Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-14
Described by Eyewitness.


you ought to be glad you are alive to
shake. was the colored mans response.
Described by Eyewitness.
Another eyewitness was James o. Engler,
one of the foremen of the works, who re-
sides at T32 Gresham place northwest. He
describes it substantially as stated. IN the
foregoing.
y member of the painters union who
saw the accident from rear window of the
hall of that organization on f street be
tween 11th and 18th streets. said to Star
reporter that the boom was in the act OF
swinging a couple of long piles into position
in the excavation. when he noticed the
heavy piece of timber sway for a moment
and then shoot downward with great vetoe-
ity, partly turning as 1t fell 1t struck the
scaffold which Hammond and Schlorp
were al work like protectile from cata-
pult and then partly turned again ana
went down to the sidewalk with crash.
1t appeared to the painter as though the
boom struck the two men sort OF glancing
blow. Schlorb threw his arms into the air
and went down to the pavement propelled
by the blow he had received from the heavy
timber. Hammond sank under the blow
and went down, turning twice IN the air
during his descent. Both men We're pro-
PEELED outward from the side of the scaf-
fold on which they had been working and
landed on the sidewalk.
Attorney Investigating.
The work OF erecting the new addition
to the Raleigh Hotel is being done by the
George A. Fuller Company, contractors
Soon after the accident occurred the at
torney for the company appeared on the
scene and began an investigation Is to
the cause of the disaster. Later he in
formed a Star reporter that Hammond, one
of the men killed, in company with a
helper, went up to the support to which the
boom was fastened about f:3o o clock TINS
morning to make examination of the
fastening before beginning work. The help
er is said to have discovered that the pin
that fastens the boom to the support at the
seventh floor was somewhat bent and is
said to have suggested to Hammond that
ii might cause an accident. To this Ham
mond replied, according to the attorney;
That's all right; let it go as it is
At the time of the accident, representa-
tives of the contractors say, the derrick
was engaged In lifting piles and had raised
several loads without mishap. At the mo-
ment the collapse occurred the boom was
swinging two piles into position.
A report was circulated that the accident
was caused by sudden starting of the en-
CINE but the superintendent said that ne
did not believe the rumor, as the engineer
was q particularly careful man and had
been employed by the company for long
time and had always been found to be re-
liable.
two men was suspended from the side OF
the main building on the north side at a
distance of about seventy-hve feet from tnc
ground The scaffolding from which liam
mond and Schlorb were precipitafed TO the
pavement was about fifty-fve feet above
terra firma. 1t is regarded as fortunate
that but few people were passing al the
time or standing about the works watch-
ing the workmen at their perilous labors.
Had It been later In the day, when the
usual crowd of loiterers were congregated
in-7;ront of the excavation, the police way
there might have been several add tohai
casualties.
Experience Of Aged Woman.
An aged woman with large market
basket on her arm, who was passing,
evidently on her way to market, when
the crash came gave one frightened
glance at the falling timbers and men,
uttered a little shrek. dropped her basket
| to the sidewalk and fed precfpitately. 1t
| Is said piece of flying board passed
close to her face and that 1t would have
| hit her had she taken one more step Tor
ward
Hammond at the morgue 1t was examined
| by Morguemaster William Schoenberger,
who found that deceased had been ter
| ribly mangled. His skull was fractured.
one leg broken and the end of the boom
| had made a great wound in his breast.
| Coroner J. Ramsey hewitt made a prier
| investigation of the circumstances OF the
! disaster today and decided to hold an IN
| quest at the morgue at II 80 o'clock to-
| morrow morning. Sergt. Hartley and Po-
! iiceman Emmert have summoned iong
| list of witnesses from among the workmen
and others.
| Hammond Had Premonition Of Acct
| dent.
| question arose this afternoon as to
| whether the supporting and guy wires gave
| away first and caused the big boom to tear
| itself loose from the support. Representa-
| tives of the contractors declare that the
| wire roues referred to did not give away
| until the derrick boom flew loose from the
/ support then. OF course the supporting
| ropes were torn from their fastenings II
/ was also said that had the boom crashed
| down into the excavation. which was well
| filled with workmen. instead of being
sweryed to the sidewalk, the list of fatali-
| ties and wounded would have been length
| ened
/ On his way to work this morning, it Is