The record-union., 1895-08-09
MANY BURIED IN THE RUINS.
A LARGE BUILDING AT NEW YORK
COLLAPSES.
How Many Lives We're Sacrificed Not
Yet Known, Though the List
May Reach Thirteen.

| NEW YORK, Aug. S.-The northeast
corner of West Broadway and Third
street was the scene of fatal building
collapse to-day. but the extent of the dis
aster will not be positively determined
until tomorrow, when the ruins will
have been completely overhauled, and
the loss of life learned.
1t was the middle section of an eight
story unfinished structure that collapsed,
and down with the falling floors were
carried number of wOrkmen, some OF
whom were crushed 10 death in the ruins.
There was loud rumble and cloud
of dust as the building caved in, and
then from the ruins OF mortar, masonry
and girders came the CN and groans OF
injured workmen.
There Was crowd of rescuers on hand
in less than three minutes, and two min
utes later one of the buried wOrkmen
was carried out dead. H proved to be a
laborer named John Burke. Close be-
side him in the ruins was found Charles
Smith, an electrician. He was badly
mangled and died in an ambulance on
the way to st. Vincents Hospital. Others
were taken out badly manned and taken
to the hospital. At o'clock this evening
the body of Charles e. Peterson, an cleo
trician, was taken from the ruins.
In the first excitement it was reported
that at least twenty men were killed.
The minute the building collapsed a
policeman of the Mercer-street station
ran to a telephone and called for all the
am buIances that could be spared from
the New York and st. Vincent hospitals.
The tiremen were also summoned, to dig
out the imprisoned workmen.
The following njured men were res
cued from the ruins and sent to the
hospitals William Fox, John Cline,
James Kinney, Neil Guider, Frank
Mazzoconi, William Frank and John
Kelley. Though badly injured, these
men are expected to recover.
Policeman Livingston fell into an ex-
cavation while aiding in the work of
rescue, and injured his back. He was
removed to ST. Vincents Hospital.
The building was brick structure,
numbering from 561 to 573 West Broad
way. 1t was very nearly completed.
John I'll. Parker was the builder.
There are different theories regarding
the cause of the disaster. One is that the
floors were overweighted with material.
Another is that All upright girder in the
center of the structure was detective.
The list of missing workmen is large,
and it is feared they may ali be found
dead in the ruins. Those unaccounted
tor are: Charles Bilhilner. electrician;
James Farrel, plasterer; Michael Fahey,
laborer; Edward Hanley, plasterer; John
Murphy, laborer; John Mcguire, laborer;
Michael O'Hsre. laborer; Christopher
O'Rourke, laborer; Charles Reilly, la
borer; Henry Thomas of Brooklyn. If
these men were killed. the total number
of dead would be thirteen.
Soon after the accident a gang Of sixty
men were put to work overhauling the
ruins, and the work will be continued by
electric light during the entire night.
The work will not be completed, it is be-
lieved, until noon tomorrow.
Contractor Parker and Jefford Selick,
the foreman OF the work, were arrested
on the charge OF causing the death of
John Burke, but were subsequently re-
leased on Sl5, 900 bail each.
The ironwork was being done by the J.
B. IL j. NJ. Cornell Ironworks, under the
supervision OF Charles N. Secomb. The
latter said to a reporter:
1.-THE building was planned to stand
$50 pounds to the square foot. During
the erection of the building frequently
protested against the contractors placing
SO much as 400 pounds of rock plaster 10
the square foot on the roof as was DONE"
Foreman Martin Of the carpenters was
working with several of his men on the
fifth floor when the accident occurred. A
great mass of mortar and brick swept
down by Martin and his men, but they
were not injured, and made their way to
the street by the stairway and fire es-
capes.
The gang Of laborers who were clearing
away the debris got into the cellar of the
ruinad building, but up TO late hour no
bodies had been taken from the ruins.
Three laDorers are missing in addition
to the list printed above.