The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-21
MEAT DOCK FALLS
Eighteen Foot Platform With
10000 Pounds of Meat
DROPS INTO CELLAR WAY
Yesterday Morning at the
DoId Packing House.

Yesterday morning about II O'Clock the
north side. from Eighteenth street south
to the packing center and from the CHS
holm creek east to the river, was startled
by q resounding crash which seemed Ike
the explosion of a powder mill There
were no screams or clouds Of smoke or
dust and nothing to assuredly locate the
source of the din.
1t developed that the point from which
issued this roar was the Jacob Dold Pack
ing company plant at Twenty-first street.
A large section of the middle docks be-
tween the wholesale market and the cool
ing reserve, and also between the north
and south loading docks, had given way
under pressure of the meats piled there.
and fell through, a distance OF twelve feet,
into the getaways below.
Early in the morning Superintendent
Darrigrand had set to work a gang OF
dock hands and testers in charge Of Fore
man Grams, getting ready the meats fo-
shipment for the day and also for the
several gradations of the curing processes
At the time OF the disaster there were
about fourteen men In and about that
section Of the works which, by the way,
though out OF doors is under roof. There
Is estimated TO have been about 1000
pounds Of meats lying on the floors, most
ly short clears and side cuts from the
dry salt cellars. Just why this COMPARE
lively minimum weight should have had
that effect is not yet clear until the de-
brLs has been more completely cleared
away, as there have been many times that
amount OF meat resting on the same sec
ton during the past ten years II is not
uncommon n emergencies for 2OOOpO
p nds or more Of weight 20 be inme-
diateiy on this particular spot and not the
least strain ever before evidenced. The
tmbers are the very heaviest ever placed
in such construction. and they rest on
pillars and foundations the best to he pro-
Vtded. But the shivered and shattered
planks and the complete netting away Of
the whole construction seem to indicate
a weak spot somewhere which, when II
could no longer resist the strain, caused
the whole affair to collapse.
The meats and the trucks and other
utensils and dock fixtures involved sank
into the department twelve feet below
known as the wash rooms Of the smoke
houses, that is, for the emergency houses
recently erected and known as Number
s. and Number G." Nothing there was
damaged as the space was at the time
fortunately clear and the hanging meats
in process Of smoking all IN the houses
safe
OF the whole force OF men at the time
busy around the fated section, none were
hurt, in fact. there were prac-
ticaFly none involved in the wreck. as
though like a miracle all happened TO be
just on the outside edges OF the spot in
volved and away from the immediate dis
aster. Neither was there any loss at
tending the casualty other than a tenn
porary delay in the handling Of the stuff
then being cared for and the later incon-
from the loss OF time necessary
in clearing away the debris and repairing
the ruin.
The ever present and effective strict and
inviolabe discipline which IS maintained
all through the departments Of this we'll
regulated institution was at once displayed
when within five minutes, the first gang
at the time employed in getting ready the
days shipments was transferred TO other
quarters and kept steadily at work, with
hardly a hitch IN the usual proceedings
and the work carried on as though moth
ing had happened. and Immediately from
other parts Of the building special gangs
were summoned under the immediate
charge or Manager Fred Dold and Super
intendent parriErand. and at once work
was commenced tc get tine meats up out
of the cellar and the twisted and shat
tered timbers cleared away. II Is a mar
vel that no one was hurt. but there were
two coiored men badly scared and one
thought surely he had been shot. The
sh7p force are all at work night
and day with specially arranged facilities
and within a few days a new flooring will
be in place and all trouble repaired In
the meantime affairs GO on just the same
and shipments. which the past week have
bean very heavy. viii not be hindered IN
> -,