Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-26
Attempt Will Be Made to Fix
Responsibility for Death of
Fireman Gillespie.
Continued From Page One.

quickly recovered and sent TO a local
undertakers.
The rescue of the nine sleepers in the
building was dramatic in the extreme.
These persons, all grown, were all in
bed in the third floor rooms at No. 1873.
When the wall at No. 140 fell the col
lapse carried with it great portions of
the walls of No. 1873. In fact. the rear
wall at No. 1873 was torn, ripped and
rent to bits. Firemen placed extension
ladders against the tottering structure
and hurried to the roof of the building
adjoining There via a human chain,
the firemen handed women and men to
safety.
Hurt by Runaway Fire Team.
Policeman Chapman who heard the
crash as he was in Pryor street walk
ing his beat, was injured when three
horse team hitched to ladder company
NO. ! ran away after becoming fright
ened at the deafening report of the
crash and was cut about the face when
he was thrown against the curbing as
the team swung into a fire plug
Building Inspector Ed r. HAYS was
on the scene, and he asserted that the
Workmen Of the constructions company
appeared to be to blame. He said a
thorough investigation would be made.
His opinion was that the workmen had
dug too many holes for UNDERMINING.
thus weakening the support of the
middle wall, and that PERHAPS the
workmen had gone home last night
intending to strengthen the work to-
day.
Superintendent Sullivan, of the
Griffin Company, was early on the
scene investigating. and Mr.. Griffin ar
rived at $3.50 o'clock and at once began
looking into the cause Of the trouble
Fire Chief Demands Probe.
Fire Chief Cummings. as soon as the
hre was under control, demanded of
Building Inspector Ed R. Hays an i'm
mediate probe Of the causes. for the col
lapse of the structure. He showed that
he was deeply grieved over the death or
Fireman Gillespie and he declared If the
tragedy was caused by criminal nesli-
sence he would do his utmost to place
the responsibility on the proper Der-
sons.
Inspector Hays agreed that prohA
should be made at once, and as soon
as the firemen cease throwing water on
the building the. building Inspector AS
siStant Inspector Bowen and Fire In
spector d. II. Otis will begin a detailed
investigation. Their work will he very
dangerous for the adjoining building
threatens TO fan any minute.
chief Cummings said the loss 70 the
ilre department was fully $4,000 In
the stampede Of the horses tha hose
wagon OF NO. station was so badly
broken up that it had to be taken 10
the shops. The horses raced down
Whitehall street for two blocks. crash
ing into telephone pole. The horses
were badly bruised.
me aerial truck. from which tba
ladder on which Fireman Gillesnie wa 9
standing, was so badly damaged nv
falling bricks that Chief CUMMINGS said
1t would have to be sent IN tba foc+orr
for repairs.
Buildings Were Landmarks
Inc two buildings at This corner are
two of the Oldest in the city ana the
general criticism of the crowd that COL
Iected was that they should have booD
condemned by the city authorities and
torn down long ago. They. were built
by Judge Neldron Mitchell more than
90 years ago, Each was three stories
high.
! am sorely grieved at the death of
Fireman Gillespie" said Chief Cum
mlngs. He was brave, honest fell
10" and he died glorious death-try-
ing to save others"
The northeast corner of Trinity ave-
nue. and Whitehall street was bought
some time ago by j. r. t"Chuck'o An
derson, of Marietta. at the rate of ST.
500 a front foot. and Mr. Anderson was
spending $4,000 on remodelng to house
the Bauknight Furniture Company as
tenant. The adjoining building. it is
understood, was formerly the property
of Carlos II. Mason.
The Mason building chung to the new
George w. Sciple building, lust north
of it, and it seemed that a strong south
wind helped to keep it from falling
Police Officers sam Long. w. l.. PAYNE
and b. E. Haslett and Sergeant r +
Brown continually warned the crowds
ul the danger in GtIDdipp, tpa -t,en