Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-12
MANY KILLED IN
STORES COLLAPSE
Men, Women. and Children Caught In
Wreckage OF Albany Store
woRKMEN CUT AWAY SUPPORTS


Albany. ~ Y. Aug. 9-The middle
section OF the big department store Of
the John g. Myers Company. in North
Pearl street collapsed. carrying down
with il over loo 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 disentaugled so peo-
pie. six Of them dead ana many Of the
rest badly injured Three bodies We're
in sight at iate hour last Il ght. but
many hours work viii be required TO
get them out Anything like a com
plete list OF the killel and injured
Will be uno5tainGbie u1til the workers
have made their way to the very bot.
tom of the mass Of wreckage. With
few exceptions. those caught in the
ruin We're employees. a large majority
OF them girls
The catastrophe occurred shortly af-
ter the opening hour. when barely a
score OF shoppers We're in the store.
A clock found IN the debris had stop
ped at Il minutes before 3. show Isg
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 workmcn were saving az a
wooden floor beam" said he. which
runs underneath one OF the central
pillars in the middle OF the store. Ex-
cavation for the cellar was SONG on
about the base of this pillar, and 1
believe that Earring OF the beam be-
meath &c displaced the foundation OF
the pillar The first thing [ knew.
two of the counters near the place
where the men were working began
90 sag and several pieces OF glass
ware slid OF onto the door with a
crash. / yelled 90 my clerks 20 run
for the front Of the store. The words
were not out OF my mouth when there
came a creahng. and everything
around us began 20 fall. The wreck
came slowly. however and / think
every one In my department escaped.
as well as the workmen."
The pillar which gave way support.
ed the ends OF two giant girders. and
when IL fell the main support OF the
central part of the building was gone.
With a noise that could be heard
blocks away and which shook the ad-
Joining buildings. nearly half the great
structure, from cellar TO roof. and ex-
tending from one side wall 10 the 9th
err came grinding down Into this
cavern slid scores OF employees who
were working on the four floors above.
and lacked the warning which en-
abled those In the basement to es
cape. Some. however. were appraised
OF the danger by falling plaster. and
saved themselves by rushing 10 the
front OF the store or TO the fire escape
in the rear.
Clouds of dust which shot out OF the
front entrance caused those outside
to believe that the store was afire. and
a fire alarm was Immediately turned
in. When the fire department arrived
shey had plenty 20 do in rescuing those
who were pinned under the top wreck
age They we're joined by scores OF
volunteer rescuers. and within an hour
is or 20 persons were carried out.
none OF them fatally injured.
The volunteer rescuers and the FIRE
men continued the work until exhaust
ed. when their places were taken by
a wrecking force. numbering 500 men
from the New York Central and Della
ware and Hudson Railroads. These
delved in the ruins all night. but the
work OF rescue progressed slowly.
When darkness came il was estimated
that nearly so persons still remained
in the ruins, and that not more than
half OF those could survive the weight
pressing upon them. Fortunately the
wreckage did nos take fire. Some lOD
persons are still unaccounted Tor. bu.
50 OF these are cash boys. OF which
the firm has no record. In all. the
company has 400 employees, bat 50 of
these are away on vacations.
The building which collapsed stands
In the heart OF the shopping district
at Nos. 80 and Al North Pearl street
Il is owned partly by the company
and partly by the estate of the late
David Orr. The loss to the corc many
is estimated al between $500 600 and
S30e. 600. The building was a very
old one. but until now considered per-
fectly sound. Extensive repairs were
under way when the catastrophe took
place. After the death OF its founder
John G. Myers two years ago. the
business was conducted by a company
consisting Of George P. Hilton. Il.
King Sturdee Edward F, Hackett and
Robert NJ Chalmers. Mr. Chain ers
was taken from the ruins with slight
injuries. About month ago tie firm
was incorporated as a stock company.