Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-09
FRIGHTFUL DISASTER
CONTINUED from Third Pdoe.)
and he stepped back. One minute more and he
would have gone down with the rest.
How Three Men Escsped

hS, ana when the fau came
got out on tue roof and came
down to the street through Hasslett's awning
establishment. He was the third man out. Mr..
Z. G. Chapman, chief of section two, and
another having escaped by the same means
How Capt. Dowd Was Rescued.
Shortly after II o'clock, while the workmen
were engaged in clearing away the debris that
had been looked over, member of the fire de-
partment heard a faint cry for help from a pile
OF debris near the front OF the building.
He gave the alarm and the crowd at once set
to work TO rescue him. They worked for
twenty minutes before they were able to get
the beams clear and then lifted middle-aged
man from amidst the rubbish.
He presented a CORY sight with big ugly
cut over his right eye and his right hand
frightfully crushed. A messenger in the build
ing recognized him as Capt. J. d. Dowd. A
stretcher from the Garfield Hospital ambulance
was summoned and he was taken to the ambu-
lance and driven to the hospital.
When he came on the street a cheer went up
from the multitude. Capt. Dowd said that
Capt B. L. Miller was under him and the
rescuing party went to work again.
Hanging to a Girder.
Among the marvellous escapes NAV be men,
toned that of young King, the son of Mr.. King.
the cashier Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company. Mr.. King left on a hanging
sirder, to which he chung until relieved by the
fremen.
Several others were left on the third floor at
the rear aud remained there for some time in
imminent fear that TIE floor would fall every
minute. They we're, however, rescued by the
fremen.
Jumped From q Fourth Story window.
When the crash came clerk named Chap
man jumped from the tou-sh-story vinaor in
the alley and alighted unhurt, save scratcAex
on mis- leg. He stood for an hour after in front
OF .ne National Union Insurance building and
was able to give information, sometimes re-
assuring, Of o.her clerks to their friends.
Escaped Though the Annex.
VIM. A lawson and half dozen others we're
on The second floor at the side, and when the
crash came he and those around him ran
through the door into the annex, getting away
safely.
The Unsafe Condition Of the Building.
An employe Of the building said to SrAn re-
porter that it was common knowledge among
the clerks that the unsafe condition of the
building had been officially brought to the at
tention of the authorities, but that they had
refused to take any action.
The back wall of the building is plainly bulR-
ing, but an army engineer who was called in to
examine it said there was no danger of its fall
ing.
The Clocks Never Stopped.
An indication that the girders were pulled
from the front wall out Of their places toward
the center was the fact that on each floor, hang
ing against the front wall was clock. These
clocks were uninjured and now remain there,
keeping perfect time, though every piece of
flooring is in the bottom of tbs demolished
structure.
Saving the Records.
Capt s. E. Fsunce, commander Of the De-
partment Of the Potomac, G. A. r., was on
hand looking after the pension papers that
we're being thrown out from the wrecked
building, and he enlisted q number Of G. Ar.
men in the service Of saving as many q the
as possible.
The scenes This Afternoon.
At2 O'Clock this afternoon the work OF e.ca.
vation had so far progressed that it was safe to
presume that no more dead bodies would be
found on the first foor The workmen had
in clearing OF that door pretty
ehectually.
There is yet another hole to be cleared out,
and in this it is thought more bodies are still
buried. In the front part Of the building and
in the center there is an excavation If
Teen or twenty feet across and about
eight feet deep below the level OF the
sidewalk. As this is in the center toward which
The fall went it is more than likely that there
ire still more there who were carried down
md who lie still covered up beneath this mass
1t was necessary TO clear of the main floor
before this could be touched, but at the rate
hey we're going this afternoon it was evident
he bottom of it would be reached before nieht
md everything in it removed What IL will
bring forth no man can say.
1t would be cruel to say that the work
II rescue was slow, or that in the
presence Of that awful calamity the
police and the fremen stood dunn
ounded. The first members Of the police
orce who entered the building this morning
began lifting dirt and mortar with their bare |
hands. and continued to work manfully In that |
way until shovels and other tools could be Sc
ured. |
MEN, NOT PAPERS.
This afternoon the firemen turned . stream |
u water into the building. This was done to |
ay the dust SO that the work of clearing away |
ould be better accomplished. A dyed
n-the-wool government clerk objected |
o this procedure, because, he said,
he place was stored with important govern
nent papers which would be ruined by water.
l man who standing beside him shouted back
'xcitedly, "We don't care Q d-n for the |
'apers of government that lets its clerks work