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The Herald, 1907-07-26, Page 2Is PE S NS HIE LCollapse of Two Stores --People Buried in the Ruins --Heroic Rescues. Full Particulars of the Great Horror --Maly Pathetic Incidelnts. LIST OF DEAD. W. J. Hamilton, of Hamilton & Lona. Frank Smith, manager of Hamilton & Long, formerly of the Express Company. W. Tamblin, 14 years of age, 54 Oxford street. Jos. Long, of Hamilton & Long. Mr. Tanton Howitt, mos Maitland street. Mrs. Tinton Howitt. Clara Mullen, 43o Hill street. An unknown man. London, Ont., despatch: To -night Lon- don is a city of mourning. Practically 'without warning and with a crash as of thunder a four -storey building on Dun- das street, known as the Crystal Hall, collapsed this afternoon, burying in the ruins }renumber of those employed in the 'premises. The building was occupied by W. J. Reid & Co., china and glass war e - housemen; Hamilton, Long & Co., eloth- b iers; F. A. Brewster & Co., who ton a five and ten cent store, and McCallum see Westlake, photographers. The cause ;of the disaster is as yet totally unex- plained, but alterations have recently been in progress in the Reid warehouse, and it is supposod that these may have had the effect of weakening the sup- ports of the structure. Another view is based on the fact that some years ago ;this very spot was the scene of a de- structive fire, which practically left only ;the bare walls standing, and may have weakened the foundation upon which the building that fell to -day was erected. Up, to the time of telegraphing this morning, eight dead bodies have been re- covered, two of whom have not yet been Identified, and the injured number at !least a dozen. The work of rescue is still proceeding vigorously, and it is ;feared that the death roll will be con- ,siderably increased. i The catastrophe occurred .about four o'clock, and eye witnesses' • declare that it was the Crystal Hall that gave way first, the walls falling outward • acted an alley, which divides the block, carry - I Brewster with them the ad they emises hotoggrraocers,.e Tied he most intense exelieranent pre' ai s in the" city, and it is with the utmost difficulty that detains can be gathered of the ter- rible affair. Pt Saw the Building Fa11. L" Mrs. Martin, of King street, who saw the building fall, says she was passing The Advertiser lane, when she heard a wrenching of timbers, and then a smash as the whole front of the building col- lapsed. Immediately there was a cloud of duct, and the ruins were hidden from view. "There were two weinen walking a few yards ahead of me," said Mrs. Mar- tin. "They were apparently sisters. I One was walking a few feet ahead of the other when the wall fell, and the I foremost one was engulfed in that awful debris before the eyes of her sister. One I,woman was crossing the street with a `,baby in a carriage, and escaped by only Inches," Narratives of Survivors. Mr. Frank Reid, manager of W. J. Reid & Co., confirmed the good news that all of his staff had escaped with their lives. How they had escaped he did not know. He said that he and Mr. Dromgole were standing inside the store when he heard a terrific crash, as though tons of dynamite had been exploded. He Immediately ran to the back of the store, and was caught for a short time, but managed to work his way out. Mr. Drpmgole escaped through the front of the other store. Struggling All Around. Mr. Howard Houston was one of those employed at Reid's, who had a narrow escape. He described the scenes as the worst he had ever witnessed. He did not know how he escaped. Be saw people struggling everywhere about him. On the sidewalk he thought there were several people caught. One stout woman was caught under two feet of brick. The scene of the disaster is in one `of the busiest streets in the city, and Occurring at a time when the thorough - elate was crowded, the disaster created a atre'mendous sensation. For a moment or two people in the immediate vicinity snood appalled, and a pante eeemed in- evitable. Screams rent the air, and men sawed women rushed about in the utmost • confusion. From where the building had stood arose a thick cloud of dust, whicb for a time completely obscured the scene. Among the first to realize the situation were some of the business men in the adjoining offices, and telephones were quickly at work. Within a remarkably short time five fire wagons and embu- s were hurried up, and scores of walling hands applied themselves to the ;Work of rescue. The news of the catastrophe seemed to spread like wildfire, and before many siodnutes elapsed crowds were surging allown Dundas street, is a. mad rush, eves olr the police were helpless to stop. With faces strained with anxiety, and ersboring under the greatest excitement, many women pressed eagerly forward, fearful 'that some of their friends Were Canadian buried under the vast heaps of,,debris which lay piled before their eyes,: So keen. was the crowd to 'take part in the work