The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-01

Caught beneath hundreds OF tons
OF earth before they had even
cnance To notice the preliminary slip
ping of the surface and before they
could heed the shrill shrek OF warn.
ing uttered by Foreman L. A. Carter.
four negroes in the employ Of Cow
herd * Cowherd, general contractors
were buried twenty-five feet below the
surface OF the ground at Eighth and
Grace streets yesterday afternoon, and
three were killed outright.
Cooper was still living. though with
but a feeble pulse, when his body
was exposed after volunteer IaborerH
had dug frantically about him for
half an hour. But he was covered
again by a second avalanche of earth,
and was dead when dug out again. A
physician stood by him. administering
medicine with the hope of saving his
life until the second cave-in.
The others Were so deeply buried
that hope was given up even as the
men started to dig for them. They
had been working in a trench two
feet deep, making their position TWEEN
ty-seven feet below the surface. They
had no chance.
Foreman L. A, Carter, who was
standing about two feet from the
trench and midway between Cooper
and George Bowfes, heard the sound
which all excavators know. He lock-
ed up. and saw the avalanche coming.
He yelled Il warning, and jumped
back. Even as he jumper quantity
of earth spread over him, but he
stumbled to safety He saw only the
Wild agonized faces of the negroes
in the ditch as they turned To thu
open. Tons Of earth came down with.
IL
the Eighth street side riding down on
top. Not one of the men got foot
out or the trench. They had time,
hardly more than to turn their heads.
Boys Slide Safely.
Thornhili Atkinson, the twelve year-
old son of A. C. Atkinson, of liz n.
Eighth street. and a negro boy, who
were walking up Eighth street at the
time of the collapse. were caught on;
{, big piece of paving block as IL thun-
dered downward. They tobogganed
10 safety, riding on the block until IL
had slid into the bottom of the pffs
ThornhiIl was struck by broken piece
of cement and was painfully cut and
bruised about the legs.
The negro boy is believed to have
been uriiurt AS he went down he
yelled, Where am / goin' p AZ soon
as the block they We're riding struck
the ground they dashed oat. of the ~
and ran back To the street ThnrnhtIt
went home. where he was attended by
his mother. and the negro boy disap-
peared.
Third Slide Comes. .
A third slide of earth came shortly.
after s o'clock. Down below. iaboring
under the glare of improvised electric
and gas lights, men were still at work
trying to uncover three bodies Above.
from behind the life ropes thousand
people looked down into the pit III
death All felt q tremor and noticed
the beginning of the slide. Those
above sprang back and went tn the
opposite sidewalk. The men below.
their bodies and faces cleaning itke1
stokers in the hold Of giant shtps
heard the ominous sound In time and
stepped back to safety.
Tons of earth came down, followed
by the ten-foot barricade erected for
the safety Of pedestrians. and twenty
feet OF sidewalk An electric light poio
standing at the corner OF Eighth ana;
Grace went down, its tight burning
until the wires snapped. * pole Tor
the support OF the street ear caht1
standing midway between the two
points OF collapse also tumbled tnt0.
the excavation. Fortunately. the wires
It, supported had been cut, and there
was no danger from 1t OF electric
shock. AT the same time rents Ia the
gas main running fhe length OF Eighth
street were increased and the escaping
gas fillsd the air. The disaster see51isi
ed complete ss 81
| tsnIy d small part or the BarficAdx
at the lower end was left. and tns.l
was supported by small tree. Wines
the Anal collapse came eyery bc<ly
rushed back. An old Confederate efstS
der was Knocked down. and IA an
haste Il income plantsst his foot n
the OLD soldiers face sSs Bssa
Police TAke Charge. As Ss
Ii, The police Ill ,bea isiaIakr
notified Of the disaster al s. ~ u elpcts
Captain tseorge e. HnlIaek. kl1H
also assistant chief " pollces
tcanitaasd ~ 1sa4