New-York tribune., 1900-08-03

have a factory on the two upper floors of the
fve-story building No 80 Walker-st, directly
in the rear of the building in course Of con-
struction.
FACTORY HANDS COVERED WITH DEBRIS
Sixty men and women were at work on the
top floor Of the Walker-st- building and thirty
five on the floor below when the accident
CURED. A number Of sfsen working for the
Hecla Iron Works Of Brooklyn were hoisting
beams by means OF a boom" derrick from
Walker-st. TO the top Of the big building at
the corner. They had raised four iron girders,
each fourteen feet long and weighing a ton
apiece. and were swinging the big boom of
the derrick around to deposit the girders where
they were wanted when the great mass of iron
slipped out Of the chain encircllng It and fell.
Three of them crashed through eleven floors to
the basement and the fourth stuck at the sec
ond story. In their fall they tore a hole five
feet across in the freproofng blocks each
floor. carrying tons Of the flooring with them.
over a hundred Workmen were busy the
various floors. some of them within few feet
OF that portion Of the structure through which
the girders fell.
The men scattered, panic stricken. some of
4hem climbing out the window sills. They
thought the building was falling. Meantime
the huge boom Of the derrick, released from its
load, swung sharply around, and struck Ia
foot iron upright at the westerly end Of the
building. The upright snapped from its
festenings and plunged over the side Of the
building TO the roof Of No. 80 Walker-st. The
big piece Of iron, weighing more than a ton
crashed through the roof about ten feet from
the rear Of the building. About thirty people
svere at work in the Of the top floor. They
syere covered with debris and almost blinded
with the dust that arose. The upright landed
on its side In the workshop, carrying down with
Il three Of the 15-inch wooden beams that sup
ported the roof.
MAD RUSH FOR THE FIRE ESCAPE.
Those who were not hurt made rush toward
4he front OF the factory, where they Joined
ahose working on that part Of the floor They
clambered out on the fire escape and started to
descend to the street. The people working on
the floor below. VINO had been startled by the
terrific crash above them. also fed to the fire
escape, and the ladders were soon crowded with
Ianic stricken men and women, shouting for
help IN Hebrew and Russian. A number OF
women tainted before they reached the fire es-
cape, and lay helpless the floor.
Policeman Mclaughlin, OF the Broadway
Squad, duty al Broadway and Walker
ct. when the accident occurred. He heard the
crash and ran TO Walker and Church SITS, where
there IS a fire alarm box. He pulled" the box
and then whistled for help. In a few minutes
he was Joined by Roundsman Burke and sew
eral patromen Of the Leonard-st. station. Nc
Laughlin telephoned for an ambulance and then
hurried 10 Goldberg's premises. There he found
the injured people lying on the floor, groaning
1n pain.
Joseph Putterman, the assistant foreman Of
the Factory hau just released tanny Cohen
1rom a mass Of broken beams that had pinned
her in the corner where she had been working.
The policemen aided the others. and the fire
men, who had by this time arrived, helped in
carrying the injured TO place OF safety.
Those who witnessed the accident marvelled
how the factory hands escaped instant death or
mortal injuries. For a space Of thirty feet
square the floor was buried beneath the wreck
age Of the roof.
Alfred F Norton foreman In charge of the iron
workers, was arrested on charge Of criminal
negligence, and was arraigned In the Centre-st
court He was Daroled until to-day. Norton is
forty-two years old, and lives at No 100 Carl
ton-aVe.. Brooklyn.
The building from which the beams fell is be-
ing erected for man named Corn by the Web
Der Building Company, Of No. 427 East Sixty
hrst-st. Louis Webber said he did not care
anything about the damage done 10 the structure
by the falling girders. He could not estimate
f. He was thankful. he said that none of his
Workmen had been injured
The building at No. 80 Walker-st.. which was
damaged 10 the extent Of about 81 900 is the
property Of the Lorillard estate