Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-04-11
"A BRICK WALL C0LLAPSES
An East Fourth Street Building Par.
TALLY Wrecked Friday Morning.
OTHER PROPERTIES IN DANGER
Water Probably Undermined
Foundation.
NOBODY ON PREMISES AT THE TIME

At about 3 O'Clock Friday morning,
with crash that startled the neigh
borhood, large section of the eastern
wall of the three story brick building
No. 8 East Fourth street caved in and
fell, but, fortunately, il fell inside the
building, and az nobody was about the
place at the time, nobody was hunt.
The building Is owned by II, Blumen-
thai Il Co., and was for some time oc-
cupied by George II. Hollis as a stove
store and afterwards by others. The
building is occupied temporarily by
George b. Booker, comm lesion mer-
chant, of Nos. 102 and l04 East Fourth
street, as o storehuuse. and Robert
Lockerbie, florist, of Holly Oak, who
have rented the front part of the
ground floor for this week. Mr.. Lock-
erbie's salespeople were in the building
Thursday night until about II O'CLOCK,
it is fortunate that the cave.in did not
occur while they were there. for they
were in the rear of the building most
of tho time and would probably have
been injured.
The direct cause Of the accidant ia
believed by many to be due to the fact
that the roof drainage appears to be
defective. Rain water has been pour-
ing down the outside walls of the build
ing and aso the inside walls, finding
its way to the cellar. and the general
opinion is that portion of the founda-
tion where the wall fell has been I'M
dermined. Charles II. Ystter, who lives
and has a bakery in the adjoining
building ON the east, says the water
has ammo ed him, and he attributes
the trouble to Tn cause.
AT the time ui the collapse Mr. Booker
had about six or eight tous of potatoes
stored in the rear rart Of the ground
floor, and it was the floor under the
notatoes that appears to have given way
first. and when the floor went down tho
wall fell in. A portion OF the inner
wall on the westerly side also fell in
and the stairway was loosened and
twisted out Of shape The people living
in the immediate neghborhood we're
much alarmed, fearing something more
serious might happen at any minute.
building Inspector John J. Cassidy
made an inspection OF the building dur
ing the morning and has untitled the
owner that it must be shored at once
and the rear portion torn down. Much
of the east wall that is standing ap-
pears to be out of shape and Mr.. Cas-
sidy has ordered that it be straight
ened and strengthened.
Mr.. Yetter, when spoken to about
the matter, said the members of lis
family, who were asleep ut the time,
were awakened. The noise was terri
BILE. being just outside his own door.
and they we're at loss for time to
know what had happened. They at once
made en- investigation and felt much
alarm until steps were taken looking
toward snoring the damaged wall.
Complaint having been made by the
owner of an adjoining property about
water coming from the building at No.
!, notice was served on the agent Thurs.
day by Health Officer Garvey to the
effect that water was going to other
properties and complaint had beer
made, and it is likely that improve
ment of the drainage facilities would
have been begun Immediately.