The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-12
sYmPATHIES OF THE ELKS.
ASxIETY OF sAVANNAHIANs FOR
THE INJURED AT ATLANTIC
CITY.

similar Disasters TO That of the In
Let Casino-The Collapse of the SUI
preme Court Room in the Rich
smond Capitol building Recalled.
A WOrkman'S Cut Into "A Timber
Cost Half n Hundred Lives.
The collapse of the Inlet Casino at Allan
nc city. N. J.. night before last, an ac-
count of which appeared in the Morning
News dispatches yesterday, caused much
anxiety among the Savannah EIks for the
safety of their representatives, Mr.. T.
H Thomson, cashier of the National Bank
OF Savannah. who is attending the national
convention at Atlantic City. and who it
was feared might have been among the
injured in the disaster.
A telegram was received from Mr.. Thorn
son during the forenoon, however. an
nouncing his safety. The Savannah
Elks have expressed their SYM
pathy for their brethren who are victims
OF the calamity.
The falling of the Casino recalls a mum.
Der of similar disasters some of them at
tended with far greater fatality.
The collapse of the supreme court room
galleries and floor in the old capitol at
Richmond, Va, in April 1870, in which fiji
dy-seven people were killed and over 200
were injured, was one Of the most fright
ful catastrophes on record. Mr.. S. f. B.
Gillespie, deputy clerk of the United
States courts in this district, was an eve
witness of the disaster. being in the capi-
tol grounds on his way to the building
when the crash came, which killed ana
E1aimed over $50 people.
The Atlantic City accident recalled the
Richmond horror TO Mr.. Girespie's mind.
at was a sight which one never forgets."
he said yesterday. Rows of dead and dy-
Ing people were on the ground where they
lay as they were dug out of the ruins.
The held of most sanguinary battle was
not half so horrible as were the scenes
around the old capitol building.
The disaster occurred during the sit
ting of the court of appeals, which was to
determine the consututionaiity of the SEN
abling act" under which the council of
Richmond had been appointed. and which
was being contested by the then incum-
bent of the mayoralty The
most prominent men of Richmond,
members of the legislature, lawyers,
4uugeS ana people Of all classes were
packed in the court room. Suddenly &
panel piece of ceiling fell and then a
gircer which supported The gallery gave
way and precipitated the spectators 70
the main floor. The additional weight
caused a collapse of the floor and in an
instant 800 people went down in the crash
into the hall of delegates below and were
buried in the mass OF brick and mcrtor
timbers and iron work. THE scenes that
followed" said Mr.. Gillespie, were sick
ening in their horror
The collapse of the old Ford theater
building in Washington ii year or TWO
ago is recalled with many others, ar on,s
them the falling OF tile Pembtrton nils
In Massachusetts, WI ich has been the sub
1ect of more sympathetic sketches than
almost any similar disaster in the coun-
try.
Accidents Ike these suggest a most
careful supervision OF the CON truction
of all public buildings where clOwds Of
people gather. Savannahs pubic halls
are believed to be beyond question shfe
for any number OF people that they can
hold, but an experience builder rem9rked
yesterday the construction of a Uublic
building cannot be too carefully wa tched
The falling of the gallery in the capital
at Richmond was caused by defect in
the girder which supported it. In hew-
ing the timber the workman had driven
his adj into the wood TOO deep and
wrecked it so that it broke. That mis-
lick of the workman caused the loss of
half hundred lives.