Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-31

William Johnson.
Oscar Olson.
The arches were each eighty feet
at the highest point and 100 feet from
base to base. They fell not singly nor
in pairs, but all at the same time, in
the same direction, and with the same
motion. There was no warning. The
men who one moment had been work
ing in supposed safety high up in the
air the next were riding to their death
on swiftly falling rafters, crushing out
their lives when they crashed to the
ground.
1t was all over in an instant. The
last arch had been put in place on Sat
urday afternoon and they stood all in
a row, twelve of them, twenty-five feet
apart, and spanning the space, BOOK
100 feet, which was designed to form
the floor of the big building. Painters
were at work on the earlier completed
arches to the south, while at the north
ern end the bridge builders We're busy
taking away the remaining false work.
Each arch was connected by braces
and beams with those adjoining it and
the structure looked to be a securely
constructed whole.
8 1t wasa little after 1880 o'clock. and
the bridge builders on the northern
arch were letting down some heavy
timbers which, had been used as part
of a traveller to carry the iron rafters
into position. There was hardly a
breath of air stirring or anything
which could suggest the least danger.
Suddenly the arches began to sway
from the north to the south. The. first
motion was scarcely perceptible. The
return was more so. Then the twelve
great arches came back with giant
swing and with a united and uniform
motion hurled themselves and all they
carried in one great ruin to the ground
below.
I 1t could not be compared to the fall
ing of a row of dominoes, for there one
goes ahead of another. 1t was more
like a ten stroke at tenpins, although
the arches were all carried by the
/ same force in the same direction.
When the crash was over and the dust
had settled the appearance of the ruin
was like the aisle cut ina forest by a
hurricane. when great trees lie in
rows all pointed in the same direction
with their intertangled branches re-
sembling the broken and twisted iron
rods which had been used to bind the
arches together.
So sudden was the whole affair that
the men on the work, some of them
eighty feet uptin the air, did not real
ize,ayhat had happened until they were
down On the ground below, some dead
and some dying, iron beams weighing
tons pinning them down or forming
supports above and saving their lives.
This was but an instant. Then from
the mass of twisted iron came groans
and screams for help. Aid came at
once, but it was at first useless. Men
and, women rushed into the inclosure
from the street, but only to stand and
wonder at what had happened. Then
came the police and fire company
and the work of rescue was quickly
done.
Will Build Structure Anew.
The accident to the Coliseum will
not put an end to the construction, of
the building. Architect Schankling,
speaking for the owners of the build
iuk, SdiN lhdt ~ Aud Uccu Ue-
termined to commence reconstruction.
As soon as the debris is cleared away
the work will be recommended. Ac-
cording to Burnell Gunther, son of the
President, the accident will mean de-
lay of only six months in the compile
tion of the building. 1t is thought
tina much of the structural iron can be
used in the new building. According
to Daniel w. Church, the loss OCCASION
ed by the catastrophe will be under
100000. The total amount of the con-
tract of the Pittsburg company was
$4,000. Young Mr.. Gunther places
the loss at Il higher figure. No altera-
ton will be made in the plans of the
building, the three-hinged truss being
the one used. The members of the
Coliseum company hope to have the
building ready for the national con-
yentions.
Clearing the Wreck.
Chicago, Aug. 29.-By Associated
Press.) work of removing the
twisted iron beams. Of the Coliseum,
which was wrecked yesterday after
noon, was continued today. Five