Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-08
BURIED UNDER DEBRIS
Department Store Building
at Albany Collapsed.
MANY CLERKS INJURED
THREE DIED IN HOSPITALS AND
OTHERS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
Feared a Number of Dead Lie at Bot
tom of the Ruins-One
Body Removed.

beneath a smother of brick, wood
and plaster this morning when the
central portion OF the large depart,
ment store of the John e.. Myei<
Company at Albany, N. Y, col
lapsed from roof to cellar. The
wrecked portion includes nearly one
half of the store.
Scores of rescuers toiling among
the ruins up to half-past I had
brought out only 25 injured. Three
OF these died after reaching the hos
pitals.
AT that time no were unaccOunted
for, and it is certain that at least
hall of these are still beneath the
mound of debris.
ALBANY, N Y. August s.-Three hun
dred persons employed in the large depart
ment store of the John G. Myers estate at
So-41 North Pearl street had just gone to
work this morning when the whole center
of the building collapsed from roof to eel
lar Nearly hundred men. girls and chill
dren We're carried down in the wreck. The
first estimate placed the number of killed
and injured forty.
Thus far all those taken out of the ruins
have been alive. There Is no doubt, how
ever, that when the rescuers reach the bot
tom of the heap of debris they will find
number of dead
The catastrophe, which is the worst Of
Its kind in the city's history. occurred short
ly before O'clock The Myers estate has
been making extensive repairs on its build
ing This morning gang of Italian work.
men started to remove an iron pillar that
supported the main noUr..s esi5~
Failed to Brace Floor Properly.
Evidently they had failed to brace the
floor properly, for scarcely had they loos-
ened the post when down came all three up
per floors within a radius of fifty feet from
the fatal pillar. The wreck crashed through
TO the cellar, buryihg the workmen and
carrying down those who happened to be
working in that portion of the building.
The fire department called out, and
the work of rescue began at once. Consid-
ering the nature of the accident the num-
Der of persons who escaped with only slight
injuries is remarkable. The debris in. which
the fremen and their assistants are dig
plaster. Little no heavy brick or stone
work fell, and this fact gives hope that
the number of fatalities may not be large.
THE building was old one. but about
twenty years ago received new front,
which gave it a modern appearance. Ex-
tensive repairs We're under way the in
terror when the collapse occurred"
Up to 1890 there had been taken from the
ruins seventy-ttve persons. half of whom
Were seriously injured. The manager of
the store at that time made the statement
that there were fifty more underneath the
ruins.
Up to IL o'clock one dead body had been
removed.
Scene Indescribable
The scene which followed the collapse Is
indescribable. Most of those injured were
young women. The collapse took place at
S;45 o'clock and came without warning
The walls and roof of the center of the
structure fell into the building, forming
mass of debris. under which were the
unfortunate victims
Telephone communication was sent to the
various hospitals and doctors throughout
the city. and within half an hour twenty
five doctors and four ambulances were on
the scene. The various stores In the neigh
borhood were turned into emergency hos
pitfalls, and mattresses Were brought from
the various department stores in the neigh
borhood for the care of the victims
The work of digging out the victims was
conducted by the members of the fire and
police departments and all city laborers.
Water rushed into the ruins from twisted
pipes, and 1t was necessary TO cut off the
supply In the vicinity.
Pitiable Scenes at Building.
The scenes about the building were as
pitiable those within Several hundred
relatives of employees We're there, and their
supplcations to the welfare OF their
loved ones were heartrendng
II is reported at this hour that Robert NJ
Chalmers. one of the members OF the firm
is missing. clerk with whom he was
talking when the creash came, and who es-
capped. said: He was at my side and then
there was the crash and l saw him no
more"
There is now absolutely no way TO get
tidlngs of those in the building. 1t will
take several hours 10 dig out all of the
victims.
Story of a Survivor.
Edward ]. Horan. one of the clerks at the
mems furnishings counter, was among the
fortunate ones to get out without scatch
He assisted in removing about thirty girls
TO a neighboring store.
1T all happened in a minute said he. "a
was engaged in getting my stock In shape
ana there were not half dozen customers
in the store within my vision at that time
i heard a roaring and a tearing sound
much like thunder, and then the crash anC
shrieks that followed drowned out every
other sound.
Many of the girls sank behind their
counters and had TO be dragged out in a
fainting condition."
Three Died in Hospitals.
\ Up TO 1890 three persons had died in the
hospitals. thirty injured had been sent to
their homes or the hospitals, and IL was
estimated that fifty still remained In the
ruins.
Robert NJ. Chalmers, a member of the
nrm, was caught on one of the upper floors
and went down with the debris. He was
dug out from beneath a mass of plaster
beams and broken timbers His right Les
was broken. ana he was badly bruised