The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-30
|CRLlllBLlNG S7,RUCTL FORCE.
COUNCIL no RUSH WORK (lNSCODE
custalo Building, on Broad, and
Frame House, 81, Boyd, Crash
Without Warning.
WORKMEN Es CAPE INJURY
Committee Gets Hurry Call to
Adopt Law for Public's
Protection.

~ ST.
With rumble and roar that could
be heard and felt for blocks around.
the old custalo building, at No. ZOE
East Broad Street, formerly used as
a negro barroom and hotel collapsed
shortly before noon yesterday, and was
left "a total ruin OF brick, wood
work and mortar. The collapse WAS
.completc. not one brick being left
standing on another. The shock left
the building on the corner, formerly
Doyle's saloon In a shaky condition.
and Building Inspector Beck, who was
soon on the scene. diately cot
demned that place, ordering Mrs. Doyle
and her adopted daughter to yacate ut
cnce, under peril of their lives. Direct
" after the collapse of the adjoining
building Mrs. Doyle moved out. aud
several men were employed in remov-
ing her household effects and furni.
|ture. - III
Being Rcmoielcd for snloon.
The Custalo building was being re-
modelled as a saloon, to be coupled by
L. L. Thompson & Company, who had
been refused q license on the opposite
corner by the court Nv. II. Iimmor-
mann & Con, owners OF the wreckpd
structure, We're repairing the lettering
walls. and Mr. Thompson8ha had employ
ed Wright & Kurfees to do some
wainscoting on the inside. 1t was while
workmen were underpinning the rear
wall that 1t began to settle. Someone
shouted warning, and every one ran
out. In a few minutes the wall gave
way, and then the entire building
crushed In. leaving only a bent and
twisted cornice projecting from the
other building. Police officers quickly
roped OFF the dangerous district to
prevent injury to the too inquistttye
crowd. No one was hurt.
The house was of great a ge. It was
owned by Mr.. w !. II. Zimmermenn. who
values the property at about $1,000. It
had been Insured in the Mutual Assur-
ance Society of Virginia since 1897, but,
of course. insurance will not be avail.
able in this case. Mr.. Zinmermannsaid
he would begin rebuilding at once. Mr..
Thompson. who was preparing to move
In, has not yet decided where he will
locate. 1t seems that the fates are
against him. He is driven out Of one
building, and the other collapses, for
tnnately, however, befores he had en-
tered.
Closed Adjoining buildings.
Besides closing up the Doyle saloon,
r.. BECK tOIQeTeu3 LIZ fpOOlslOVIl1 hSAS
door to be closed in case of further
collapse. The front wall of Doy1e's
saloon threatens to fall In, and may
do SO at any moment. It is probable
that 1t will be RACED. 1t presents no
menace to passersby. as the whole side
walk running both ways is roped off
securely. @
Earlier In the day asframe house at
2127 and s2129 Boyd Street. collapsed.
and there is another frame dwelling
on Twenty sixth Street that threatens
every day to fall In. although 1t has
been three times reported In Police
Court after inspection by Mr. Beck.
The collapsss yesterday morning
represent the fourth and fifth that
have occurred within the past few
weeks. Twenty-Five or thirty thou
sand are under suspicion. but Inspector
Beck. under the insufficient ordinance
by which his Office was created and
himself elected. is practically power
less to remove the danger
The Incidents yesterday represent his
strongest argument for the new ordl-
nance, which goes before a special
of8the Finance Committee to-
night, giving him ample power to act
Immediately whenever occasion de-
mands. On It's passage by Council and
the Mayor twill empower
him to order INN ediate repair to un-
safe buildings, and, in the event that
the owners refuse to comply with his
demand, to order them torn down. and