Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-06
SERIOUSLY INJURED
TWO WORKMEN FALL FROM TOP
OF BUILDING.
Breaking of Elevator Cable on Apart
ment House at 9Th and n
Streets.

Two men were seriously IL not fatally
injured at a few minutes before o'clock
this morning By the breaking of an ele-
vator cable at the new apartment house
now under construction at the corner of
9Th and H streets northwest, where they
were at work. The ambulance of the
Emergency Hospital was called and the
injured men were hurried to that insti-
tuition. where their injuries were attend
ed to. Those who were injured are John
Dorsey, colored. forty-nine years old. Of
Howard, colored, twenty-five years old,
Of 1925 Goat alley northwest.
The men had reported for work this
morning and were making the first trip
of the morning to the top of the building
They got on the elevator, one of them
carrying bucket of water, and gave the
signal to the engineer to start to the top
of the building, three stories above. The
upward trip was accomplished without
incident, and one of the men stopped to
pick up the bucket of water, when sud-
denly the elevator dropped from under
them. In an instant they had fallen to
the bottom of the elevator shaft, on the
first floor of the building, a distance of
twenty-seven feet. The side guards OF
the hoist were well fabricated, and there
was practically no friction to retard the
downward pitch
Elevator Wrecked.
The unfortunate men were just about
to step from the elevator when 1t fell, as
stated, and instinct made them catch
hold Of the side. This enabled them to
avoid contact with any of the floors in
their descent, and this probably saved
them from instant death. When they
reached bottom their hold on the elevator
was broken and the men fell in heap to
the floor. The elevator was smashed In
striking the bottom.
Others employed on the building, including
the bricklayers, who were waiting for their
turn to go to the top of the building, rushed
to the aid of the injured men and carried
them into the street. 1t was at once seen
that they were badly injured, although they
were still conscious and able to talk They
were hurried to the hospital, arriving but a
comparatively few minutes after the acct
dent occurred. The surgeons found that
Dorsey badly bruised about the body
and his left leg was broken Howard re-
ceived a fracture of the jaw and was seri-
ously bruised about the head and body. 1t
Is believed he was also internally injured
The fall of the elevator was due, as
stated, to the breaking of the wire cable
by which 1t was operated. 1t had been in
use in, this building for about four weeks,
and was of unusual size. being five-eghths
Of an inch in diameter. 1t was broken about
seven feet above the elevator, probably
where 1t was running across the wheel at
The top. The cable has often carried much
heavier loads of brick and mortar, it Is
stated, for which work 1t is used primarily.
The suggestion that the cable had been
tempered with was made, but this was not
entertained by the workmen, as they say a
night Waterman Is around the building
when they are not at work, and further,
there are no evidences that the wire was
cut
Contractors Statement.
The building was being constructed by
Emmett c. Elmore, the contractor. He
said the cable was larger than was usually
used for such elevators, and that 1t was
warranted to carry heavy loads. The work.
men were instructed not to use the elevator,
he said, but they had been doing so for
some time, regarding it perfectly safe.
There was a weight of only about $50
pounds on the elevator at the time of the
fall. Had the accident occurred few min
utes later on the second load, probably six
or seven men would have been on 1t, as
was customary, and it is believed that all