Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-07
DEATH 10 ELEVEN.
Defective Tinbers at a Church
Cornerstone Laying.
ALITTLE GIRL KILLED OUTRIGHT,

While Ten other Persons Are So Badly
Hurt That They Cannot Live Three
Hundred and Fifty People Piled Into n
Chssrn Caused by Floor Giving Way
Scores Severely to Slightly Wounded
Names of the Victims.
LORAIy, o., Oct. 7.-While a great
crowd Of people was assembled to witness
the laying of the cornerstone of the new
St. Mary's Roman Catholic church a tenn
porary floor on which many of the people
were standing suddenly gave way, pre-
cipitating many men, women and chill
drcn into the basement. One was killed
outright, ten were fatally injured, and be-
tween thirty and forty others were badly
hurt. The services were just about to be-
gin when the accident happened. Fully
1900 PERSONS were assembled on and
around the platform, which had been con-
structcd across the foundation Of the edi-
flee. The boards forming the temporary
Goor had been laid across the joists, which
were supported in the middle by upright
posts These supports broke ard the floor
went down with IL crash.
Three hundred Persons Go Down.
Fully 30 persons were thrown into the
pit formed bv the sagging in the middle
Of the foor For moment everybody
was para!yzed by the calamity, but soon
there was "a rush forward by those willing
to lend assistance to the crushed and
struggling people. This made matters
worse, for fifty more persons were crowded
forward into the hole upon those who
went down with the floor. When the
confusion had subsidcd somewhat many
of those who were able to cxtricatc them
selves did 50 by walking and crawling
over their less fortunate companions. The
work Of rcscuc va, begun at once and all
were finally taken from the pit.
Eleven on the Death Roll.
Following is a list of the killed and
fatally woundcG: Eillcd-Mary Weber, 3
Years old. of sheffield Fatally injured
Rosa McGC,, 3 gears old, skull fractured !;
Katie Griffin, 3 years old, hurt internally {;
Mrs. Mary McGracith, left leg crushed
and hurt internally; Mrs. John Fustin,
aged woman, left leg crushed and chest
injured; Mrs. Cornelius sullivan, spine
injured and left leg crushed; Mary Gaibcr,
chest crushed and hurt internally; Mrs.
Michael KEELING. injured internally; Mrs.
NNtt lJltNilCk- DDiH llthtH 'liiu ntift
internally; John Ficldcamp and Mrs.
Margaret Mackcrt, hurt internally.
VIII Come out of 1t Alive.
Those badly injured, but who will re-
cover, are: Nellie Dollard, head cut; {;
Nicholas Wagner, skull fractured; Leo
Thcobald, 3 years Old, head cut; Colonel
w. l. Brown, leg and arm bruised; Mrs.
John Fox, both legs brokcn Mrs. Will.
lam Du BurgCtt, hurt internally; Mrs
Mary Latfmcr, right leg crushed; Mrs.
Jacob Kccfer, hurt internally and leg will
have to BE- amputatcd; John Martin, leg
broken; John Eustin, back hurt; Mrs. NJ.
Bruce, ankle broken; William Ryan, lc;,
broken. Many others were severely
bruised. The old Roman Catholic church
and parochial school We're at once turned
into hospitals, many doctors. were called,
and they were kept busy for hours caring
for the injured.
Caused by Defective Timbers.
The accident was due to defective tim
bcrs. The contractor was told that tn,
platform was insecure, but he said il
would hold all the people Chat coult
be crowded upon il. There We're between
1900 to 2,GOD people on it when it CAV,
way. Despite the accident the service.
were continued ana the laying the corner
stone was completed.