of rescue that for• ia. time only confusion prevailed. The arrival el a strong force of police, igvvever, helped matters considerably; and neon the Work of clearing away the thenee taggeetan pro- ceeded with. The first to be taken from the ruins was Mr. John Loney, of 75 Cartwright street, who was immediately removed to Victoria Hospital in the ambulance, where it was found that he was suffer- ing from deep scalp wounds and internal injuries. Fears of Great Losses. Meanwhile the most appalling runlors found currency among the dense crowd which watched the operations with bated breath. Some declared that there must be over 100 people buried under the ruins, others estimated the number 'at 50, and there were few who seemed cep - able of taking an optimistic view of the situation. To add to the excitement some foolish person suggested the dan- ger of fire breaking out. Fortunateely there was never any approach to this dread contingency. What the crowd apparently did not recognize was another danger much closer to them than that of fire. While they swayed to and' fro in their anxiety to obtain a alearlview of the rescue operations they Seemed entirely oblivious to the feet • te4 over their heads jutting, our .e buiId- ing adjoining that lai.. d 'sen was a huge piece of masonry *lite r hung menacingly in the air. 1 Fifteen Girls Saved One of the most thrilling incidents of the work of clearing away the Wreck- age was the rescue of fifteen girls; who were pinned under a great pile of de- bris. As soon es their eries were heard ten workers started: with their dialer's to clear away the rubbish. It :seemed a hopeless task, but the men toiled on with a determination that was heroic. Inch by inch they worked, their way down, tearing aside the planks, heaving out of the way stones and never stop- ping to rest. After what appeared to be an interminable struggle, a struggle that was watched with intense interest by the carowd, they were at last rewnrdied, and as the girls stepped forth or were lifted from their prison, evidently little the worse of their experienee, the pent- up feelings of the spectators found vent in cheers. At the rear of the Hamilton & Long stores cries could be heard from a lady and her small baby, who were pinned fast in the debris. It was tlabught she was the wife of Mr. Hamiltons •of the firm of Hamilton & Long. The betey wee still alive, but all efforts to iefease them seemed to be of no avail. To the front and east side of the grumbled mass toee walls andl &erie bands of citizens, rich and poor, fought desperately to keep from the clutches of death the lives of no one knew hew many. The thought of young girls be- Jug- imprisoned was the mese agonizing. Sawing, burrowing, fighting literally tooth and nail, the men of London work- ed their dangerous way dowse into gloomy little fissures, tearing at the timbers like bearers. Burrowing Among the Wreckage, No men ever worked bender. As soon as an opening presented itself there were rescuers ready to descend, how far they knew not nor cared. Amid the noise of the picks and barnmere de their wielders hewed their way into what seemed an impenetrable mass came the occasional ery of someone in distress or the moan which betokened only too plainly that there was grim work ahead. Now a worker would ;pause to &sten and then he could be seen applying him- self feverishly to 'his task. There were parties at work in sev- eral plaees, and all were frequently re- lieved by new detaehments when they could be relieve& Soase it tWab tvm- ,possible to relieve until the task had been done. These were the men wee hacl .cut their way under beams and slanting ceilings bulged down with a great weight into dark little bellows in which bodies were found:. Until they had sawed and chiselled and cert their way through the network of thine that held them back ib was impossible to come out again. For four and five bears some of the heroes labored emceed un tIl they were almost unconscious. At the entraneeto these eaves there Were curer little parties at work, passing an 'water, snaking the san'all antennae bigger, and with the Dare of skillful suageone• fight- ing for the lives of those imprisoned. Nor were they all .,of the eras ac- customed to such .arduous toil. Be, grimed and horny handed heroes were joined by prominent bueiness Men, who. threw off .their eoats and .vests and buckled In the strength born of desperation. The fireman, the police. ,ran and the young clerk vied with each ether for places en the fighting line. It was a fight, and one of the grinnnert ever 'tvagecl. Cheering the Workers. To say that the scene was thrilling is to describe it meet inadequately. Eagerly, almost impatiently, the crowd waited for results, and they were not disappointed. Occasionally the :work- ers would stop, throw down their im- plements and signal to others. ::There would be heard the ery: "Bring .a stretcher," and the call would be an- swered with a cheer from the r•people below, and