Evening star., 1935-09-27
ELEVATOR CRASH,
|NJUR|NG 16, IS
SUBJECT OF PROBE
Inspectors Find Cable
ShackIe Had Slipped Loose
From Mooring.
SIX WOMAN VICTIMS
RECOVERING IN HOSPITAL
Passengers Had Been Attending
Meeting of Ladies' Auxiliary
of Bakers Union.

An investigation by District lnSpec-
tors was being completed today into
the elevator crash last night IN the
Atlas Building, Ninth and streets,
which sent six women to hospitals and
injured 10 other persons. The eleva-
tors passengers had been attending
a meeting of the Ladies Auxiliary OF
Bakers Union, No. l18.
The elevators fall to the basement,
shortly after it had started down from
the fourth floor, was due, the lnSpec-
ton showed, to the fact the cable
shackle on the bar over the elevator
slipped loose from its mooring.
Inspectors said the elevator had
less than a capacity load at the time.
Its capacity is 18 persons, or 1850
pounds.
Thrown Into Darkness.
The elevator was thrown into dark
ness as it hit the bottom and there
its t6 occupants waited until f1remen
arrived a few minutes later and ex-
tricated them by removing a door.
Five of the injured are in E.ner-
gency Hospital. They are:
Mrs. Elizabeth Wedekind, so, of
1896 P street, leg fracture; Mrs. Mary
Wilmer, IS, of 1888 Wisconsin avenue,
ankle fracture: Mrs. Nellie Helwig, 80,
of ITO Eleventh street southeast; Mrs.
Marguerite Arendes, %, of 208 Ninth
street southeast, fractured ribs and
sprained back, and Mrs Betty R9ickel,
81, of 1106 Oates street northeast.
Mrs. Estella Mueller ~. of 3615
Campbell street, president of the aux
iliary, is in Sibley Hospital, suffering
from possible internal injuries.
The others in the elevator, all OF
whom are said to have suffered minor
injuries. are:
Mrs. Marie Papst, A. of 6l9 Oneida
place: Mrs. Julia Nalley, 80, of 1888
Ingraham street; George Turner, At,
financial secretary of the Bakers
Union, and his wife, Pauline. 38, of
5733 Third place; Mrs Mary Curtin,
1854 Eleventh street; George Hanold,
president of the Bakers Union; Mrs.
A. E. Crown, 40l1 Eighth street; Carl
P. Reichel, 1106 Oates street north
east; Mrs. Mary Berger, $50 Sixth
street northeast, and William White,
%, colored. the elevator operator. The
latter suffered a minor cut on his
hand, it is said.
Iron Bar Misses Operator.
Turner said that shortly after the
elevator had struck the bottom an iron
bar fell from overhead. rammed
through the top of the elevator and
stuck in the floor, barely missing
White, the operator.
AT first thought we would not be
able to get out" Turner said, because
no one knew of our plight" However,
f1remen had been summoned by a
passer-by, who heard the crash.
Turner said the women were coura
geous. although several of them
screamed with pain from their in
Juries.
Ironically, Turner explained today,
some one asked last night about the
elevator operator being paid. Turner
replied: mo, and I guess. we had bet
ter pay him or he will let us down to
the bottom" Several seconds later,
after the man had been handed the
money, the elevator started its plunge,
Turner said.
Col. John w. Oehmann, District
building inspector, sent Elevator In
spectors E. E. Owen and E. r. Rhea
to make complete inspection and re-
port. The two inspectors reported the
cable shackle had slipped Another
thing to be determined was whether a
governor cable, part of the safety de-
vice, worked properly.
The elevator. records showed at the
building inspectors Office, was in
stalled January 4, 1904, and was given
its last inspection July % of this year.
In November, 1884, it was said, the
governor cable was ordered replaced,
and this was reported done.