The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-09
Big STORE FALLS; 100 BURIED
g DEAD REMOVED FROM RUIN;
FORTY UNACCOUNTED FOR.
UorKmen Snoring Up Pillar in the Cellar
Delay Work Too Long, and Five Floors
Crash Into Observation-Disclosures Efforts
Of Rescuers-yictims Mostly Women.

of the five story building occupied by the
Department store Of the John G. Myers
Company in North Pearl street at o'clock
this morning. or the AGO employees, three
fourths OF whom are women and girls,
100 we're buried in the debris.
II rs impossible tonight to get correct
list Of the dead and missing. The con-
Germs books, including the list Of employees,
we're carried down in the wreck. OF the
400 employees fifty were on vacation and
Of the remainder the names Of 250 were
secured. OF these, forty were unaccounted
for tonight.
Up to 8 O'Clock five dead had been taken
from the ruins. They were:
Michael Fitzgerald, 40 years old, married;
Anna Whtbeck, Anna l.. Sharp, Minnie
pullman. and Frank Leonard, IS years old,
cash boy.
At II o'clock the sixth body that OF
woman, who has not been identified, was
taken out While extricating this body
those Of two more women were brought
into view.
Seventy five have been reported as
injured, but only twenty-five found it
necessary to go to hospitals.
Those most seriously injured are:
Miss Helen Donahue, back broken and
injured internally; Miss Malone. badly
crushed; Miss McCavery. legs bruised.
Robert NJ. Chalmers, member Of the
firm was dug out of the wreckage, but
is not seriously hurt.
The building Is at the middle OF block
in Pearl street and runs through to James
street. 1t was "a feet wide and 200 feet
deep Alterations have been in progress
and under the middle section Of the build
ing excavation was going on for a twelve
foot subcellar.
The main support Of this Part Of the
building was pillar. This morning work.
men began to shore 1t up from the ex-
cavation below. While this work was
progressing the pillar which rested on
stone foundation on clay bottom. slipped,
and in less time than it takes to tell the
four floors fell to be followed in a few
minutes by the roof.
Many in the part OF the building that
did not fall thought there had been an
explosion. Persons who we're passing
called the Fire Department and the police
reserves were soon on ha nd. Within
half an hour twenty-five physician we're
At the scene and the hospitals sent nurses
we're arranged In nearby stores and the
debris without assistance were promptly
cared for.
So far as known; only two shoppers
we're injured. One was Mrs. Borst Of
Windham. Mimi, who stopped to buy a
hatpin while on the way to the railroad
station to take a train for home. She
was not seriously injured. The other
was Mrs. Richs rd o. Brass, wife Of an
Albany attorney. Her hurts are slight.
The ringing Of the fire alarm from the
shopping district brought thousands to
the scene. Soon, elbowing their way,
came fathers, mothers and relatives seek
ing dear ones. Rumor had this and that
one killed, and no one could quiet the fears
OF anxious. friends.
Mayor Gaus ordered all city la borers and
trucks 70 the work of rescue.
The debris was piled 30 high that the big
timbers had TO be dragged out through
the second story windows, and it seemed
long before the rescuers could attack the
wreckage from the lower floor.
All thi. time the groans Of the IN iured,
rinned down by steel and wooden Orders,
or buried under brick and mortar, we're
Eeartrending.
All efforts were directed to freeing the
living. A number of corpses were seen
which could not be reached. Here and
there an arm or leg would appear. and If
signs OF life we're evidenced the work was
redoubled.
The city employees, after a few hours,
were relieved by employees OF city COLI
tractors and by New York Central wreck
Ing crews.
Great heroism was displayed by some.
but, on the other hand, there we're exhibit
on the fire escapes. A number of them
rushed by girls who were pinned In the
debris without needing their cries.
Mr.. Chalmers, a member Of the firm. had
peculiar experience. His office Was on an
upper floor. Cashier Fromm had gone up
stairs to tell him that he thought the build
ing was unsafe. As he approached Mr..
Chalmers the crash came. Mr.. Fromm
managed to reach the fire escape. but Mr.
Chalmers and his photographer, Miss DAN
ginger. went with the wreckage. Ee was
dug from beneath mass Of plaster, brick
and beams which had fallen 10 as to make
pocket for him. Miss Danginger was
found on the fourth floor covered with tim
Der and bricks, but not seriously injured.
Helen Riley can only remember walking
through the cellar in water up to her waist
and being dragged through a window to
the street.
Irving Garrison. the elevator attendant,
and Edward Haswel were in the car near
the fourth floor. They noticed pile of
trunks tumble down. Then water pipe
broke and the roof came through. The
elevator cable broke. but the car fell only
few inches to beam that had lodged
ACROSS the shaft. They could hear tho
cries Of the girls pinned under tho wreck
age, but were unable to go to their rescue.
BY climbing from the elevator car to the
third floor they made their way to the front
OF the building and thence to the street.
Several Of those extricated were not in
jured but suffered from shock and suffo-
cation, One Of these was Miss Spatts, who
was not rescued for two hours. Miss Benson
was under the debris for two hours until
rescued by her brother, who worked fran
ideally in his search for her.
Miss Nellie Horrigan was buried beneath
large timber on the third floor. She