Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-10
LARGEST Everybody Reads Two Great hGS Sa&

Of an an Judged effort to remedy some
OF its defects. The moral of the disas-
ter is emphasized by the fact that there
are known to be at least two great gov
ernment building-the printing build
ing and the Windsor annex Of the War
Department, each containing many
more employees than were Gagged in
Ford's Theatre death trap, which are
IN AN EQUALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION.
While the work of rescue was going
on. men who had been strangers TO
emotion wept like children, and turned
away their faces as the limp and liieless
bodies Of those who had been crushed
beneath the ruins were brought forth 70
the sunshine they would see no more
upon this earth forever.
Women were helped away in faint
ing condition, and In every heart there
was sorrow, and in every eye stood the
mOistureo OF grief.
The scenes were terrible; some jump
ed from the third floor. The walls are
still standing, but every floor is down
and every window blown out. The
floors were heavily loaded with the
records OF the pension division OF the
War Department. The clerks were all
men. Few escaped more or less injury.
The Injuries, from the very nature OF
the accident, are the severest, crushed
aud broken bones and internal injuries
prevailing.
The excavations, which were the i'm
mediate cause OF the collapse, were
being made at the instance OF the war
department for the purpose Of putting
In
AN ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
According to the best information OBJ
tainable the workmen this morning had
dug beneath the foundation supports In
front Of the building weakening them to
such an extent that the walls gave way
before they could De lacked. This ex-
PLANTATION OF the cause of the accident
is the only one advanced, but 1t seems
somewhat strange In view OF the fact
that the top floor gave way first. Men
who were in the building say the crash
came without warning. Those on the
TOP floor were suddenly precipitated to
the floor below and Oy weight Of falling
timber and furniture carried the second
and first floors with it, Fortunately
only the forward half Of the floors gave
way. The outer ends Of the floors and
the rear part OF the structure remained
intact. The walls did not fall.
THEIR SERVICES FOR THIS WORK.
Both the military and naval authOri-
ties took prompt action. Gen. Scho-
field ordered two troops OF cavalry from
Fort Meyer just across the river and
two companies Of infantry from the ar
senal TO the scene Of the disaster. The
Secretary of the Navy ordered out all
the naval medical officers stationed here
and also opened the naval hospital to
receive the injured.
George NJ. Arnold, a colored clerk
from Virginia, was seen AT the third
story window. He was warned not TO
jump, but despite the protestations OF
numbers Of people, he climbed out and
lowering himself from the sill, let go.
He fell upon a covering at lower door
and slid of inJo the cobble stone alley,
striking on his head and instantly kill
ing him. His head was mashed to a
Jelly and the cObbes for distance Of
several yards were bespattered with
blood.
One e the bravest and most daring
incidents connected with the calamity
was performed by a colored boy, 10 or
% years of age. named Basil Lockwood.
As soon as the floors collapsed and the
dust cleared away, realizing the danger
of those at the rear windows who were
wildly climbing out and calling for aid,
he climbed up a large telegraph pole as
high as the third story and lashed a
ladder to the pole, putting the other
end in the window. BY this means ten
or fifteen were assisted down the lad
der in safety.
There were ATS clerks in the bureau.
A portion Of them were employed in an
nexes in the printing Office. These es-
capped.
The hair breadth escapes narrated by
the survivors were numberlesS. One OF
the most thrilling scenes Of the whole
affair was the sight Of dozen man who
were left In a corner OF the third story
clambering down hose pipe TO the
ground. One OF these men, and the first
to get down, was Mr.. E. Blair, who
worked In the centre OF the third floor
The story can best be told in his own
words:
''I was at my desk" he said, "when
heard great roar. There was no pre-
monitOry trembling or any kind OF
nd
the desks and tables seemed to rise up
IN the center of the floor and then dis
appear in a binding cloud Of white
dust. Sprsng for the rear window
and called TO my companions to follow.
Those who were right near me did so,
and we gained 3 safe place at the rear
Of the building, near the windows. We
were completely isolated, however, with
ne way to get down.
THE FLOOR HAD SUNK
beneath Us in front aud the building
was still trembling from the shock. We
did not know what minute the rear OF
the structure would go down and stood
there almost frantic. Then thought
OF a reel Of FIRE hose that l knew was
near. We grouped through the dust to
this and quickly unwOund 1t until the
end touched the ground. Then Icaught
hold Of the hose and slid down it,alight-
ing safely on the ground.
Another narrow escape is found in
the experience Of ]. D. Nevins, OF
Texas. whose desk was located in the
fallen section. He had gone TO the third
floor on some errand and returned, and
had entered the door, and was about to