Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09
The First Bodies Recovered
From The Debris.
NEIGHBORING HOUSES CONVERTED into
HOSPITALS
SOLDIEDRs ORDERED OUT.
The Horror OF the Scene.

The Horror OF the Scene.
The scene within the wrecked structure was
something that has never been paralelled in
the history of all that is horrible in the many
fearful things that has happened in this city.
As soon as it was possible for outside help to
enter and commence operations upon the mass
Of brickwork and plaster and fallen tim
bers and detorted iron the work of rescue was
commenced. Hudreds Of willing hands tore
away the membranes that prevented living,
but badly injured beings from helping them
selves, and eager sympathizers were careless as
to their own exertions or exposure to danger
that the bodies which we're covered by the vast
quantity of debris might be brought out to
where suceor was possible for those not ia
tally injured
UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE DEAD.
How many dead there are beneath the tons
of fallen material no one can even guess at
this time. but that some men who but an hour
or so ago were in the prime of health and
strength are crushed into shapelessness and
lifelessness is beyond question.
Already two bodies have been removed from
the ruins, but as the work of clearing out on
the lower floor has but barely commenced il is
utterly impossible to figure out what the NOR
tality may be. As it is there are a tremendous
number of the clerks and messengers.
Every moment the throwing aside of wreck
age exposes the bloody, and often mutilated
form of some one of the victims Occasionally
one of them revives sufficiently to
need but little assistance to the outer
air, but the majority of them-dusty, bruised,
with clothing torn almost in tatters-are car
ried into the clear atmosphere and through the
sorrowing crowd to the ambulances and
patrol wagons that are in waiting. At
first the endeavors to rescue were
somewhat inefficient, but in a little
while system prevailed and the work went
ahead with the utmost rapidity. Weary res
cuers gave place every few minutes to fresh
and willing successors, who worked
with terrific energy in their endeavor
to save some of the buried ones. Such scene
has never before been beheld in this region.
and no catastrophe in the city's century Of ex-
istence ever promised so much of all that is
horrible as the one which has stopped all busi-
ness in this part Of the city, and which now
crowds every thoroughfare in the neighborhood
Of the old theater.
The scene was one Of indescribable confusion.
but the police did good work in keeping the
crowds back from the front of the building.
Inside the work was impeded by the clouds
Of dust from the dry plaster.
Inside the basement was piled up with bricks
and plaster above the line of the first floor.
The widest estimates were made of the num-
Der of people in the building at the time Of the
accident
The floors fell so suddenly that it is impossi-
bic to see how any one on them could have es-
capped
The Cause Of the Accident.
The accident is supposed to have been caused
by the undermining of the basement wall
Such looking objects as the men were who
were carried out from the building first it
would be an impossibiity to describe
They we're covered with dust and blood, but
up to 10 O'Clock no dead bodies had been
recovered. Men were almost unrecognizable
as a result of their injuries
The ambulances were kept busy carrying
the injured to hospitals and to other places
where they could receive attention.
large force of police were soon on hand
and Maj. Moore at once took command of
them. Chief Paris took command of the fire
department
A HOrrified Crowd