prompt action o ,the part of those who were attending to first F aid. Again the rescuers could be seen tender- ly lifting something which did; not re- quire to be seen to be understood. ; re- fudlly, almost reverently, the form would be removed to one of the waifing ' . am- bulances, and then work would be, re- sumed. For the niost part, however, at that old be seen from the .street wee the incessant digging and hewing and bur- rowing, as the rescue band. plied.: their desperate task. Slowly but surely 'an. impression was made on the vast, pile of debris, as wagon after wagon was filled, and passed out of sight. A Pathetic Incident. Among those most prominent in superintending the operations was Mr, J. A. Oottain, who, with a megaphone, kept in touch with all the workers and shouted his directions. Men were told off to n watch overhanging dias'om7, which threatened every momerit,to col- lapse, and other precautions vire tak en to prevent further disaster'. Dark- ness was falling when there occurred one of these pathetic incidents which is in- separable from disaster. • Paine cries had directed the attention of the res- cuers to a certain spot where, after much exertion, they succeeded in getting in touch with a little girl, Ethel ,Earl by name, who had been employed in the Brewster store. To the cheering words of the men toiling above her aloe responded with rare pluck, Crying out that she would be brave and try to help her rescuers. Carefully the tim- bers and anasonry in which she was embedded were removed, and. she was tenderly lifted out into ai.place of safety. The spectacle which e she pre- sented moved even the men to lseare. Her clothes were stained with blood aAnd dust. Smiling .faintly she stood up and waved her .land to the crowd,`t which 'burst forth iito cheers that had iz}them a deep, note 1 emotion. The eff, , e had made:,pro ea' to much for t a " " l•e heroine,.. -*he sank back into tie exi,rms of her rescuers and had to be car ried oto the ambulance wagon. a, An Unknown Hero '+ While this was happening there was an unknown hero, who would not give his name to anyone, but who. was working down into the depths of the pit. He wanted to give air to a party of girls who were sixteen feet away and he se- complished ,his task after four hours of the most desperate work -a` man could tackle. Ed. Peterson's Rescue. It is believed that there are still eight persons buried in the. ruins. Just after the little Pollock ehild had been taken out the workers succeeded in getting out Ed. Peterson, a man about 35 years of age. Peterson is a farmer from near Si. John's, and at the moment of the catastrophe was in the store •of Hamil- ton, Long & Co. making a purchase. In the fall of the ceiling fae was pinned to the floor beneath a mess of wreck- age, and, though the rescuers could hear his palls, it was some : Mime ere they were able to reach him or to re- move the timbers which pinned hiin down. .Art Peterson was being carried out he said: `Thank God, I'm all, right." His escape was nothing short of miraculous. In another part of the building a lady with her two-year old child weepinned in. Here also an excavation, vrtas being made, but it was found to be to'o small to allow a man to go through, and a little newsboy named 'Willie Spettigue offered his services. The boy gat down all right. and after about fifteen min- utes' work succeeded in tinges, rope around the child. Willie was dawn up by Walter Towel, who was directing this part of the work, but when an at- tempt was made to get the child the rope slipped. Willie was willing to go down again, but could not get', at the child to secure it safely. Infant Found in a Cellar.. A two-year-old infant, the child of a junk dealer named Pollock, wit taken out of the ruing in the cellar of one of the wrecked buildings. A peculiar feature of the rescue was the fact thee the mother and baby were imprisoned in the same ' place, and that when a rope was lowered down and tied to the baby 'a half an hour ago the mother untied 'the rope. "'The baby comes • out only when I do," she declared. Later, how- ever, Mrs. Pollock permitted the child to be taken up to safety. The infant smiled faintly when it reached the air above, and although it was covered With blood, did not appear; to be seri- ously injured. Dr. Stevenson, who, with the many other pliysiciaas of this city, was close to the seene of action front the start, tell a pathetic story alter i;.a, lull had come, and the wearied workers could listen. He was down among the ruins at the rear end of the building Yet abort 7 o'clock, when he heard e voice which he for a time oould not'diatinguish. lis €ollawed• the sound, however, and finally came to a point whom there was a lsiceotteee, and it was fro,, here that i words --or rather the music --came. It seemed to be the voice of a young man, and he was singing, "Nearer, My God, to Thee." A great effort was made to get at this victim, but it was next to en impossibility, and