The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-04-25
WALL FALLS OUT
Part of Irving Building Goes
Into Excavation.
DAMAGE Done to O. 0djard's Mer'
chant Tailoring Stock---No One
Injured by the Accident.

The portion of the Irving building
at the corner of Front and jackson,
streets, occupied by Ole Odjard, the
tailor, collapsed at shortly before ten
O. clock Wednesday as result OF the
excavation made for the palm garden
building to be put up by the Standard
Brewing Co. Fortunately, sufficient
| warning was given for everyone en-
ployed in the excavation to seek
place of safety, otherwise loss of life
might have resulted.
The north wall of the Irving build
ing rested on stone foundation not
over two feet deep. The excavation
was made close up to this wall and
the ground was cut down vertically
several feet below the bottom of the
wall, the intention being to wall up
the excavation and not extend it fur
, ther south.
Two or three moments before the
building collapsed, the dirt under the
wall began to cave in. John Mullen
and Geo. Parrett saw this and the
former shouted to the workmen in the
excavation to leave, while Mr.. Parrett
went to the door of Mr.. Odjard's shop
to notify any who might be inside,
but saw none.
A moment later, the north brick
wall collapsed, falling outward and let
ting the ceiling and roof down with
loud report, followed by a cloud OF
dust and plaster. The wall and some
of the contents of the building were
precipitated into the excavation. A
crowd soon assembled and everybody
was relieved to learn that none had
been injured.
The wall had been braced with
strong timbers to prevent its falling,
but, while it was not anticipated that
this would happen, Contractor Joseph
Walroff notified the inmates of the
building that they had better move
out as matter of safety.
1t was the intention of the Standard
Brewing Co. to tear down the building
that collapsed, but this was not to
have been done until the work on the
other part of the new building was
further along. The palm garden
building is to extend to the American
Express Cos. Office. The latter was
not damaged, further than that the
ceiling and roof were raised trifie
at the rear. Had the accident occurred
during the strong wind last night,
more damage might have followed.
The room on the rear, where Mr..
Odjards' tailors worked, was not in
cluded in the general ruin, and fol-
that reason these men escaped injury.
Mr.. Odiard suffers considerable dam
age to his stock, but just how much
he is unable to say. His cloths were
piled on tables along the north side OF
the room, and it was there that the
most damage was done, for the ceiling
and roof fell in there Some of the
tables were broken, and some pieces
of goods were damaged by being torn
and filled with lime dust. Some made
up clothing, sewing machine and
other property belonging to Mr.. Odjard
were damaged. He was out at the
moment that the collapse occurred. II
is a question whether the Standard
Brewing Co. will not have to stand
his loss
The salesroom of the Wheeler &
Wilson sewing machine was located in
the south part of the front or main
room of the building, and the ma.
chimes on display were all covered
with fallen plaster and debris, mar
ring the woodwork and filling the
parts with dust and grit.
The excavating for the new build
ing is being done by E. V. Waters.
He states that the wall was so weak
that it fell out Of its own weight.
The mortar used in the wall was very
poor, as is shown by the fact that
many of the bricks are clear of NOR
tar, and nearly all are detached from
the others.