Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-13
NINE BURIED IN
FALL OF WALL
ONE MAN KILLED AND ONE
IS DYING
SEVEN OTHERS HAVE A NARROW
ESCAPE UNDER EARTH
Mexican Friends of Laborers Insist
That Third Man Was Fatally
Injured, but Fears Are
DsproVed

Nine men were buried under an ava
lanche of earth and brick when the
wall of the Snyder Lime company, BIZ
East Third street, collapsed early yes
terday morning, and after the debris
had been cleared away one man was
found dead and another fatally injured.
How the other seven escaped death
or serious injury is a miracle, as tons
of earth toppled on the laborers With
out the slightest warning.
The dead are Diego Romero, $40
Buena Vista street, who leaves widow
and two children. and Esquiel Herrera,
unmarried who died at the receiving
hospital last night.
For a long time a number of the
Mexicans, friends and relatives of the
Iaborers, remained about the scene,
asserting In broken English that a
third person was buried beneath the
mass. So urgent became their de-
mands that the debris be overhauled
that several of them appealed to AS
sistant Prosecutor Joseph Seymour, jr.,
who personally visited the ruins, and
in order to allay their fears Inspector
of Buildings Backus was requested to
remove the earth and mass of brick
and stones.
Third Body Not Found
This was done late yesterday after
noon, but no other body was discov-
cred and the Mexicans were satisfied.
Excavations for the foundation of
the reinforced concrete building which
is to be erected Just east of the Snyder
Lime companys building had been
made recently, the work having been
done by Ramish & Marsh, contractors,
to whom the work had been sublet by
Carl Leonsrdt.
10
runway of earth adjoining the Sny-
der building was left, as 1t was thought
that this stretch might be necessary
for teamsters in hauling material for
laying the foundation of the new
building.
According to orders received, Ramish
& Marsh began the work yesterday
morning of removing the runway, and
gave employment to number of
Mexicans.
Mr. Snyder and a Greek employe
had begun the work of bracing the
wall of the Snyder building, which was
thought might be weakened, as the
earth about it had been excavated to
a considerable depth.
Avalanche Came Suddenly
| For the purpose of making a brace
Mr. Snyder dug a hole five feet in
length under the rear end of the build
ing.
The hole had just been completed,
and Snyder was about to get out of 1t
when a rumbling was heard and in
second a huge mass of earth and brick
fell in, completely burying the workers
A large crowd quickly gathered, and
the report was first given that all men
had peTished beneath the ruins, but
gradually they began to emerge from
the mass The unknown Mexican was
taken out dead, and Esquiel Herrera
was removed fatally injured and his
death is expected momentarily at the
receiving hospital.
A great deal of confusion arose, as
rumors of a terrible accident spread
among the MeXicans This confusion
was added to by the fact that the la
borers had just started work and the
timekeeper had not taken their names
1t was not known who was at work
and the Mexicans could not understand
the number of men employed at the
time of the cavein.
pathetic feature of the accident
was brought to light when, in search
ing through the clothing of the man
instantly killed, a letter written in
Spanish was found.
Pathetic Letter Found
It was written in Los Angeles in
contained a message of hope to the
mother of the victim.
The writer spoke of his son. 8
months old. and how we'll he was get
ting along, but evinced disappointment
that the child was unruly and cried a
great deal so early in life.
All efforts to identify the victim
were unavailing, and the body was
taken to Pierce Bros morgue.
IJapparo ffarad a fra atl1rp 0f fha
skull and his chest was horribly
crushed. He was unconscious when
taken from the debris, and remained
so until his death.
He was visited at the hospital by his
half brother, Antonio Aguago, who
stated that Herrera was 22 years old,
unmarried and a native of Mexico. His
residence is given as 4S0 North Los An
geles street.
Aguago was one of the workers at
tie time of the collapse, but escaped
injury The others employed at the
time beside Mr.. Snyder were: Jose
Verdugo. 723 Jackson street; Cal Hen
cry. 6171s East First street; Frank
Balko, 2O2 East First street; Frank
Williams, 129 Corta street, and Frank
Guitterez, 800 South Alameda street.
Cal Henery's narrow escape from
death can be judged by the fact that
the horse which he was driving was
caught in the avalanche and injured to
such an extent that it had to be shot.
AS a result of the cavein, which ex-
tended sixty feet and was fourteen feet
in height, the Snyder building was in
danger of collapse. and had to be
braced A thorough investigation of
the accident will be made in an en-
deavor to place the blame or negli-
gence, if any exists.