the strains oe the greet hymn soon died away. A Very Brave Girl. After bravely keeping up, looking a momentary .death in the face for three hours ' and a half, with the suffering *Weight of hundreds of tons of wreck- age and debris pinning her down, only held from crushing the life from her brave young body by the joists, Miss May Hardingham, of 356 Ottawa ave- nue, fainted dead away , as soon as the blessed air of liberty wafted itself into her nostrils in the cellar of the 0. B. Graves Company. When her cries were heard several men went with crowbars and picks, and started to break through the wall where the moaning could be heard. Harder and faster the rescuers plied their tools until at last one of the bars broke through, and in a mo- ment they were in the enelosure under- neath. Then they heard a girl's voice, cool and brave, asking them just where they were and what steps they would take to release her. When told they were going to saw right through to where she was, she told them to never mind her, but to get others who were suffering more and who were close to her. However, she was not heeded, raid her rescue was effected. "Heaven bless you men for what you are doing," said the girl "But could you get me some water?" "Not yet, brave little girl," was the reply, and she composed herself to di- recting the work of rescue, telling the men where to saw and chisel, so that the support of the immense weight above would not be loosened. Thrilling Experience. Percy Robinson, a young man employ- ed at Hamilton & Long's, was rescued shortly before 9 o'clock, and when taken to Victoria Hospital, was found to be only slightly injured. "The first intima- tion that I had of anything being wrong was when I heard a noise, which seemed like a grinding, and then came a crash," he said. "I remember finding myself falling and suddenly came to a stop with a heavy timber across my leg. I thought sure that I would stifle, for I could hardly get a mouthful of air, and my lungs seemed filled with dust. It seem- ed an age before I heard any sounds, and then finally somebody moved a board. No one will ever know the re- lief that came to me with the little draught of air. It gave me a new lease of life, and I was certain that I would be rescued Sooner or later. It was also a great relief when the men finally got all the stuff removed and I was free to move again." Miss Blanche Westlake was in an upstairs room at the time of the acci- dent occurred, and when the floor was suddenly swept from beneath her she grasped out for anything which she could find. The first thing that came to her hands was a piece of wood jut- ting, and upon this she hung for the space of several minutes. Her cries were not heard, but finally Mr. Albert. Moore, of the Wortley Road, spied her and im- mediately called several bystanders to- gether. They called to her to jump and she answered their request with little hesitation. She was caught by strong arms, although her downward flight was one of some thirty feet and she was not seriously injured. Miss Westlake was somewhat affect- ed by shock, but will recover within a couple of days. History Repeats Itself. It was stated Last .night that a simi- lar tragedy to the Reid Building was narrowly averted 25 years ago. The circumstances, as related by one old citizen, were in effect that carpenters were at work on the top storey tear- ing out an olcl scaffolding that had been condemned. The rotten scaffolding sud- denly broke and, save for the presence of mind of a carpenter named Nixon, the wall would have given in, it was :stated. Tho presence .of mind of this workman saved the building from col - "epee. Those who were at the scene of the acciderit, stated that a great deal of credit was due to Mr. Walter Bartlett, for organizing the crowd, • which gath- red on the scene. It seemed that the great proportion of the crowd, which gathered as the dust cleared away, was rather dumfounded at the suddenness and apparent awfulness of the calam- ity, and did not make any move to effect the work of rescue. Seeing their hesitancy, Mr. Bartlett sprang to the top of the ever -remem- bered Bile of debris at the entrance of the ruin and rnade a neat little speech, in which he called upon them, one and all, to come to the work of rescue, as citizens and as heroes. The inspiration in his tones brought a ready response, and in a minute scores bad piled into the never -to -be - forgotten night of tragedy and had coin- menced the work which will stand out through ages as.a tribute to the hero- ism of London's brave citizens. Mr. Bart- lett deserves commendation no more than anyone else, but his act is known and should be chronicled. ere -0 WRECKERS WERE FOILED. Train They Planned to Wreck Saved by Plucky Couple. Connelsville, Pa., July 22.