Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-08-19
FALSE AND SENSATIONAL
REPORTS SENT OUT
Tending to Injure Our City in
the Minds Of Timid Persons
And if Possible Injure Our
Schools

0SbAOVI0
The most sensational stories have
been prevalent, regarding the cave in
Of the street here, that can he imagin-
ed. One report has gone out most sem
sational and almost wholly false.
Truth cannot overtake falsehood un-
less by accident. We will quote from
this report:
''Staunton, Va Aug. 4-Staunton
and nearby towns are wrought up to
. pitch of excitement never before
equaled here over the alarming condl-
ton that have followed the caving in
of the earth and the complete disap-
pearance Of three houses in gaping
holes that this morning showed signs
o. stretching under the United States
Postofice Building, the Second Pres
byterian Church and q SCORE of the
most costly residences along North
Lewis Street. .
1hree houses have not disappeared,
only one small frame building has
fallen and the kitchea Of another, and
three others:only, So far as known.
are damaged. None Of these have
fallen. Again the report says:
despite the report of the experts
that the caving in may not extend be-
yond the present break. additional
lumblings of the earth and almost
continuous avalanches of surrounding
earth. trees and portions of Professor
Wilson's home, which hangs directly
over q yawninl crevice several hund.
red feet deep, eaused the authorities
to decide today to employ dynamite il
an effort to tear away all loose por
tions Of ground.
This drastic action was ordered BY
the Town Council following report
on the alarming conditions made by
Chief of Police Lipscmb whose atten
ton was called to today's continued
activities of the shifting ground by
wealthy North Lewis street residents
who are 10 stirred up over the situa
tion that this morning they began t.
move their belongings from theil
homes.
| Nothing could be much further from
the truth. Two small charges Of dy
Mantle were used on Saturday to blow
off some hard edges Of the stree
which hung over, lest some incautiou'
person venture out on them and fal
in. These charges were not exploded
in the rear of the postofice building
but block away. Again says tn
report:
"It is conceded by the experts VIII,
made q final examination today tina
the fire engine house, the front par
of which juts over hole where bot
tomless water can be seen 200 feet be
low the surface Of the street, is vir
tually doomed and that even the pass
ing and repassing Of thousands O
curious spectators VINO have come herr
from surrounding country may jar thu
entire building into the cavern before
the cement hardens.
The water is only "a feet below the
surface and it is not bottomlesr
There is little fear of the crowds jar.
ring the earth.
'The curious crowds grew to sucf
proportions with each arriving trair
that Chief Lipscomb today was com
palled to swear in 80 or more deputies
in order to keep the more daring from
walking ont over the condemned por
tions, which literally hung by {
thread. These strips Of condemned
grounds extend in some places severa
hundred feet on either side of tn,
main crevices."
Policeman Lipscomb chas never
sworn in $50 or more deputies +" Tit
town has OILY seven policemen fant
the chief and only some half dozel
| men are employed to relieve the regu
lar force. Persons have been coming
and such exaggerated reports as thu
above have brought them and they
have been poorly paid for their tril
in 90 far Is seeing the town gong tt
it's doom is concerned. Again the re-
port says:
Because Of the danger to the
school house, which is five story
brick building. containing about "
rooms, the attention of the official
was oentered there about i1o'clock. >
The school building has never beer
considered in danger. by anybody wht
was competent to judge Of conditions
It il only two and one half stories higl
and contains only about twenty rooml
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