an independent electric-llght plant, and they
| were preparing to support it by under-pinning.
| Ii now seems very evident TO that that as
| they undermined this brick wall the first floor
gave way; the second floor. being supported by
columns which rested In the II st floor. collapsed
also, and the third floor collapsed In like manner
Building Inspector Entwisle, with his
| two assistants. was on hand shortly after
| the cavern occurred. He said that last
week application was made to him for
permit to nnder-pIn the building, but he
declined to give it. as it q government
| building. and came under the direct super
vision of the federal officers. In fact. he
| had no jurisdiction of government build
ings. and was prohibited by law from in
| terferinR. The cause of the whole affair,
| he said. was undoubtedly due TO the under
pinning. The workmen dug under the
| heavy upright columns which support the
| building, and the collapse followed.
| One of the workmen. a colored man. who
| was employed In eXcavating the cellar. and
| who escaped with only slight outs says: II
told them yesterday that the archway
WOMB 1dli, LOT every tlUlo one WhlKou over
the floor ir would bend"
Mr.. William +. Funk, of she firm Of Funk
| & Funk, contractors and builders. was
one of the first on the scene. He said he
| thought the wreck was caused by the
| faulty manner In which the work of under
| pinning seemed to have been conducted.
| He said he had noticed il several times
| during the last few days. and no later
than this morning had looked at 1t. 1t did
not seem TO him that the work was being
carried on in safe manner. Mr.. Baier
| said the building had been notoriously un-
safe for long time. and he stated that il
] had three times been condemned. He said
the rear wall OF the building had been
| bowed out for long time.
As soon as Secretary Lamout returns to
| Washington steps will probably DO taken
to thoroughly investigate the cause of the
| disaster and to H. the responsibility if the
| cOroner's jury does not anticipate the de-
| pariment in that direction. Mr.. Lamont
| left Chicago to-day for the capital.
| The collapse of this building has directed
earnest attention TO two other great public
buildings believed 60 be almost equally in
an unsafe condltIon-o the Government
! Printing Office. here 1.S00 people en-
| ployed. the other the rickety shell known
as the Winder Building also beloDg ing TO
| the War Department.. and occupied by hum
| dreds of clerks of that department and the
Second Auditors office. This place Is no.
toriously dangerous. and the floors are
| overloaded, all of the facts being known to
| Congress for years. but receiving no atren-
| ton.
meeting of citizens was held this after
noon To put into operation measures for the
relief of the victims OF to-day's oatastro-
| phe. Brief addresses we're made by II. III.
| Warner. Rev. William A. Thompson. "a clerk
| employ cd In the collapsed building. and
Bishop j. 4. Hurst. DIR. Bartlett arrsigned
I. the government :or itsmorsl res possibility
1 for the calamity. Mr.. Thompson's speech
| was largely devoted 10 abuse of Colonel
| Ainsworth chief of tho record and pension
| division. whom he charged with being the
direct. active cause of the casualty. He
said large, fine. airy. safe rooms IN the
| War Department. building were kept sa-
| cred To the storing OF inanimate rolls
| and records. while Ford's Theater. a build
ing utterly unfit for clerical uses.
4 was crowded with clerks MANY of whose