Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1893-06-09
COLLAPSE OF THE FORD THEATER In
WASHINGTON CITY.
Il lHH: BUILDING FULL. OF GOV
EN Fl MH<T EMPLOYEES.
ALARGE NUMBER OF THEM KILL
ED OR WOUNDED.
wOH:FUA-H-K PATHETIC SCA:NI:
AMONG 1>KAH: RESCUED.


ter, the building in which Abraham Lin
coin was assassinatcd, and which has
been used by the government for many
years as part of the office of the surgeon
general of the army, collapsed this morn
ing at $50 O'Clock with terrible results
in loss of life.
The building had been condemned
years ago, some claim many as S or
20, but had been proppcd up and
renovated from year to year.
There were 475 persons, mostly gov
crnmcnt clerks, employed in the building
and nearly all of these were at work
when the building fell. Al excavation
for an electric light plant was being made
i'll the cellar of the structure, which was
three stories high, and according to best
information obtainable the workmen
this morning had dug beneath the foun-
dation supports in front of the building,
weakening them to such an extent that
the walls gave way. Nevertheless, if the
accident was caused in this way it seems
somewhat strange that the top floor
gave way first.
NO warning.
Men who were in the building say the
crash was without warning. Those on
the top floor were suddenly prccipita ted
to the floor below, and the weight of
falling timbers and furniture carried the
second and first floors with it. Fortu-
nately only the front half OF the floors
gave way; the outer edge of the floors
and the rear part of the structure re-
manned intact; aud the walls did not
tall.
The news that the building had fallen
spread with 1ightning-like rapidity, and
soon Tenth street and the adjacent
| thoroughfares were crowded with peo-
pie. Within an hour the news was known
all over Washington and hundreds Of
| anxious friends Swarmcd to the vicinity
of the old theatcr. Women appealed to
every bystander for information about
| some particular person. and imploringly
| besought policemen to let them through
he police lines that they might obtain
| some kno ~lcdge of the fate of friends and
relatives.
TRlx1nE Out The Dead.
A general fire alarm was turned in a
| few minutes after the crash and then all
1
moned as quickly as possible. The po-
| lice and firemen formed a rescue brigade,
and ready hands assisted them to take
| out killed and wounded.
In less than an hour about 20 people
had been taken out and every few min
utcs thereafter some still form would be
borne on a Strctchcr from the building.
Police and army ambulances and vehicles
| nt
service for taking away the dead and in
ljurcd. All the hospitals in the city were
utilized in caring for the injured, and
scores OF physicians volunteered their
services for this work. The Commission
crs of the District of Columbia took po-
session of the building in person
and helped to direct the police and res
cucrs. Col Corbin, assistant adiutant
general of the army, was sent by Mai
Gen. SchOheld to represent the WaI
Department and to decide lift be necessary
to call out the troops; but owing to The
excellent police regulations the rcscuers
were not hindered in their work, and II
was not long before the debris had beer
cleared away to such an extent that thu
work of rescue could be carried on with
: out hindrance.
| After GEle Horse VVas Stolen.
Both the military and naval authori
ties took prompt action. Gen. SchotielC
ordered two troops of cavalry from For
compa MICS of infantry from the Arsena
to the scene of the disaster. The Score
tary of the Navy ordered out all of tn
naval medical officers stationed here ant
also opened the naval hospital to recciv
the injured. The COmmandant at til
navy yard was ordered to render all c
the assistance in his power. Every hos
IS pital in the city was called into requis
ton; and ambulances, carriages an
other vehicles filled with wounded, wer
quickly traversing the city in every dircC
tion.
'l Those who were early on the seen
found t he body of a colored man in til
rear of the building, where John WilkC
Booth had his horse tethered the nigh
he killed LincSln. He had been seen at
third story window and was warne
not to Jump, but climbed out, and, lowe
ing himself from a sill, let go. He fell int
the cobblc-stOncd alley. striking on h
head and was instantly killed.
- Hello In Black.
Ono of the bravest and most DARN
Incidents connected connected with IL
calamity was performed by colorC
boy, o or 20 years of age, named Bas
Lockwood AS soon as the floors &C
lapsed and the dust cleared ava
realizing the danger of those
the rear windows who were wildly ca
ing for aid, he climbed up a large tel
II graph pole as high as the third story al