The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-04-19

UNDER. D l,1|il !. THE \ u DEBRIS.
WAS THAT WHICH SWEET ovER
KANSAS AND COLORADO.


Wheeling, w. Va, April IL = a.
b:2O the south wall of the four.stofy
trick block of r. T. Hutchinson L
TO-, on the corner Of Main street and
the alley south Of Twelfth, collapsed
without warning. Next north Of It,
winch Chapman Il Son were Just 0n-
ishing, is a five story brick block to
De used as q paint, glass and build
Ing supply store, and they already had
stored In 1t about $4,000 worth Of
stock. and were doing business there.
Hutchinson Il Co., dealers In hard
ware, saddlery and wagonmakers' sup.
plies, and the building was packed full
| OF goods. The wall on the alley drst
fell out, pulling with 1t the part Of the
wall between Chapman's and Hutch
!nson's. People who were near say
the crack of the timber was like the
rattle Of musketry, and that in a few
seconds everything was rendered In.
visible by huge cloud Of dust.
The crash Of the falling building
was terrific and soon drew thousands
TO the scene. The horror of the ac-
cident was increased by a fire which
broke out Immediately, and as there
was large quantities Of oil, turpentine
and the like in Chapman L. Sons, the
situation was delicate. As soon as
people about the place became cool
enough to think It was found TINT
there were buried in the Hutchinson
buildings ruins four employees, rs fol-
lows:
Robert Wincher. Eugene Birch, p.
]. Horan. NJ. j. Ford.
Charles Miller, the bookkeeper, and
Adam Blum. Junior partner, were
penned up against the rear wall and
were released by prying the bars on
the windows. They were unhurt.
Mr. Hutchinson was In the second
story and was badly injured, but was
rescued alive. and hopes are enter.
tained that he may recover. Ford
was reached after hard work by q
larae force of men and found alive
and conscious. He was taken out
after an hours work and removed
to hospital. He may get well. The
other three employees are still In the
ruins and doubtless dead. When the
collapse came Ford was selling a Bill
or goods to Benjamin Il. Pritchard, a
wagon manufacturer of Buchanannon.
w. va. Pritchard's dead body was
round lying across Ford's legs. He
was crushed to death.
Shortly before the accident Very
taShSA y. II. fHrk6, vicar gen.
eral Of the Catholic diocese of Wheel.
Ing, was seen to enter the alley, and
he was believed to be killed, and this
belief was later confirmed by the re-
covery Of his body. He was seventy
two years old. distinguished clergy
man. chaplain OF Mount Dechantal
academy, ard having been twice ad.
ministrator Of the diocese, first when
Bishop Wheelan died In 1874, and
second In 1894. when Bishop Kane
was made an archbishop and removed
to st. Louis. A Western Union telc-
graph messenger. Harry Cowl, aged
fourteen, is also thought to have been
In the alley, but his body has NOT
been recovered. No others are known
to be lost. The property loss is heavy
wife and four children, residing on q
farm nine miles from here, were
poisoned from eating dressed beef.
They recently killed one of their cows
which had growth or boil on it's
side. Two children have died and tho
rest Of the family is In a critical con
dition.