The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-04
THE ACCIDENT.

THE ACClDBNl.
LONDON. ONT, Jan. 3.-During po-
iitical meeting in the City Hall tonight
the galleries and floor collapsed, buryinS
over a hundred OF the audience In the
ruins At midnight twenty bodies had
been taken from the wrecked Duildin6'
and more are in the debris.
How many are injured will never be
known. as those who suffered slightly
went to their homes or were taken care
Of by their friends. Those who were more
seriously injured were carried to neighbor-
ing drug-storCs. whence they were taken
to the hospital or 10 their homes
The dead were taken across tho street
TO the committee rooms of Alderman Pur-
nell the defeated candidate for Mayor.
At the close Of the polls "a crowd gath
cred in the City Hall. where 1t Las been
the custom for years past for the selected
candidates to address the electors. The
building was crowded 10 the very doors.
probably two thousand people being
ammed in its narrow space.
There was d ull in the proceedings.
the audience called for several of the
newly elected aid srmen at once and there
was some delay in securing speaker TO
address them. Alderman CarrOthers
i0ined the mayor in an effort to secure
cuict.
in response to numerous calls r. NJ.
| TOothe. was pushed forward TO the plat
form on which the speakers stood. As
he reached IL there was an ominous
cracking and the raised platform on which
| the mayor and newly elected alderm IN
were seated seemed TO pitch forward 10
| the floor Thre was a sagging of tim
| bors and the next moment one hundred
, and fifty people were hurled twenty feet
to the floor below.
A large safe stood on one corner
| OF the hall and huge steam coil weigh
| ing half a ton came crashing down on
| the heads of the victims
\ WILD RUSH
Following the crash there was wild
rush for the doors. At the south door,
| where the majority Of the crowd had en-
tered. there was terrible panic Those
| i'm front were thrown down by the on
! coming rush. shreking and fighting for
the door and safety. Only one half Of
| the rear door. a space of probably three
| feet was open, and i'm the mad rush no
one thought TO open the door in its cntir-
| ETY. and 500 people struggled through the
narrow space, the strong bearing down
| the weaker.
Alderman Neil Cooper was among the
| hT.t to be dragged out Of the turmoil OF
| broken beams aud bowling humanity He
| was quickly carried 10 an dulolnlhs room
| and in moment half a dozen more were
| keeping him company.
Several men lowered ropes and en-
deavored to haul the wounded out OF the
pile From under the massed weight or
| the broken beams came many cries for
| help. The windows on the ground floor
were broken I'm and the living and dead
were tenderly passed to the waiting am
! balances.
4 glance at the wreck after the catas-
trophe disclosed the fact that whole
| section Of the floor had dropped the
ioists having been as neatly cut or as
| though the work had been done win a
saw. The building was an old one. nav
| ing been erected in the SOS. and OF late
wears additional stories had been placed
| on the old walls.
| AT THE OPERA.
In tie Grand Opera House. which ac-
ioins the wrecked building. the first act
| of "Thc Girl from Paris had just heen
completed when word was Whispered
| through the building Of the calamity. \
| nanic was imminent but was averted ny
| the actors and ushers ard the people
| quietly left the building.