Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-05

ures Capt williams sent in call to po-
lice headquarters for the reserve from the
other precincts and a large police force
was soon on the ground holding the great
crowd In check. Capt. Cross, inspector OF
the police department; Fire Chief Belt and
Fire Marshal Nicholson also came to The
scene and rendered valuable service
A few minutes after the collapse of the
walls and roof of No. 4iG building the fire.
men had taken of their coats and we're
prepared to perform valient service n the
rescue of any Of the men that might he
under the great pile of debris. in the
meantime the faint cries of = man were
heard beneath spot where e. g south bay
window of the Modern Dru- store had
been located The firemen an J. w. Whit
myer. foreman for Messrs. Nj lay Nor
ris. the contractors who we doing the
work, talked with the imDC. -Oned work
man. who proved TO be Am .iah Thomp-
son. colored Iaborer, who u oeen en-
ployed in the work of excava..ln.
Keep COOL shouted Forem-I Whltmyer
''and We VIII dig you out"
"All right" shouted back Ie imprisoned
workman. who had been almost suffOcated
by the clouds OF mortar dust from the fall
ing debris.
The iremen then went to work with a
will IN an effort to rescue Thompson. He
had made 1t known to the rescuers that he
was not badly injured, but the south tower
OF building 4l6. occupied by B. r. Hudson,
crocxery and housefurnishing dealer. and
portion of the front and side wall of the
same structure were oyerhanging. out of
plumb and in danger OF topping down on
the mass Of material under which Thomp-
imprisoned.
Vigorous Work of Firemen.
Notwithstanding this danger. the firemen
continued to work vigorously only stopping
now and then to speak words of cheer TO
the labOrer. II was noticed by the police
and spectators that every time one of the
18th street trains of electric cars passed the
Of ha ba
section of the wall vibrated violently. In
view of this menace Capt. Williams gave
orders TO his men to cause an Immediate
cessation of travel on the 7th street line.
This order was carried into effect. and re-
suited in tie-up Of the car service on that
thOrOughfare for more than three hours
In the meantime Thompson had been re-
leased from beneath the fallen material in
the rear OF No. ala. II was found that his
knee had been crushed
Several others of the workmen received
injuries OF more or less slight nature. One
OF these Thomas Meyers. fifty-two years
OF age. who resides at 1861 II street north
east, was arranging a rod in the storeoc-
cupled by Mr.. Hudson close TO the failing
walls. He says there was at first a rum
bling sound and then a crash overhead.
lie says the force OF the falling bricks and
other material knocked him through the
front door TO the sidewalk where he was
struck upon the head by a fragment of
plate glass and received two painful scalp
wounds. Meyers was hurried to the
Emergency Hospital and after his wounds
had been dressed he came back TO the
scene of the disaster to learn the fate Of
his brother workmeu.
Pedestrians Injured.
The crowd OF shoppers on It'll street at
The time OF the occurrence scattered IN all
directions when the crash came but three
at least OF these received injuries due to
the flying bricks and timbers. one of them
was an unidentified man. who was struck
on the foot by a falling brick; an unidenti-
fed girl. about fifteen years Of age was
similarly injured. while Mrs. Frayser of
1890 Sth street northwest. who was passing
the building at the time, was knocked down
twice by falling material and painfully In
iured. She was assisted by bystanders into
the store OF George A Muth & Co. AIS Tth
street. and was later sent to her home in
a carriage. Mrs. Frayser said she heard a
great noise overhead and started to run,
but she had not time TO get out of the way
The shovel brigade. composed OF blue
shirted hremen, continued their energetic
work until the men who had been i'm
prisoned under the tons OF bricks. twisted
IRON and timber had been released from