Year: 1872





Singular Fatality-Falling OF tho Walls
at WoodruH q Robinson's Stores-Two
Men Buried I'm the Ruins.


An unforeseen accident occurred yesterday after
noon at the ruins of Woodruff Robinson's stores,
which were burned at the foot OF Amity street on
Monday afternoon.


THE PIRE NOT OUT.


Notwithstanding the untiring efcrts OF the fre-
men and the men employed by Messrs. Beard,
Woodrun 4 Robinson, the ruins are still burning,
and left at the present time the fire would quickly
extend beyond the limits In which 1t has been
thus far confined. Two steamers have been kept
constantly at work and large number Of frepen
have taken their regular turns OF duty at the RUNS
They have been aided by the steamtug John Fuller,
which has three large streams on the fre day and
night.


EFFORTS TO SAVE THE GRAIN.


A portion Of the front OF the stores adjoining
st0rehouse "An had been left standing, and there
appeared to be large portion Of the grain stored
In this part OF the building. The owners naturally,
were anxious to save all the grain they could and
directed the streams from the tugboat Fuller to be
brought directly to bear upon this portion. They
employed men, whom they term


VOLUNTEER FIREMEN,


to aid them. Yesterday morning gang OF these
men, whose names are John Lynch, Patrick
Mahon, Michael Nugent, Peter Murphy, Thomas
Beatty and - Leverson, were set to work
under the direction OF Mr.. Robinson, brother
OF one Of the owners. A strong wind was blowing
rom the river, and man could not stand upon the
dock and hold heavy, wet hose without becoming
benumbed with the cold. The result was that the
men were compelled TO relieve each other from
time TO time.


The accident was caused by the pressure OF water
and grain upon the inside OF this portion of the
wall, which had been left standing and which tow
cred skyward distance Of seventy-flve feet. The
constant streams Of water caused the grain to
become more weighty, and at last the wall
was forced outward toward the river, burying two
Of the men who were in charge Of the hose beneath
the ruins. Very fortunately the others were at a
safe distance Mr. Robinson, who had charge OF
the men, had


MIRACULOUS ESCAPE


from sharing the same fate OF the two men, whose
bodies are either still beneath the debris Of brick
and beams or in the dock. The accident caused
the most intense excitement among those who
witnessed 1t, and for a time they stood speb0und
with blanched cheeks Any effort to search for the
risk the lives OF those who attempted II.


Mr.. Robinson was fearful that an accident might
occur, occur, and M started to warn the men who were in
feet OF the man who had hold OF the hose when he
heard crash, and he jumped back, just in time to
escape portion Of the wall Weighing about ten
tons. The sinking OF the foundation caused the
outward ends OF the panks OF the wharf to fly up
wards. Leverson, the man who had the hose,


WAS THROWN FIFTEEN FEET IN THE AIR,
and before he came down Mr.. Robinson says the
upper portion of the wall came down upon him.
large portion OF this wall and just where the un
fortunate man stood, was crushed through the
wharf. Thomas Beatty is supposed to be the other
man who is buried beneath the ruins, as he could
not be found when the men were called together
by the foreman. Some OF the men seemed to be OF
the opinion that he did not 60 to work.


STATEMENT OF MR.. BEARD.


Mr.. Beard sad:-Just as the wall was falling
l was looking towards the men on the dock.
Only one man had hold OF the hose ut
the time. The other man was lust
turning to leave and he must have gone down. He
could not have escaped for he was only few feet
from the other at the time the wall came down.


THE CAPTAIN OF THE FULLER INJURED.


The captain OF the Fuller, Mr.. John Rose, who
was also on the dock directing the men, was very
seriously injured. He said when the wall fell he
was walking on the dock and going towards the
man who held the hose. He had called to him. He
was going to see what he wanted when the wall
came down. He thinks there was only one
man killed. He was taken up unconscious and
taken into the cabin OF the canal boat lying at the
pier. An examination revealed the fact that several
OF his ribs were broken and his head was badly
cut. .a


Thomas Nevins, the chief engineer OF the Brook
lyn Fire Department, has been present superin-
tending the firemen most of the time since the fire
first occurred, and he says that he warned these
men frequently to keep a safe distance from this
wall as there was danger of its falling. search
will be made for the bodies or the unfortunate men
to-day.


The Firemen's Insurance Company is not among
the losers by The fire at Woodruff h R0binson Is
stores.