Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-09-26
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
Roof and Part of Walls of New St. James
Church Falls TO Basement.

What was without doubt the worst
catastrophe which has happened in
the city since the cremation of the
HOnickle family on the fat twenty
five years ago, occurred Thursday morn
ing, at the new ST. James church.
1t was caused by the caving in of
the roof, dome and portions of the
walls, and resulted in death and in
jury to the workmen employed in
the building.
The accident occurred at about
7:30 O'Clock, and came without warm
ing. On the northeast corner of the
building dome was being erected,
which was rather massive in it's pro-
portions. This rested on piers indie
pendent of the walls, and as the most
destruction was caused in that cor
ner and from the mass of brick and
steel which fell from that corner, it
is supposed that the fault in con-
structiOn, if any is found, will be
found there. The men working on
the scatfOlding say that there was a
vibration beneath them and then
they realized that they were falling.
The crash was heard for blocks
around and it was not long before
great crowd of people gathered and
the work of rescuing the injured
workmen was begun.
Mrs. p. O. Means, living across the
street, summoned the firemen from
engine house No. l, and they assisted
in getting four men ont, while three
had been taken out before their ar
rival. The work of rescue was rather
slow, for the men were pinned down
by heavy timbers which had to be
cut, and most byStanders were afraid
to enter the ruins, for fear that the
balance Of the building would fall.
While the work of rescue was going
on the cries and groans of the in
jured was pathetic in the extreme.
AS fast as the men were taken out of
the wreck they were placed in auto
mobiles and hurried to st. Mary's
hospital, and here is the toll of the
catastrophe:
John Wachal, Milwaukee, brick
layer, aged about fifty years. His
back and right leg were broken, and
his body, head and face were badly
bruised. He died in ST. Mary's hos
pital at $50 a. m. He was divorced
and leaves a family.
Albert Schultz, 400 n Second Ave-,
WausaH, assistant contractor. He
suffered fracture at the base of the
skull, right leg broken twice below
knee, and body, face and head badly
bruised. Died Saturday afternoon.
Leaves a wife and two children.
Herman Krause, Milwaukee, brick
layer. He suffered the fracture of
two ribs which pierced his lungs. He
also suffered severe bruises on body,
head and face. He has wife and
two children.
Luke f. Keogh, 7l9 Chicago Ave-,
Wausau, ribs broken, shoulder hurt,
right ankle cut and back hurt. He
is single man.
Labe Melang, 6l5 Werle Ave-, Wau-
sau, scalp, face and body bruises.
He is single man.
Jos. Gorolski, 702 Sherman St.,
Wausau, three ribs broken, head in
jured and otherwise cut and bruised.
Has a wife and one child.
William Gendron, 2215 Seventh St.,
Wausau, badly bruised, cut and shak-
en- up. Was able to walk home.
Herman L. Kruger, Wausau Jet,
hand cut and one hip badly bruised.
Married man.
Most of the above were at work on
the dome when the crash came.
That VIM. GendrOn was not killed,
or at least severely injured, seems
strange. He was working at the
highest point on the staging which
had been built for the dome, when
the crash came, and fell to the base
ment below.
J.J. Wadlisch of Milwaukee. also