The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-10

hGCuIe' IlNllINu llNGh CIusleu OuL NY
tons OF bricks and iron, and sent un.
heyaldad to the throne OF their Maker
Men by the score manned and disAg.
ured ior life, Happy families buried in
tho depths Of despair; women calling
for IheIr husbands; children calling for
their fathers; mothers calling for their
sons; not an answer to cry
This is but shadow Of tho awful ca.
lamity thRtbefell this city this morning,
Words cannot picture the awfuIness OF
the accident. The imagination stands
back and fails to give any idea Of tho
scene.
It's horrors will never be fully told.
Its suddenness was almost the chief
horror. In Il moment, in tho twinEling
Of IN eye, there was change, and men
whc came to tho 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 visitatons
Of awful calamilies. They have been
swept by fire and deluged by flood, and
plaques have decimated their communi.
ties. In the national capital Of the
proudest nation of the earth there has
been catastrophe unparalleled in the
annals OF its history, and in every mind
there is the horrible conviction that its
genesis is to be found in the criminal
negligence Of a government too parsi-
monious to provide for the safety of ita
loyal servants by erecting buildings
proper for their accommodation.
HOW IT OCCURRED,
1t was between 9:3O land 10 o'clock
this morning that the floors OF the old
Ford's theatre building on Tenth street,
occupied by the records and pension
division Of the office OF tho surgeon
general OF the United States army, fell
in as though they had been the cards Of
card house. On ench floor there were
scores OF men at work. Without warn.
ing they were carried down as By an
awful cataract. The flood was made up
OF iron girders, hardly strong enough TO
support the walls, but heavy enough,
heaven knows, to stamp out human
lives; OF bricks that were held together
by plaster long since dried out; OF
wooden beams that hud been in place
too long. There was no escape from
such flood.
Tho government OF q great nation
could not afford to provide safe build
ing for Its faithful employees. but herded
them together in building whose un.
sound condition was notorious. Again
and again have the columns OF the press
been filled with the story Of tho rotten
wallB
There is shame and remorse on tho
souls OF some men who were responsi-
bio for tho state OF things that confined
mon who wore working for their duly
bread in building that every one in
tho city OF Washington know was un.
safe,
NOT THE FIRST.
Twenty.eight years ago there was an.
other tragedy within the walls OF this
building. The news OF it was flashed to
the four quarters OF tho Garth and 1t
brought CONSERVATION wherever it
went, The man who was killed was
tho President OF tho United States.
AS though the building had borne q
cirle upon IL from that time, it ended
It's career in fitting manner. But how
much better 1t would have boon II the
government had removed tho structure
years ago.
Those in the multitude, who could
think OF something beside tho catas.
trophe alone, remarked upon the
ssrangei coincidence that tho building
N which John Wilkes Booth slew
tresident Lincoln should fall and kill
scores Of people on the very day that
tho body Of the assassin's brother was
being laiGl to its Hnal rest
There Was no connection between tho
events, but the auperstitious shuddered
and tito strI9ng minded commented.
The. evidhnce, as found in official
records, appeears conclusive that as long
ago as 1885. this building which the
government purchased aftor tho as.
sasBination, land used as an army
innSeDm, was, officially proclaimed by
congress as Gn unsafe depository for
even the inanfmato skeletons, mummiOs
9nd books Of THE army medical museum,
ior which saiior place OF storage was
prrovid d by aict Of congress. But not.
MWhhstanding1 the fact that in tho pub.
~ pIeas, gnd In congress also, con.
tlnued atteI1 1tiun was called TO the bulg-
ing walls Of tile building and It's dark.
ness aud general unsuitablity and
In,Saiety, " continued 10 be used for tho
'Cly employment Of nearly 500 govern.
ct cterks Of the pension record divis.
ION 0l the war oillco.
WILL TiiE LESSON DE nEEDED2
The building collapsed In tho midst
OF an Ill Judged effort to remedy somo
oil its defects. The moral of tho dlsas.
ter is emphasized by tho fact that thefo
arc known to bo al least two great GOV.
orhmont buildings. government
printing Office and tho Windsor annex
OF tho war department, each containing
inNhy more employees than wore cag0d
ln me Ford's Theatre death trap,
TGtleh aro in an equally dangerous con.
While tho work Of rescue was going
on, mon who hnd been strangers to
emotion wopt like children, and turned
away their faces as tho limp aud lIfeess
SSoules Of those who had been crushed
beneath the ruins were brought forth
,o tho sunshine they would seO no
moro upon this earth forever. Women