The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08
Two Boys Buried Under wreckage al
Western Furniture Factory
During Storm.
HELPING FATHER SWEEP OUT
ANDREW WETTRICK SERIOUSLY
HURT, RAYMOND PAINFULLY.
They Fell from the Second Floor
When the Wall ToppIed Over
and Crumbled.

Lightning and wind during the storm
yesterday did great amount of damage to
the Western Furniture factory, Ray street
and Madison avenue, beside badly injuring
two small boys, Andrew Wettrick, eight
years old, and his brother Raymond, twelve
years old. Andrew was the more seriously
hurt. 1t is thought he received internal in
juries that may prove fatal The large
water tank on top of the five-story factory
containing 10000 gallons of water. was
struck by an electric bolt. 1t burst and let
water down on the building in torrents,
causing part of the west wall to cave in.
The accident occurred about o'clock,
when the storm began to slacken. The
factory closed at o'clock. The men had
all left the building except Edward Wett-
rick, the night watchman, who had just
come into the building with his two sons.
The boys always accompanied their father
to the factory and assisted him in sweep
ing the sawdust from around the machines.
They had swept the first floor and gone to
the second floor. The father took the east
side of the finishing room, while his two
sons with their brooms went to the west
side to work.
Wettrick paid no attntion to the little fell
lows. He could hear them talking. Sud-
denly he heard a slight cracking of timbers
and stopped his work He said his first
thoughts were of his boys and he looked in
their direction to see what they were doing
AS they were deeply engrossed in their
work he turned again to his. The crack
ing was resumed and he thought there
might be fire in the building. He started
toward the north end of the room to warn
his sons when he saw the whole west side
of the building rocking and swaying as if
in the throes of an earthquake.
He stood terrified for a second when he
thought of the approaching death of his
boys. BY this time the building had begun
to shake more violently. and he lunged for
ward TO reach the boys. Before he had
gone half way across the floor the whole
wall and ceiling slid away. He looked
down on the wreckage and yelled for some
one to come. He could not see the boys.
Wettrick ran TO the stairway on the east
side and reached the first floor. He found
w. T. Hagedorn, vice president of the COM
pany, standing in the rear door. Wettrick
told Hagedorn that his two sons were
buried beneath the pile of bricks. lumber
and machinery He and Hagedorn went at
once over the pile. Wettrick saw a moving
mass of bricks and wood. He began work.
ing, lifting off the wood and debris. when
he was surprised to find his younger son
alive. He pushed all the material aside
and picked up the bleeding form of the boy.
His head was covered with blood. as were
his clothes and barred legs. Wettrick car
ried the child into the office of the factory,
where he placed him on a furniture car
riage.
SAWED AWAY THE TIMBERS.
wettrick and Hagedorn then turned their
attention to the other son, who was be-
reath the timbers. They walked around
the west side. thinking that probably he
would be near where the other boy had
lain. Before they had walked all the way
around they heard faint groan that told
them that the boy was yet alive. They
| began working at the large timbers near
| the edge. and the groans became louder.
| Hagedorn, with one Of the other workmen
who appeared. got several handsaws.
. which they used in cutting away the big