New-York tribune., 1909-07-16
oT1IOING FALLS, I DIE
cp1sH IN HEART OF PHIL
ADELPHIA-
.,u,rtp-fre -cro'rd S"g''
,Bout Debris and Aids in Many
Heroic ReScusS'

-, 1S-Iu one Of the busiest
Phiiaoe- -. and at a time when thousaluo
paris f'S.~,.rs we're passing to ana ITO 'e Nv
Of pe'sst building at the northeast coliiei
sio's ID Market streets. which was Deihs
of lIth a. Cor the United Gas Improvement
reoons'i licensed with terrific roar The
Conpals, - rIsce shortly after ! o'clock this
accn' b,,-,-ing or pinnins oehea'h 'iie
o.-.,-+7-o persons. Seven are oead- one
ruins lll-'' -. fatally injured and tWenty-four
is nllSs--' lace seriously injured. Those killed
sfe lio-l -, e7,nIoved by Sax & Abbott con-
tractors. s-...-. ~ about 25
,,-1,e+ street and extended about 30
:. 11th street. The two lower floors hao
le'' = 80, and the three upper floors were
- :, bv heavy timbers Steel girders we're
so.tnr the snoring It is supposed that ny
- me If the girders the entire structure
Sss loosened. -.
The crash came without warning ana 'nere
s,- narrow escapes. The collapse was
- +o- blocks. Bystanders and passersby nee
= -o;-+s If refuge as II was thought that an
-, bs5 occurred. Then. realizing what
- bsnnened the crowd hocked to the ruins
IS bezan 2 series Of thrilling rescues- Before
--,tsssionsl aid could be mustered. sutomooiies
-.sons AND al sorts Of nearby vehicles were
xrs5- with the dead or injured and hurried 70
hospitals
s.ns-z1 alarm xzs sounded. and policemen.
s-.-,sr sr1hulanoes physicians and nurses re
~.,,5ss and for hours after the accident re-
--si,Ad on duty rninistering 20 the injured or
,.ssstI,r the sesrchers II VAS z sveltering hot
s,7 sne several Of the rescuers were overcome
:, Che heat and the oppressive dust from the
6sbris
--s crowds gathered quickly and almost as
,4-.,nous ss digging out the injured was the
-,st Of keeping the congested masses of spec
...,-x RON surrounding too closely the wreck
g. The walls which were left standing looked
.,ss,. but the crowds surged forward needless
., .hs danger When the police reserves arrived,
,.--s7e- both streets were roped of. and
.-fHc FOR the afternoon was deployed TO other
fhoroL hfares.
ro- time service on the subway line which
yr-s along Market street few feet distant
<-or, the cellar Of the building. was tied up
eo-,e Of the debris tun1bled down the steps or
the entrance in Market street and rolled out
cv.- The platform and on the tracks. A woman
ticket seller terrified by the crash, of the col
,spxe and the shower of bricks and stones that
roured down the stairway. tainted in her office.
Business along Market street was paralyzed
shoppers ran out Of stores and fought 10 get
rsa-er the scene The windows Of the high
huildines on other corners were black with
rnscfstors Tremendous excitement ensued as
N. news spread 10 other sections of the city
Friends and relatives Of the workmen came in
scores
Many instances Of heroism were witnessed
One mar whose leg was broken was pinned be
Meath some timbers. When fremen came within
hailins distance he asked that they attend TO
the more seriously injured.
after the sidewalks had been cleared, the IN
terror Of the building, reduced 20 pile twenty
feet high vas attacked with pickaxes and
shovels The entire fourth floor Of the building
lay eslant against the side Of the adjoining
building. cutting of air in q section twenty feet
Square, where II is believed the missing man is
buried Workmen continued digging in the
ruins tonight.