The San Francisco call., 1896-12-29
CRASHED DOWN AN
ELEVATOR SHAFT
The Cage at 100 Suffer
Street Dropped Over
Two Stories.
Four Passengers Narrowy
Escape Death in the Swift
Descent.
The State University Owns the
Building and Will Now Put In
Modern Apparatus.

An accident occurred 10 the elevator at
12O Sutter street yesterday afternoon at
about o'clock that fortunately was at
tended with but slight injury to four men
who were passengers in the cage at the
time.
The exact cause of the accident was at
first shrouded in mystery, which went to
the extent of every one connected with
the building refusing to discuss the SUBJ
ject. Eventually the agent of the build
ing, Benjamin Bangs was found in room
55. on the top floor, and when asked re-
garding the affair confessed he knew very
little. All he did know, however, was
that when the elevator was ascending be-
tween the second and third floors in charge
of the elevator-boy, r. II. Jones, 1t shot
suddenly up and then came down with
crash striking the bottom, where it re-
bounded some distance, doing very little
damage.
He understood there were three passen-
gers in the cage at the time, but who they
were or as to the extent of their injuries
he possessed no knowledge. AS 10 the
cause. his mind was in similaz blank
condition, but he had sent for Mr.. Nc
Nichol, who built the elevator, to make
an examination of the damage and inves-
tigate the cause that led thereto.
A further investigation from the janitor,
and the elevator man, Jones, was equally
fruitful of results. All said they had
been cautioned to keep their mouths
closed, and undoubtedly they obeyed or
ders to the letter.
Others, however, who had not been en-
joined told what they knew, which Is in
the main the correct account OF the acci-
dent.
The elevator was in charge of Gus Le-
veque, who is the regular elevator man of
the freight elevator which runs in the rear
sion he relieved R. H. Jones, the regular
attendant, who went to lunch.
There were three persons besides Le-
vogue in the cage when it shot up to the
top of the shaft. They were: ]. w.
Thomas, an agent for the Pacific Coast
department. of Lamson's Consolidated
Store Service Company; w. N. Sanderson,
street. and Frederick Schmedmann, an
employe of R. M. Tripp & Co., room g.
same building. None of them were seri-
ously injured.
DR.. w. McNutt, whose Office is at 301
Sutter street, was summoned to attend to
Frederick Schmedmann and w. n. San
derson, whom be found to be suffering
from sprained ankle each, with no bones
broken or internal injuries that he could
detect on hurried examination.
Scnmedmann was sent to DR.. McNutt's
private hospital on Bush street, while
Sanderson was sent' home in q carriage.
Leveque's only injury was slightly
abrazed left arm, while Thomas escaped
without any injuries whatever other than
a confused shoulder, where it struck tie
cage on the rebound.
The building is now the property of the
California State University, it having
been recently purchased from the heirs of
the Kate Johnson estate.
The elevator is one of old model, such
as were put into buildings some years ago
by McNichol & Co., and was latterly con-
sidere by all to be of a shaky and unsafe
construction at best. So much so, in
deed, that the regents of the university
had given instructions to have it taken
out and a double elevator of modern con.
struction put in its place, but at the re-
quest of some of the tenants who had
goods for sale tha change had been de-
ferred until after the holiday Now the
change will be made without delay.