Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-06-16
p KILIED-5O INJURED.
FrightfuI Calamity I'm Warrington
Government Clerks I'm - Death-trap.

!
the surgeon general OF the United
States Army. quartered in the old
Ford's Theatre building. on Tenth
street, in Washington City, went TO
work at their desks as usual, while
down in the basement number OF
workmen. engaged in making an eX-
cavation for an electric lighting plant,
were undermining the foundations OF
the structure. Suddenly and without
a moments warning, just as the work
of the day was getting under head
way in the rooms above, one of the
supports of the strengthening columns
in the building was disturbed just
enough to weaken it 50 as 10 let the
enormous weight of iron girders and
brick -arched floors above it fall in
mass to the cellar. In the pile Of de-
bris that filled all the lower part OF
the building lay one-t third of the men
who had been at work at their desks
few moments before.
The walls of the building stood APP
parently as firm aS ever, bat inside
everything was complete wreck.
Great iron Orders were twisted and
broken as though they had been
reeds, and over all lay great heaps OF
bricks and mortar, while here ana
there mangled, bleeding human
form could be seen, covered with dust,
and in many cases with the face so
bruised and filled with the fragments
of brick and mortar as TO be almost
unrecognizable Here and there over
the ruins could be heard the groans
of the men who were lying in the az
ony of death, imprisoned by the
weights on top of them.
There was no delay in tn work OF
rescuing the wounded and recovering
the bodies of the dead. Willing hands
of volunteers did the first work, and
they were soon supplemented by the
trained work of dremen, policemen
and soldiers. AmbulanceS carrying
the wounded alternated with the
wagons of undertakerS carrying the
dead TO the morgue, while there was
constant procession of carts carry
ing away the brick and mortar that
were carried out of the building.
The President was informed of the
sad event just as he reached the en-
trance to the White House by one of
the clerks, and he at once Interested
himself in relief measures.
The news of the accident spread
rapidly to every part OF the city, and
such scenes of excitement followed as
have not been witnessed since Presi-
dent Garfield was shot down by Gui-
teau. The scene of the accident was
quickly surrounded by a crowd that
pressed hard upon the ropes stretched
bv the police TO keep the street clear.
Mingled with the curious spectators
| 10 ,,tI friAnIs Of thn
clerks who had been employed in the
building There were women frantic
with grief, and when a body would
be brought from the building they
would press forward, intent on seeing
whether they could recognize the
features of husband, brother or
father. In many instances they were
so overcome by the heartrending
scenes about them that they We're
sent home by the police in carriages
that were kept waiting TO carry OF
the more slightly wounded.
There were several joyous meetings
on the sidewalk opposite the building,
when wives who feared their hus-
bands were among the ruins found
they had escaped safety or with only
slight injuries.
\ general fire alarm was turned in
few minutes after the crash, and
then all the ambulances in the city
were summoned. As quickly as posi-
BILE the police and firemen formed n
rescue brigade, and ready hands as
sisted them to take out the killed and
wounded. In less than an hour about
twenty-five people had been taken
out, and every few minutes thereaf-
ter some still form would be borne on
stretcher from the building. Police
and army ambulances, cabs, carriages
and vehicles Of every description were
pressed into service for taking away
the dead and injured. All the hospi-
tails in the city We're utilized in caring
for the injured and scores Of physi-
clans volunteered their services for
this work. The commissioners of the
District of Columbia took possession
of the building and vicinity in person
and helped direct the police and the
rescuers. Owing to excellent police
regulations the rescuers were not
hindered in their work by the anxious
crowds, and it was not long before
the debris had been cleared away to
such an extent that the work of rescue
could be carried on without him
drance.
The following is list of the dead:
George l. Allen, of Pennsylvania.
George w. Arnold, colored, Virginia.
l.. w. Body, New York.
Samuel p. Banes, Pennsylvania.
John Bussius, District of Columbia
jeremiah Daley, Pennsylvania.
James K. Pagan, Kansas.
Joseph b. Gage, Michigan.
David G. Jordan, Missouri.
NJ. NJ. Jarvis, Michigan.
j. Boyd Jones, Wisconsin.
f. b. Lotus, New York.
+. w. Maeder, no State.
b. +. Miller, New York.
Howard 5. Miller, Ohio.
NJ II. Mullady, Louisiana.
j. II. McFall, Wisconsin.
f. Ct. Shull, Kansas.
William Schrieber, Maryland.
II. 5. Wood.
+. NJ. Williams, Wisconsin,
DR.. Burrows Nelson, West Virginia
The wounded number fifty, who are
i'm the hospitals or at their homes. 1t
is thought that all will recover save,
perhaps, two or three.
The building which was the scene
of the disaster is known the country
and the world over as the place where
President Lincoln was aSsassinated
by John Wilkes Booth on the night
of April Il, 1865. The site was origi-
nally occupied by church, built by
the Rev. Obadiah Brown, for yearschief
clerk in the Post Office Department.
In 1857 the property was sold to John
II. Ford, who erected the building
which collapsed Friday, known as
Ford's Theatre. 1t was a successful
place of amusement up to the Hateful
night of the shooting of President
Lincoln, and one Of the best-kuown
theatres in the country. After the as
sassinaton the theatre was closed by
order of the Government, and even
tually purchased for n museum of the
Surgeon-Generars Office.
Within the past few years the build
ing has been occupied by a portion of
the clerks employed in the record and