The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-09
(By Associated prcss.)

MISS M1TTIE sBULLARD.
M MISS ,AL1CE sL4.sIlARP. J Tir, .55
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN.
,5 Misses Whitbeck, Bullard and SHARP
were in the cashiers gallery on the main
tluor. They were crushed out OF shape
by an Iron glrder and were identified by
their clothing and jewelry Another CIR
Wit, them is missing and supposed TO be
dead.
rhe fatally injured:
Miss Helen Donahue. spinal column
& fractured.
aIiu. Mary McEvoy.
Killed and Injured will be unobtainable
until the workers have made their way
@tofthc very bottom OF the mass OF wreck
st agc. \. With 8fc wexceptions hose ca usht
Y III the ruins were employees. a. arEc&ma
jority Of them girls. 81 4. 5
~ How It Happened.
The catastrophe occurred shortly after
The opening hour. when barely q score
of shoppers were in the store. A clock
found ns the debris had stopped at 12
minutes before g. showing when the
crash came.
The hest account OF the event that
rrobably caused the ruin Is given BY the
mead of the crockery.s glass and drug DC
rartmcnt, which occupys the basement.
1.-THE workmer," said he, were sa wing
al a wooden floor beam, which runs un-
}dcrneath one OF the central pillars IN the
middle of the store. Excavation Tor the
cellar was going on about the base OF
this pillar, and believe that jarrlng OF
the beam beneath 1t displaced the foun-
aaton OF the pillar. The first thing
knew, two OF the counters near the place
where the men were working began to
sag and several pieces OF glassware slid
Of onto the floor with crash.
II yelled to my clerks to run for the
front OF the store. The words were not
tut OF my mouth when there came a
creakng and everything around US began
10 fall. The wreck came slowly however,
ana think every ono in my department
\ escaped. rs we'll as the workmen"
* The pillar which drew away, supported
lie ends of two giant girders, and when It
fell the main support OF the central part OF
.he building was gone. With noise that
could be heard blocks away and which
shook the adjoining buildings, nearly hall
the great structure, from cellar to roof,
ana extending from one side wall 10 the
other, came grinding down. Into this wave
IN fell scores Of employees who were
working on the four floors above and
lacked the warning which enabled those
{. the basement to escape. Some, how
ever. were apprised OF the dangrfby rail-
ing plaster and saved themselves by
rushing to the front Of the store or 70 the
Z tire-escnpe In the rear.
Clouds of dust which shot out OF the
front entrance caused those ou '5lue 70
believe that the store was aflre nnd NJ,
fire alarm was turned In ltnmct!iately.
When the Fire Department arl J. icd, lhcy
had plenty to do In resculng those wno Wy
were pinned under the TYP WrsSRaSs. sa.
rescuers, and Within an hour fifteen Or
twenty persons were carried out mono
Of them fatally injured,
In, n short time tho clty's entlrs hTs,
from all parts Of the Glty,
Work Of Rescue. 5
The volunteer rescuers ana the 'lren1en
continued the work until exhausted, when
their places were taken ~ ~ G WfeSX',s ~
force. , numbering three hundred nia mHn,
ware and Hudson Railroads, These del:td
rescue progressed Slowly. When DARK
nSss came, i WAS es.imlt1a i, l'tt. M '.,r,s
and that not more thta half OF lese
could survive the weight pressing upon
Fortunately the ,wreckage did not take
=
unaccounted for, but nifty Of these arc
cash boys, Of which, the firm has no no
4 It difficult to get anything like d COM
plete list of tho others. IN all, tho COM
nany has four hundred employees. but
fifty Of these are away on vacations.
The building, which collapsed stands In
the heart OF he shipping district, ut Nos,
30 and a 4 N1rth Or y Pearl = Street rs owned
estate Of the late David Orr. The loss
to tho company Ls estimated at between
100000 and 5000 900.
The building was very old one, but
until now considered perfectly sound, 5x-
tho tho catastrophe took place - "''S
After the death Of It's founder, John G.
Myers, two. years ago, the business was
Gaorgs 7. Hllton, H., King stUrdee, El-
ward It. Hackett and Robert NJ. Chal-
mers. MIR. Chalmers Was taken from the
ruins, with slight injuries. About a month
ago the firm was Incorporated as q stock
coWQapA i @