The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-08
SCORES BURIED
BY A WRECK.
Inside of Store COIIapses From
Roof to Cellar.
Three Hundred Employees We're
in the Building.
90 TO 80 ARE KILLED.
Repairs We're Being Made on
the Interior.
Removal of Pillar Caused the
Catastrophe.
90 TO 80 ARE KILLED,

Albany. N. Y, Aug. S.-Over a hum
dred persons a large majority of them
girls, were buried beneath a smother OF
brick. wood and plaster this morning
when the central portion of the large
department store of the John G.. Myers
3 company collapsed from roof to cellar
The wrecked portion includes nearly
one-half of the store.
Scores of rescuers up to half past one
had brought out only 25 injured. Three
of these died after reaching the hospi-
tails At that time 110 were unaccount-
ed for. and it is certain that at least
half of these are still beneath the
mound of debris. About 400 persons are
Oh the firms payroll but some 80 OF
these are on their vacations.
Up to 1:30 three persons had died in
the hospitals, 80 injured had been sent
to their homes or the hospitals. and it
was estimated that 80 still remained in
the ruins.
Up to 2 o'clock the only identified dead
was Miss Bertha Cunningham. The
number of deaths is now generally es-
timated at from 20 to 80.
Robert NJ. Clemers, a member of the
firm was caught on one of the upper
floors and went down with the debris.
He was dug out from beneath a mass
of plaster and timber. His right leg was
broken and he was badly bruised
At 2:30 D. m. the dead body of
Michael Fitzgerald, head of the UNI
brella department, was taken from the
ruins and later that of a young woman
was recovered.
Story of the Crash.
Albany. N. Y. Aug. S.-Three hundred
persons employed in the large depart
Inent store of the John G. Meyers es-
tate at Nos. 39-41 North Pearl street,
had just gone to work this morning
when the whole center of the building
collapsed from roof to cellar. Nearly
hundred men, girls and children were
carried down in the wreck The first
estimate placed the number of killed
and injured at 20. Thus far all those
taken out of the ruins have been alive.
There is no doubt, however, that when
the 1escuers reach the bottom of the
heap of debris they will find a number
of dead.
The catastrophe, which is the worst of
its kind the city has known. occurred
shortly before 8 o'clock. The Myers eS-
tate had been making extensive repairs
on it's building. This morning, a gang
of Italian workmen started to remove
an iron pillar that supported the main
floor. Evidently they had failed to
brace the floor properly, for scarcely
had they loosened the post when down
came all three upper floors within a
radius of so feet from the fatal pillar
The wreck crashed through to the Gel
lar, burying worknen and carrying
down those who happened to be work.
ing in that portion of the building.
The fire department was called out
and the work of rescue began at once.
Considering the nature of the accident
the number of persons who escaped
with only slight injuries is remarkable.
Injured Mostly Women.
The scene which followed the col
lapse is indescribable. Most of those
injured were young women. The col
lapse occurred at 8:45 o'clock without
warning.
Telephone communication was sent
to the various hospitals and doctors
throughout the city and within half an
hour 70 doctors and four ambulances
were on the scene. The various stores
in the neighborhood were turned into
emergency hospitals and mattresses
were brought from various department
stores for the care of the victims The
work of digging the victims out was
conducted by the members of the fire
and police departments and city Ia
borers.
The scenes about the building were
as pitiable as those within. Several
hundred relatives of employees were
there and their Supplications as to the
welfare of loved ones, was heart rend-
ing. It is reported that Robert M
Chalmers, a member of the firm is
missing. A clerk with whom he was
talking when the crzssh came, and
who escaped, said: HE was at my
side and then there was the crash and
L saw him no more.
There is now absolutely no way to
get tiding of those in the building, 1t
will take several hours to dig out all OF
the victims.
Edward J. Horace, one of the clerks
at the mems furnishing counter, was
among the fortunate ones to get out
without scratch. He assisted in re-
moving about 80 girls to a neighbor.
ing store.
1T all happened in a minute said he
Il was engaged in getting my stock ir
shape and there were not a half dozer
customers in the store within my vision
at that time. 1 heard a roaring and "a
tearing sound and then the crash came
The shrieks that followed drowned on
every other sound. Many of the girls
sank behind their counters and had te
be dragged out in a faint"
Ihe work of rescue was soon begun
Firemen and laborers worked viii
clerks and business and professiona
men who had heard the crash on thei,
way TO their offices. Every contractor
who had men employed on the CITY sus
pended work and offered assistance ant
within an hour after the building fell
the laborers were arriving nv the ya,
gOnload. In the rear of the store n
James street, a score of EMPLOYEES ver,
imprisoned in the cellar where thew haf
been thrown from the floors above Mos
of them were conscious and several di
rected the work of rescue Thus ia,
only one person has been taken out O
the ruins who is not an empIoye Thi
is Mrs. Richard o. Bassett wife of
well known attorney. Her injuries ar
serious. Her husband. whose Office i
near the store, had been wor|xin,
among the rescuers for an hour wIoe,
she was found.