Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-08-11
COLLAPSE OF
ALBANYST0RE
MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED PER
SONS ARE CARRIED DOWN
IN TIE RUINS.

Albany, Aug. 9.-The middle Sec
ton OF the big department store OF
the John G. Myers Co, in North Pearl
street, collapsed early today, carry
ing down with it over 100 persons.
Caught in a chaos of brick. plaster
and wooden beams, between 20 and
80 men, women and children met
death.
Twelve hours frantic work on the
part OF an army of rescuers Olsen
tangled so people, six of them dead
and many of the rest badly injured.
Three bodies were in sight at a
late hour tonigt, but many hours
work will be required to get them
out. Anything like a complete list
of the killed and injured will be I'm.
obtainable until the workers have
made their way to the very bottom
Of the mass of wreckage.
With few exceptions, those caught
in the ruin were employees, a large
majority of them being girls.
The collapse occurred shortly af
ter the opening hour, when barely a
score of shoppers were in the store
A clock found in the debris, had stop.
ped at IL minutes before 9, showing
when the crash came.
The best account of the event that
probably caused the ruin is given by
the head of the crockery, glass and
drug department, which occupies the
basement.
"The workmen were saving at a
wooden floor BEAM said he, (which
runs under the northern end of the
pillars in the middle of the store
Excavation for the cellar was going
on about the base of this pillar, and
believe that Earring of the beam be-
meath it displaced the foundation OF
the pillar"
The pillar which gave way sup
ported the ends of two giant girders
and when it fell the main support OF
the central part of the building was
gone. With noise that could be
heard blocks away and which SHOOK
the adjoining buildings, nearly hall
of the great structure, from cellar tC
roof and extending from one Sidewalk
to the other, came grinding down.
When the fire department arrived
they had plenty to do in rescuins
those who were pinned under the tor
wreckage. In short time the city's
entire hospital and ambulance force
was on the scene, aided by half q
hundred doctors from all parts of the
city. The volunteer rescuers and
firemen continued the work until ex
hausted, when their places were TAX
en- by a wrecking force, numbering
300 men, from the New York Contra
and Delaware & Hudson railroads
These delved in the ruins all night
but the work of rescue proceeded
slowly.
When darkness came it was esti
manned in the ruiAS. and that MOI
more than half of these could sur
vive the weight pressing upon them
Fortunately. the wreckage did moi
take fire.
Some 100 persons are still. unac
counted for, the SO of these are cash
boys, of whom the firm has no rec
ord, and the loss of the pay roll
makes it difficult to get anything like
complete list of many others.
In all, the company has 400 EN-
ployes. but so of these are away or
vacation. The building which col
lapsed stands in the heart of the shop
ping district at Nos. 80 and Al North
Pearl street. 1t is owned partly by
the company and partly by the es
tate of the late David Orr.
The loss to the company is esti
mated at between 100000 and $500,
900.
TIE building was very old one, but
until now was considered perfectly
safe.
Considering the nature of the acct
dent, the number of persons who es
capped with only slight injuries is re
markable. The scene which follow
ed the collapse is indescribable. Tele
phone communication was sent to the
various hospitals and doctors through
out the city, and within half an hour
25 doctors and four ambulances were
on the scene. The various stores II
the neighborhood were turned into
emergency hospitals and mattresse:
were brought from various department
stores for the care of the victims
The scenes about the building were
as pitiful as those within. Severa
hundred relatives of employees were
there and their supplications as t.
the welfare of the loved ones were
heart rending. 1t is reported tina
Robert NJ. Chalmers. member O
the firm, is missing. A clerk witt
| whom he was talking when the crast
came and who escaped said with con
victiOn, He was at my side and ther
there was the crash and I saw NJ
more"
If you are troubled with dizzy spells
| hoo n nha ipJipac+i0v, ya ia