The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-06
|. OLD BUILDINGS
FALL TO Street
CONSERVATION Reigns On Main
Street When Structures
Partially Collapse.
A cHILD's MARROW ESCAPE.
Father Snatcl1cd Daughter From
Path OF Falling
Bricks.
A CHILD's MARROW ESCAPE.

CONSERVATION rcigned for n few minutes
in the vicinity of Seventeenth and Main
Streets about 8 o'clock last night owing
to the partial collapse of three brick
buildings, each three stories high, at and
adjoining the northwest corner OF Sew
enteenth and Main. Although one of the
houses, which was occupied by Alexan-
der Berman, his mother, wife and five
children. partially fell, and several per-
sons were on the pavement just in front,
no one was injured, though Mr. herman
was struck on the head by n small frag-
ment of brick.
The rear wall of one of the scuses fell
in and one of the interior walls partly
collapsed, while II foot and half or
two feet of the street wall In front OF
No. l544 and l54G crumbled off and fell
outward, prcciptating n ton or more or
Brick and mortar into the street, which
is usually crowded about the hour OF the
fall. Mr.. Berman and his family were
Just preparing to leave the pavement III
front and go up to the upper floor Of
No. 1916 to retire for the night, but for
tunatey had not started. Mr.. herman
made the following statement:
II had Just sent my little girl upstairs
with my coat, and she came running
down and told me that the windows We're
shaking and the curtains falling down
like the house was rocking. | ran up
stairs and found the ceiling swayins.
and that part of the wall hao fnien
I in, and lost no time In leaving the place.
Part of the side wall had fallen in. ana
do not know what damage was done
to my furniture. One Of my children mad
lust asked me to walk up the street
with her a little way, and but for that
would have been upstairs with my fam
lily, and We would probably have been
killed Just after I got out, I heard
the noise of falling walls and that pile
of bricks fell into the street.
Was Marrow Escape.
"Onc of my children was standing
lust outside the door on the pavement
when came out. At first did not see
her in the dust of the falling bricks, but
as the dust rose, ] saw her standing
there and grabbed her and toolt ilcr
away
Mr. Berman works at Hutzer's dry
goods store, just across the street, but
he and his family occupy the aecond
floor of No 1916. Most of the other
members of the family were on the safe
side of the street The noise OF the
falling bricks aroused the ncighborhooG,
and a crowd soon gathered. cursory
examination revealed the fact that the
entire front wall of No. 1!4+ was out of
plumb. lettering dangerously ard liable
to collapse at any time. Chief o. Police
Werner and Captain Whitlock and oiii-
GERS OF tho First District promptly
stretched rope and stationed an officer
in front Of the danger spot to warn
people against going in range Of the
dangerous walls.
The three houses are old ones, among
the oldest in that vicinity, and compose
a row of three stores The one farthest
west, No. 1914 was until very recently
occupied by !. w. Frayser, druggist. but
he removed to more desirable site. and
the building was unoccrpied and undergo
ing repairs The building next door. NO.
1916. was occupied on the street floor
by Il. Marchetti and Company, and that
on the corner by Thomas Myrtle, grocer
and liquor dealer. Mr., herman lived
over Marchcttis, and Mr. Myrtle's fami-
.ly lived over his place. The Myrtle estab-
lshment is apparently unaffected by the
collapse of the adjoining stores on the
west and he kept his business place
opened. He was unwilling to have his
family remain, and removed them to the
Davis Hotel. across the street. The
building occupied by Mr. Myrtle is owned
by E. a. Saunders. while No. 1876 Is
| owned by George G. Guvernator. No.
1914 is owned by MI .Pcyton Darlington.