Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-15

Every few minutes during the first two
hours after the accident dead and wounded
men were taken out of the debris, until by
Ii, 30 o'clock twenty bodies had been taken
out. TO the onlookers all the bruised,
MANNED and dust-covered bodies seemed
bereft of life. One man whose face was
covered with blood, and who was seem.
ingly dead, suddenly raised up in the am
bulance in which he was placed and swal-
lowed glass of whisky. This brought a
cheer from the crowd, and thereafter every
rescue was accompanied by applause.
DRAGGING OUT THE BODIES.
All the carts and workmen that could be
secured were pressed into service TO clear
away the debris. The workmen shoveled
plaster, bricks. documents and broken fur
nture into the carts, and each load was
taken away to a dumping ground near by.
There was much danger TO the rescuing
gangs, for the edges of the fall of floors
hung treateningly downward over the
heads of the workers. It seemed that
little progress could be made in clearing
away the immense mass of fallen rubbish,
but the work nevertheless progressed rap.
idly.
The work of clearing away the debris
continued from ll.30 O'Clock until BOB be-
fore another body was found. The work
was being done in the cellar in the eX-
treme front of the building, when one of
the lahorers announced that 'he saw a
hand" Shovels and picks were inmedi-
ately dropped, and the debris was removed
by hand The body of the unfortunate
man, who was identified as Dir. Nelson.
was lying face down with one arm doubled
under him and the other extended. The
back of his head was badly crushed, and
his face was cut in several places. The
| body was removed with all possible care,
and sent to the morgue.
SOME THRILLING ESCAPES.
The stories of the scenes and incidents
attending the catastrophe and of the many
thrilling escapes would fill very large
book. One feature of the day was the
number of clergymeu. who on hearing of
| the disaster tlocked to the scene. Utterly
| regardless of their own safety they entered
the building, the rear walls of which were
warnngly bulging out, and ministered to
the dying and injured. Ministers Of all
Creeds were present.
The hair-breadth escapes narrated by the
survivors were numberless. One OF the
| most thrilling scenes OF the whole affair
| Was the sight of Il dozen men, who were
left in a corner Of the third-story clam ber-
ing down hose pipe to the ground,
one Of these men, and the first to get
down was II. Baler, who worked in the
centre OF the third floor. The story catI
best be told in his own words.
A SCRAMBLE FOR LIFE.
II was at my desk" he said, when |
heard a great roar. There was no premoni-
tory trembling or any kind of warming;
Just a roar and crash, and the desks and
tables seemed to rise up in the centre of
the floor, and then disappear in a binding
| cloud of white dust. | sprank for the rear
window and called to my companions to
follow. Those who were right near me did
so, and we gained a safe place at the rear
of the building near the windows. We
were completely isolated, however, with
no way to get down.
"The floor had sunk beneath lis in front,
and the building was still trembling from
the shock We did not know what minute
there of the structure would 90 down,
and stood there almost frantic. Then
thought of a reel of fire hose that knew
was near by. We CROPPED through the
binding dust to this and quickly un-
wound it until the end touched the ground
Then | caught hold OF the hose and slid
down it, alightlng safely on the ground"
A young man named w. IL. Mellnch,
from New Jersey, claims to have been the
first to leave the building, He was IN the
second story when he looked up and saw
the ceiling giving away. For over two
years he has plotted out "a route of escape,
He always knew the building would fall
some day. He got through by the side
building.
Another man saved himself by jumping
from the window into the awning Of 0
tobacco store next door.
BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE FOR YEARS.
Examination of the official records
shows that the insecurity of the building
was brought to the attention OF Congress,
in a pointed manner as far back us 1850
Attention was then directed simply to thu
safety of the Army Medical Library anc
Museum. The protection of human .lif,
was not especially brought in question.
md al ff
the extent of removing the Illuminate con
tents OF the museum to new and saft
building; but Congress and the War De
partment thought proper to expose gov
ernment clerks to risks from which they
shielded skeletons and medical books.
THE PRESIDENT INFORMED.
The President was Informed of the saC
event just as he reached the entrance Il
the White House by one of the clerks, ant
he at once interested himself III relie
measures, learning with satisfaction wha
} had been done by Assistant Secretary o
War Grant who came over to the White
; House before noon.
TO RELIEVE THE VICTIMS.
A public meeting of citizens was helt
this afternoon for the relief of the victim
of to-day catastrophe 1t was calledto orde
by Commissioner Ross, and Commander
Parker was chosen to preside With bu
little preliminary the purpose Of the gath
ing was achieved i'll the appointment of d
committee of five to canvass the meeting
for subscriptions.
While this was being done brief ad
dresses were made by Is II. Warner, Rev
{ William Aloin Bartlett and smith Thomp
son, IA clerk employed in the collapse,
building, and Bishop j. +. Hurst.
Thompson speech was largely devoteC
, to abuse of Colonel AinSwortn, Chief ol
the Record and Pension Division, whom
= he charged with being the direct aCtiv
Q cause of the casualty. He said large, tine
: airy rooms III the War Department Build
. ing were but sacred to the storing of mani
| mate rolls and records, while Ford's Thea
S tire, a building utterly unfit for clcrca
r Uses, was crowded with clerks, many o
+ whose lives had been sacrificed BY this on
!, mans dictum. The theatre had been
r perfect hell Oh earth, he said,
The total amount OF the subscription
; obtained was announced us abont Sj,h0t
. the largest being 81 0OU, from the dry good
G firm of Woodward Il Lathrop.
. President Cleveland, who had been aske
e TO preside over the meeting, WAS unable I
5 do so because OF a pressing official engage
ment. sent his check for 500, and Secrc
c tary Thurber his for SIS.
d A subscription was started in the Wa
Y Department this afternoon for the relic
5 of the sufferers, and this will probably b
q followed oy like movements in the othe
o government departments.