The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-04
FH.OOIt GAVE WAY.
Coiinpsc of II Building Escsuits i'm The
Drath OF Twenty Men nnd the
Waunding OF amy others.

London, Ontario, Jan. 3.-During n
political meeting In the city hall to-
night the galleries and floors collapsed
burvlns over a. hundred of she audi
cncc In the ruins. At midnight twenty
bodies had been taken from the wreck
ed building, and Identified.
How many were injured will never
be known, as those who suffered but
signify went al once to their homes
or were taken care or by their friends.
lhoSa who were more seriously Injured
were carried to ncighborinr drug
stores, whence they were taken to The
hospital or to their homes The dead
We're taken across the street 10 the
committee rooms of Alderman Powell.
the defeated candidate for Mayor.
AT the close OF the polls q crowd gath
cred IN the city hall! where It has been
the custom for years past for the sIlc-
c6SSful candidates 10 address the cleo
tprG The building was crowded to
tho very DOORS probably 5000 people
being jasmmed In Its narrow space.
There was a lul in the proceedings,
the audience called for seve-a! of the
newly elected aldermen at once and
there was some delay In securing a
speaker to address them. Alderman
Carrorhcrs Joined the Mayor H. an e.
fort to secure quiet. In response 10
numerous calls r. NJ. Tooths was
pushed forward ito the platform on
which the speakers stood. AS he
reached 1T there was an ominous crack
ling and the raised platform on which
the mayor and newly-elected aldermen
were seated seemed to pitch forward to
the floor.
There was n sagging of tlmLers ana
the next moment one hundred and I1;y
people were hurled twenty feet 10 the
floor below. a large safe stood in one
corner OF thehall and huge steam
coil, weighing half ton came crashing
down on the heads of the victims
Following the crash there was wild
rush for the doors. At the south door,
where the majority of the crowd had
Those in front were thrown down by
the on coming rush. shrieking and
fighting for the door and safety. Only
one-half of the rear door, space Of
probably three feet was open, and in
the mad rush no one thought to open
the door in It's entirety, and 500 people
struggled through the narrow space,
the strong bearing down the weaker.
Alderman Neil Cooper was among the
first TO be dragged out of the turmoil of
broken beams and 'howling humanity.
He was quickly carried to an adioin-
ing room and In a moment half a
dozen more were keeping him companv
deavored TO haul the wounded out OF
the pit. From under the massed weight
of the broken beams came many cries
for help. The windows on the ground
floor were broken In and the living and
dead were tenderly passed to the wait
ing ambulances.
a glance at the wreck after the catas-
trophe disclosed the fact that a whole
section Of the floor had dropped, the
joists having been as neatly cut off aus
though the work had been done with
n saw. @
The building was an old one. having
been erected In the early SOS. and Of
late years additional stories had been
placed on the old walls.
In the Grand Opera House. which
adjoins the wrecked building. the first
act OF THE Girl from Paris" had lust
been concluded when word was whis-
pered through the theatre of the cal
amity. panic was imminent. hut
was averted by the actors and ushers
and the people quietly left the buHding