Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-04-10
TWO BUILDINGS FALL
Wheeling The Scene Of q Terrible
Disaster.
PEOPLE BURIED IN THE RUINS.
Father Parkc, vicar-Gcncral of the
West Virginia Diocese, and Well
Known I'm Richmond, Among the
Dcnd-FOur Persons Injured.

Dcnd-FOur Persons Injured.
WHEELING. W. VA, April "a few
minutes past o'clock this morning an
accident occurred which threw the city
fntp great excitement. The fye-story
buildings Nos 100 and i222 Main street.
occupied by It. T. Hutchinson & Co.. whole
salc hardware and saddlery dealers, and
w. H. Chapman & Sons. wholesale deal
ers In paints and builders supplies, COL
lapsed with deafening roar, buryng ten
men beneath the ruins. To add to the
huron OF the situation, the debris took
fire from a natural-gas leak. and a dense
cloud of smoke arising. the efforts Of the
rescuers were greatly impeded.
The greatest damage to life was among
the employees Of Hutchison & Co. At 8
o'clock the list of dead and missing was
az follows:
Father F. II. Parke. Vicar General of
the West Virginia diocese and Chaplain
OF Mount Dechantel, the Catholic semi
nary here.
Benjamin Pritchard, carrage-builder. OF
Buckhannon, W. Va.
Robert Wincher. employee of Hutchison
& Co.
Eugene Birch. employee of Hutchinson
G. Co.
Michael Koran. employee of Hutchlson
e. Co.
Harry Cowl, Western Union messenger
boy.
The injured are:
r. 7. Hutchinson. senior member of
the hardware and saddery house of
Hutchinson & Co: two ribs broken. head
cut: will recover.
NJ. J. Ford, employee OF Hutchison &
Co.; slightly bruised ana cut.
.. Il. Williams. carpenter: head cut,
and severely bruised about body.
q. w. Clifton. carpenter.
All the above will recover.
THE COLLAPSE.
The Hutchinson building stood on the
corner of Alley and Main street, the
Chapman building adjoining. At the houi
mentioned the employees in Hutchisons
heard an ominous cracking. and without
a moments warning or the unfortunate
men being given time to make an effort
to escape. the alley wall fell with ter
rife crash, carrying with 1t the entire
structures OF both buildings. only the
rear wall remained standing.
Frank Halter, Adam Blum. and r. T.
Hutchinson were I'm the rear office. and
were saved by the aid OF two men who
pried off the bars OF back window and
rescued the men just before a fall OF
bricks buried the room.
The men in the Chapman building Jared
somewhat better. Clifton. one of the
workmen. noticed the piasterng on the
wall separating them from Hutchison's
crumbling and falling down. He imme-
1fsIN fFsfkrn afs4Yf md ~ n min
too soon. for before the men had reached
the doors bricks and mortar were pelting
them in showers. All got out in time,
however.
WORK OF RESCUE.
A general alarm brought the Fire De-
partment promptly to the scene. and the
work Of rescuing was commenced. Blind
ed and suffocsted by the dense smoke
the fremen worked like Trojans. and In
about two hours the first victim was
rescued. II was NJ. J. Ford. who was
comparatively uninjured. while he was
lying directly across Benjamin Pritchard
who was cold In death. and who, medi-
cal examination showed, had been killed
by being crushed about the chest. No
more bodies were found until $50 o'clock
this afternoon, when the body OF Father
Parl-e was taken out of the debris. 80
horribly crushed that IL was scarcely
recognizable.
In the mean time the fire had gained
so that the fremen had TO give their
entire attention to subduing it. After
twelve hours hard work. they got the
flames under control, but IL will be morn
ing before the blaze will be completely
extinguished.
BUILDINGS WIPED OUT.
Both buildings. together with the
ctA al A
plete wiping out Of what were once hand
some structures could not be imagined
When the first wall fell 1t broke OF clear
down to the foundation. and not one stone
was left upon another.
The Chapman building was new, and.
in fact not yet finished. so the loss viii
fall on the contractors. A building across
the alley occupied by S. Nj. Rice a Co.,
millinery dealers. was struck
by the falling wall. and n big hole
knocked in it's side The building next to
that was also badly sprained, and fears
are entertained for it's safety. Altogether,
the loss will amount to over 10000. The
Insurance cannot yet be ascertained.
Father Parke, who was the oldest
Catholic priest in the State. was walking
up the alley when the deplorable affair
occurred. Harry COwl, the messenger-boy,
was also killed in the alley. while return
Ing from call. Excitement was at fever
heat, and an immense crowd quickly
gathered. Street-car travel on Main
street, one Of the chief business tho
roughfares, has been blocked the entire |
day.
EXPLOSION FEARED
a startling rumOr was extant this eve
ming that an explosion was imminent, Tor |
stored in the Chapman building is car |
load of turpentine and oil. II the flames !
reach this nothing can prevent most |
horrible addition TO what is already the |
most disastrous accident that has occurred |
IN this city. At 1890 o'clock, however. |
Chief Healy claims TO have the blaze cut |
ri from the oil.
The cause OF the collapse was the de- |
rectiye construction of the Hutchis0n |
which was condemned two years |
lgo, and the work Of removing II neg |
ected.
Wns Educated In Richmond.
Rev. Father Parke. who Is reported |
among the victims of the Wheeling dis |
aster. spent his earlier life In Richmond, |
and was well known here. He was a ma
live Of County Sligo. Ireland. but came |
10 America when quite young. He was
educated at the Bishops College by Bishop |
Wheeling, who preceded Bishop McGnl |
IN charge OF this diocese, and after his /
ordination engaged in missionary work !
n Southwest Virginia. His last visit |
% Richmond was some twelve or fifteen |
Years ago, when he lectured on his travels /
abroad.
MISTAKE S0ylEWHEH