The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-27
Fsonf UaA -Four Stories
High, VIII Thousands of
Pounds of Sfoneand KefaL,
Falls INTO the Sf1eek.
Miraculous Escape Of Uosk-
men on the Structure and
MaHp People on the Pa0e-
naenf-One Man Lyuced.

The fronts Of the four upper floors
of the fncompIeted Willard Office Build
ing. on Fourteenth Street, just above
/ Pennsylvania Avenue, eaved in this
morning about $50 O'Clock. carrying
/ thousands OF pounds of stone and metal
TO the street below and crushing the
roofing over the sidewalk ike a she'll
/ That but a single person was injured IS
considered little short Of miraculous.
This injury was but painful scalp
wound, and was received by Washington
Gordon, a coiored Iaborer, residing at
144S T Street northwest. He was attend
ed at the Emergency Hospital
There we're about forty men employed
on the building at the time, while in
the covered walk. erected for the pro-
lection Of pedestrians, were probably
dozen persons when the first warning
came. Some Of the escapes from serious
injury. If not instant death, we're re-
markable
The cause OF the accident is attrib-
uted 10 the overlooking OF the tempo
rary supports 10 the metal work with
stones hat were carried up for use
on the building. The damage VIII not
exceed s., 600.
Partly Steel Construction.
The willard Building. which IS being
erected for Mr. Henry willard, on the
site adjoining the Ebbitt House, on
Fourteenth Street. is not a thorough
steel constructed building, being what
is known as . .walI-bearing" structure
Instead Of making. the steel construc-
tion carry the entire weight OF the
building, the beams are borne By the
side = ais.
Mr. james H. McGfH, the contractor
for the metal work. was under forfeit
ure Of s25 a day should he not complete
the work IN the contract tine He had
been delayed, he stated, BY the brick
layers. and finally by use Of temporary
props. supporting the ends OF the beams
that were to be imbedded in the walls,
he carried the metal work to a point
where the roof beams would have been
placed in position today.
Used Derrick for Stone.
The advanced state OF his work gave
much idle tine to his izlmense derrick
with which the beams were placed in
position. and the men engaged OF the
stone work took advantage Of this condi-
ticn to use the derrick II lifting the
heavy stones that were TO be used as
silIs. To this fact is generally attrib-
Ited the accident
During The time this morning when
The derrick was not needed by the iron
workers, stones Of great weight were
lifted to the upper floors to be placed in
position by smaller derrfcks- This
weight IS said to have proved too great
FOR the temporary supports. which. Civ
ing way. carried the metal work down.
Policeman Cooper, who was standing
IN the corner Of Fourteenth Street and
Avenue looking al the
guiding, heard a runbling noise. and
vas able 70 shout 10 the people below.
md aIncs5 reached the building when
he crash came
People All Ran But One
The covered walk he said was
veH-fued with people on their way to
york. al OF whom ran at the drst war;
ns, except q Young white fellow, who
seemed 10 have a bundle c. papers he
stepped and Looked Up 10 see what the
roubIe was I lost sight of him and was
old that he hal been buried in the de-
iris This was afterwards found 10 De in
orTect. although the young nan has not
ret been accounted fer Not seeing how it
-as poss ible for such a accident % &C.
.ur without someone being injured.
allied Al ambulance. but fortunately it
Fas not needed
Washington Gordon, the only man in
ared, was or the street belov guiding
couple CT stones that the huge der
ick vas carrying 10 the top Of the
.uildtng when the crash came He heard
&c warning. ne says. but stuck 70 his
cst a1d was knocked into a pile OF
Mortar from which he was afterwards
ztriCated by Policeman Cooper
lumber Of the heavy beams fell over
i'm and Ee wss hit on the head by soma
a-l,..g otject After the wound was
-csscd a. the hospital he returned 20
ne sccno o. tLe arcfden5-
The Nest Remarkable Escape.
The most remarkable escape was that
f ". &er!ing. brickiayer, at work on
he front o. the building Immediately in
he line OF the falling material MarI-
~ heard the noise ami the shouts OF
-aruing ard stepping into a window,
rotected by an ove-hanging beam. he
tood there While the beams. timhers.
tones, AID scaIoldi1g shot over his
ed TO t'e street oelow- he vas after
ards aale 70 make his way down over
he mass OF wrec&ase and, taking his
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