New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-04
TAKE BODIES FROM RUINS.
Heartbroken Wives See Mangled
Husbands Dragged from TangIe.

In spite of a large force of men. no great i'm
rression was made yesterday on the vast twist
ed intertwined tangle of iron beams and grid
eTs which once made symmetrical framework
for the Darlington. Six bodies were taken out
during the day and four others were uncovered
so they could be seen plainly. The emergency
contractors said last night that they could not
hope to get to these before to-day. however Two
of these bodies were well toward the front Of
the p!le Of wreckage. The others were near the
back The men had evidently been working on
the top floor of he building. All are pinned
down by iron beams.
It was a desolate, disheartening sight In
cold. driving rain the wreclSers worked. Through
sloppy mud they slowly dragged the great twist
ed pieces OF iron while the derrick boom creaked
and the little engine snorted noisily, squirting
clouds Of steam over the debris. All day long
throngs of the merely curious watched the
work. held in check by lines Of policemen
A more pitiable group. however. got as near
as possible to the workmen. and whenever any
one in authority came near. would ask eagerly
about the possibility OF getting out bodies. or
the distinguishing marks OF those in sight.
All wednesday night and all the morning
Mrs Adam Durwalder. wife OF the foreman
plumber. sat watching, waiting. hoping against
hope With her were her seven-year-old son and
her brother, Thomas Sprague. Word came that
a body had been recovered. One look showed
Spraeue that II was Durwalder's. Gently he
tried TO tell the tired. grief stricken woman
sitting with her around her child. She
could not bear it. Physicians. hastily sum
moned. cared for her. and she went home mourn
ing.
Deputy Superintendent Jordan Of the Build
ings Department became Ill early yesterday
and went home, where he remained all day.
sleeping In consequence the Buildings De-
partment was not represented at the work.
save when Acting superintendent GorIiah
could get around from his other dutes- inert
fore the work moved slowly.
The engine and derrick did not get INTO reaLy
active service until :. A NJ. yesterday. AFTER
I that the work was somewhat more efhclent
than when from twelve TO twenty men would
attach themselves 10 rope and drag out a
six-foot length OF iron. All day this continued.
lanes GaIligan, the sub-contractor VINO mas
taken the contract from Bartholomew Dunn
said he thought Il would take ten days oefor ?
the tangle OF iron with the mass OF oricks anu
+ mortar could be cleared away.
Perez NJ SteWart and Commissioner WOOD.
. bury OF the street Cleaning Department oHered
assistance but it was declined. ,.. ~,
chief Croker OF the Fire Department. VINO
tool, n look al the ruins. would add nothing
TO his original terse comment on the cause
That ou,fe covered tho situation. he thought
/ About 1890 a m. after considerable effort
the nrst body was removed. II was that OF
Az i2.55 o'clock the rescus force which had
been AZ work since 9 O'Clock trying 10 release
the body OF Adam Durwalder. succeeded IN saw
- ,brCurb inc wooden tinbers and iron girders
thar mined II down. The body was high up IN
the minis and the descent for an unincumbered
person was extremely hazardous; Tor me men
-, .,,rIed The battered corpse to the street II
vas oven more DANCE rous Fifteen ot them
GnalIv reached the street with 81. where the
hea rtbro<en wife was waiting
Al A-o5 = M, the body OF a labOrer was car
rie1 out through the Patterson Hotel WhHe
,,,iests in the corridors watched. .
49,. IN three bodies were taken from the
b,,itfirs,. one Identified as Frank Allison. from
a corner Of the wreckage right against the mousse
line. the other two further back Both men mao
heen crushed 10 death by water oarreIs- oii7
bad n nail I'm his hand