The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-08
FALLING ROOKERY KILLS TWO.
BUILDING BUREAU GANG HAD
JUST BEGUN TO PROP 1T UP.
-Four Out Of IL Badly Injured Are Likely
10 DIE Children Playing In the street
Among the victirns-l2 Workmen
buried In the Debris-One MissinE.

Among the victims-l2 Workmen
buried In the Debris--One Missing
Tho three story brick building at 2o2
Grand street collapsed shortly after .
O'clock yesterday afternoon and buried
dozen men In its ruins. Two persons were
killed, eleven were seriously injured, OF
whom four are likely to die, and one man "
missing. A number OF persons received
slight cuts and bruises.
The Building Department had been
notified OF tho condition OF the building
and only an hour before the collapse had
sent a wrecking crew to tear 1t down.
The building stood at the corner OF Mott
and Grand streets, and 1t was said to be
more than Atty years old. Tho property
u owned by the Catherine A. Turnbuh
estate and the building was leased by
Dominick volpe OF Rosebank, Staten
Island. Some time ago large crack APP
reared in the Mott street wall and the Build
ing Department condemned the building
and ordered the tenants to leave. They
wore slow in doing so. and yesterday morn
ing two policemen we're stationed in front
Of the building to keep any one from enter
ing.
About 1870 in the afternoon Alfonso
Sisco, who has an Office at 200 Grand street,
noticed that the wall appeared to be set
Ting on the Mott street side, and he tele-
phonsd to the Tenement House Depart
ment. He was told to telephone the Build
ing Department, and he did so. The de-
partnaent promised to attend to the matter
at once.
John Norelli, who had fruit stand in
the basement, also noticed the settling OF
the building and went to Charles Volpe,
ron OF the lessee, and told him Of it, Volpe
te.ephoned the Building Department and
tten went to the Mulberry street police
station and reported the situation
About $50 o'clock the Building Depart
r,ent sent wreoking wagon and sixteen
rcen to shore up the building. They were
rider Thomas German, foreman, of PIC
I asst Thirty sixth street. Inspector Dowen
vas in charge OF tho work. When the men
arrived, twelve were sent into the build
ing to get furniture and other things out,
ind four were SGT TO work outside. The
four outside at once dug UP some paving
on Grand street to step the shcring beams.
They then placed ladder against the front
door Intel.
While one Of them was on the ladder
tearing down an awning over the door.
Samuel Gordon Of 2so Grand street, vol
unteer fireman Of Staten Island, who was
passing by, saw the building sink. He
yelled warning, but before the man on the
ladder could get down the entire building
oaved in with crash.
For few minutes the ruin was blotted out
Of sight by cloud Of dust. Gordon rushed
to fire box and turned in an alarm. which
rought Truck 10 TO the scene. The dust
cleared away Just as the f,'ernen arrived.
and they sent In hurry call for ambulances,
police and additional fire apparatus.
The fremen and police started right in to
die through the DEBRIS to the twelve i'm
prisoned men who had been in the building
at the time Of the collapse.
Nine OF them we're quickly found and
hauled out little the worse for their ex-
periepce.
A great crowd collected and additional
reserves were called out. Mounted men
and foot police charged the crowd again
and again and finally drove them back
block on all sides.
After the nine men were rescued the work
progressed moro carefully, so as not to in
jure those still in the ruin. While digging
near the doorway on Grand street the fire.
men came across the mangled body Of
little girl, who proved to be Josephine
GaIiosa. When the crowd saw the child's
body . cry went up, and the police had a
hard time keeping the people from breaking
through. The body was carried to drug
store on the opposite side Of the street.
Ambulance surgeons and nurses from the
hospitals hurried In, but the child had
evidently been instantly killed.
Almost Immediately sitter the chuds
body was found the searchers came on
thst Of Joseph Farine, lying near the Mott
street doorway. Farine had attempted
10 enter the building to get his clothes out
End just es he passed the doorway the
collapse occurred.
In quick succession the rescuers
brought out OF the ruins the bleeding
ind unconscious forms Of Eugenio Quat,
tr,cci. who conducted restaurant on the
= IND floor Of tho building, and Pietro
Ire. little boy, until all had been ac-
c united for save one member Of the wreck
ine csew whose body was said to be in the
wins. At midnight his body had not been
g. und, although search was continued
ty the light Of lamps and torches. Nearly
~ = those seriously injured were passers-
~. lii.et he little Gariosa girl. The Volpe
Roy ives playing In the street with little
Clara Blrra when both found themselves
buried under huge pile Of laths and plaster
The same was the case with hve-yelr-old
Vincent Murelli, who was not disco vered
ly the police until after O'Clock, at his
h me, where he had managed to crawl
TIN idod, slthough his skull was fractured.
Giuseppe Majori. who ran photogra-
hers shop, had narrow escape. as
did the Bartelomaoci family, who lived on
the top floor. Although the police were
told to keep the tenants out Giuseppe Maori
was on the top floor when the building
ttnted to settle. His brother Antonio.
who IS known In the Italian quarter for his
ability as an actor, saw the building going
end climbed up on gutter over the second
floor and helped his brother down. The
Bartelomacd family, consisting Of the
father, mother and four children had Just
1T the building when the collapse came.
I hey lest all their belongings
Fire Chaplain Knapp was at the scene
end administered the last rites Of the Church
q these In need Of his services. Shortly
i!tsr the arrival Of the fremen Borough
resident Ahearn and Coroner Scholer
D.~,iJnnS Ahoarp <ooL eho,c> 80