— An at- tempt to wreck Baltemlone &, Ohio Duquesee limited teak No. 12 a.short distance west of Sandpaad tunnel last night was frustrated by Stephen Kaari- gen, a leverman at Sandpately, ands a girl with whom ho 'WW1 walking along the track.Just west of 'the temnel they discovered a tie fastened: across the rails, and when .they attempted) to renuatno it they were fired upon, from the bushes. They huastily elect to Send - patois, where they flagged the Duceneaite•, winch was crowded with Elks bound .for Philadelphia, T9 � ift IS ACCO ODATING SEEKS DIVORCE SO HER HUSBAND CAN MARRY AGAIN. Husband Will Marry Miss Dempsey and Recognize Children -Planned to Keep Secret—Defendant, Known in. Boston,, Gets Salary of. $zs,000, and Wife Herself is Wealthy. New York. July 22.—Stating that her husband, Joseph T. Cunningham, had promised to marry another woman this. morning and give this woman's children his name, Mrs. leabel S. Ounningham, of No. 66 Clifton place, Brooklyn, made ap- plication yesterday before Judge Scud- der, in the Suereme Court, for a final decree of divorce. Cunningham for five years leas lived at No. 5,617 Fifteenth avenue, Borough Park, with Elizabeth Dempsey, who has posed as his wife, the cesnplaint alleges•. They have two children, Land it is 'be- cause of her lore for them, Mrs. Oun- uingham said, that she ,had deeided to seek a divorce. Cunningham is manager of the Nation- al Electric .Company, of No. 111 Broad. - way, and his wife states that his salary is $15,000 a year. They were married thirteen years ago, in Boston, where both are well known. He was prominent in politics and an associate of Jes±0h Quin- ey. Mrs. Cunningham was wealtkry. "Three years atter we Were married Mr. Cunningham, fell in love with Eliza- beth Dempsey, whose father conducts a grocery store in South Boston" said Mrs. Cunningham, yesterday. "Afisr he disappeared, I followed ;him to Broklyn and found him with her. When we sep- arated he gave me a substantial .sum, but 1 refused to get a divorce. "After a few years he brought hie ehildren to see me and, I fell 'in love with his eldest daughter, who is a beautiful child. I have seen the child every day for two years and loved her as if she were my own. Both ehildren are images 'of their tether. "I have met the woman several times and have been at their residence, but have never been intimately associatd with her. About a year ago it was agreed that Mr. Ounningham would marry her and give the children his name if I would get a divaioe. We endeavored to keep the entire matter from the public for the sake pf the children." ®4 .� HIT AT BISHOPS. OUT OF FAVOR WITH THE MASS OF THE PEOPLE. President of British Churchmen's Union Awakes Horror Among Orthodox Churchmen—Says Some Very Plain Things About the Heads of the Anglican Church. London, July 22.—Rev. W. Man- ning, president of the Churchman's Union, preaching at St. Andrew's Meech,. Leytonstone, of which he is the eneum- bent, attacked the bishops of the English Church in a manner which awakens hor- ror among orthodox churchmen. He said the bishops had fallen upon evil days.. They were fawned, upon by the clergy preferment, and are out of favor with the mass of the people. Their adherence to their quaint style of dress affords ground for the suspicion that they .are, out of sympathy with the life of the age. Their almost unvaried alliance with one political party has given the demo- cracy ground for doubting the proclaim- ed comprehensiveness of the national:, church. Their large incomes have been a eause of dissatisfaction. Business me'n. have doubted the statement that these incomes are used for the ao.minietretioss i of the diocese rather for the recipients' private purses because no &counts are published. The rough sense of justice 4 the 'English people is undoubtedly' senntl. when it hears with indignation that lintel are 1,139 livings wits. an average stip- end tip-end of £67, while the bishops' stipends. are never lower than £3000. These things the speaker declared, nee& re -adjustment. A committee of elver - headed business men would right them fay a few weeks. Human relationship ought to be established, between the clergy aa& the bisleope. The latter now know noth- ing of the former, except rumors of dib.. ocean gossip. A junior clerk seek more - of the senior partner of a. business- laou"es®- r than a clergyman of a bishop. Some per- sonal relationship would do more to in- crease church life than sill the meetings' of Duchesses in the drawingrooms of Ldn- don that were ever held. ANOTHER FORGER. The Banks at Guelph Defrauded of Snieall Sunis by a Farmer. Guelph despatch: Some of: the locaalt' bankers have been done up agaie, though this time the amount is not seriously largo.A farmer living near is Aberfoyle, it alleged, forged the name of Mr. Win. Service, Mar Corwlr_tn, and also of another farther in that neighborhood, to notes amoumtheg in value to about $2550. Mt. Service is a well-to-do and respected farmer, and consequently his notes, or at least those that were eupposed to be his, were promptly received by Mr. Ilenny, into whose hands they first cauno, sand by;, four of the banks in this tete'.