Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-26
Structures Under Repair at
1885, 40 Whitehall Fall and
Bury Fireman Gillespie.
---'-----
INVESTIGATION TO FIX
RESPONSIBILITY BEGUN
Nine SIeepers Rescued From
Structure When Total End
Seemed Certain.

h Fireman j. 7. Gillespie was killed,
four policemen missed being crushed to
\ Death BY the narrowest margin, another
n was painfully but not dangerously hurt
n BY a runaway team of fire horses and
nine persons were rescued as they had
+ Al but abandoned hope for life, when
a building undergoing repairs on the
northeast corner OF Whitehall street
\ and Trinity avenue collapsed at 4
o'clock this morning.
4 An Investigation into the fatal catas-
Nrophe under the direction of Assist
s ant Building Inspector Charles J. Bow
4 en-. is already under way.
4 It is believed by the city building in
AsDector' department that the municipal
code was Violated by the Griffin Con-
Rsuuction Company i'll leaving the shak
Eng building practically without I'M
Nderpinnng so that the slightest jar
B would send it crashing and smashing to
& the ground
Il Orders Were Underpinned.
Il Two buildings at the Trinity avenue
4corner have been undergoing extensive
.Fapairs during the past week. Ten days
Rgo the Griffin Construction Company
&applled for and was granted a repair
permit to reconstruct the buildings at
&18S and 140 Whitehall street. Work
4 Was started the middle of last week.
& The building at No. 40 Whitehall
was vacated. It's rear wall was torn
flown, while the front wall was allowed
stand. The basement Orders and
HMoerng were underpinned so that
ENoTkmon might deepen the cellar some
II NO feet This, it is averred, left the
structure in a shalIy condition.
u Work on the building at No. 1873
oltehail had not as yet started. The
#rst floor had been vacated, however,
NFhiIe the second and third floors were
#ehted out to roomers. No one occu
#led the second floor last night. The
nid floor housed three families-nine
Persons-al grownups.
High Winds Loosens Timbers.
shortly before o'clock this morning
#'@foldlng in the rear of No. $40
II AltehaII fell into the basement of the
Il ructure 1t is believed the high wind
uTlng the night loosened the rickety
&Noers, finally hurting them to the
ouhd, Great clouds of dust arose as
IT. scattolding tore through the half
#ShanlIed floors. Some one seeing the
lay mist believed that the building
as atire An alarm was turned in.
A O1eemen and firemen were soon on
T. scene
sergeant E. p Connolly and Police
leu Rivers Melpon and Turner were
M'o''uiHs IN front of No. 140. Without
Il 'uins, the walls, some so feet in
4 sU' tembled and fell. Tons upon
N us OIL brick and mortar were hurled
N1'"d'o' As if by a miracle this mass
paIaled-split in twain-as it started
4 ny downward DEATH dealing rush
u y Iouf policemen ran for their lives
Just as the last one cleared the walk
'a'Ang mass crashed into atoms.
Il ~ coats of the policemen were COW
gu with dust-they had just escaped
"S buried in the debris.
,,, railing Wall Catches Fireman.
'"g great falling mass. however took
toll of death.
#rn,., IT. Oe'IIed outward and started to
0rtl, Fireman ]. r. Gillespie. at
aD 10 chemical company No. 1. was
HuIhs a ladder which had been
-. -1 against the building. He, with
otNer flremen. had been sent to
r, ool adjoining, No. 1873. to carry
- Slructure the penned in occu-
easa VI the sleeping rooms. For some
e.. VI other-he had received no
hon, " 10 so--Gillespie started to the
ss s.o' Half way down. Just as he was
H. ,s the second story windows of
Y serf '"s great heavy wall mass hurled
Il sd 'poN MIN. His ladder was splin-
81 oa as "l Gillespie buried in a heavy
'''''e and bricks. His body was
continued on Par. ~4ur,