Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-25
without until Captain Dempsey and a
squad Of police officers came to the scene.
Waterman MIystIfied.

squad of police officers came to the scene.
Waterman MystIfied.
W. II. BrooKover, Waterman OF the
building, was in the watchhouse at Seven
teenth and Harvey streets. when the first
explosion was heard. 1T sounded as IL 1t
Was up the street some distance" he said,
"and went back into the house. sec
ond later however, 1 learned that II was
In the new court house from people run
ming on the street and boys yelling from
the Young Mems Christian association
building" Brookover said that he had
made his rounds Of the building at 1920
and there was nothing wrong.
When asked IL he had seen anybody
around the place during the night he said:
NO. / haven't seen anyone around here
since a month aEo, when / chased out
man whom found leaning against a pillar
in the basement"
Awakens Superintendent.
Brookover called Calvin Zelgler, super
intendent of construction of the building
and told him OF the explosion. Zelgler
said the explosion had awakened him at
625 South Twenty-fifth avenue and he was
lying awake when his telephone rang.
After accompanying the police officers
and firemen through the building, Zeigler
said he could not estimate the loss until
daylight but that 1t would reach II ON
$4,000 tc $4,000 at the least and perhaps
more. We can't tell but that a vital part
OF the building has been 30 changed by the
shock that two or three times that amount
OF money would have to be expended in re-
pairing it,"
Designed 90 wreck Structure.
The first charge OF dynamite waG placed
in the foot of the arch on the south side.
The explosive had been placed between
two columns, which are twenty -four inches
apart. Had It not been that the windows
and doors OF the building were open, the
shock from the first explosion probably
would have razed the southwest corner OF
the building Large steel beams and steel
columns were ourled as though they were
wire. and massive stones were Jared from
the base Of two OF the columns.
The second explosion. occurring when the
firemen we're seventy feet away In the
basement looking for the first, caved In
fifty square feet OF floor space and Jared
loose beams and columns in the extrems
southwest corner
No Evidence OF Wreekers.
The police searched about the destroyed
parts Of the building to find fuses. but non'
was found. Nor was there any evidences
tempted the destruction of the million dol
lar building.
News Received From The Zee.
The Bee was the first 10 report an ex
pIosi0n to the police. When Captaii
Dempsey received the alarm and an
nounoed Il, Detectives Hen, sullivan an'
Murphy jumped 10 their feet and tn
whole emergency force placed themselve
In the auto patrol before second alarm
which came from the fire department
Persons passing down the streets in tn
vicinity OF the court house quickly gathers
IN groups, uncertain as 70 the origin o
the explosions and equally to stand SUI
or TO move in any direction. IL was severa
minutes before Il was known the crashe
came from the court house.
Glass windows were shivered In semi
circle extending southwark on seventeent
street and on around along EighIeent
street. The Young Mems Christian ass0
citation building suffered considerably
Caldwell 4 Drake OF Indianapolis nav
the contract for the building, the orlsin'
cost OF which Is estimated at N'OOoooe