Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1890 — INDIANAPOLIS HORROR. [ARTICLE]

INDIANAPOLIS HORROR.

FRIGHTFUL DISASTER IN THE BURNING OF THE BOWENMERRILL BOOK STORE. Thirty M«n Under a Falling Wall—Several ofth-m Instantly Killed or Fatally Injured. Indianapolis was the scene on the afternoon of the 17th, of one of the most appalling disasters in its history. The extensive book store and wholesale paper house of Bowen-Merrill Co., was discovered onlfire at 2:30, and was not gotten under control until 6 o’clock. The inside of the room was completed gutted. At 5:30 an ominous crackiDg was heard, followedin an instant by a frightful crash. In a very few minutes it was known that the back wall had given way, and buried-in its ruins-were thirty firemen or interested witnesses. Severs of these were on the roof of the building and were precipitated into the chasm below and swallowed up in the debris. An awful cry for help at once came up from theTuins and the spectators the moment they realized the situation, gave such succor as they could command, working with willing hands. In thirty minutes fourteen men Were taken from the ruin 3, four of them dead. At least sixteen others were holddown by heavy timbers, some of them crying •‘For God’s sake, give us help.” Atß:3o a voice near some searchers, said: “Give me a saw and I can saw my »vay out.” A saw was reached into him, and in a very short time, out away the timbers that held him and emerged from the derbris. Thescene on tho heap of debris immediately after the collapse was pitiable and dreadful beyond description. The limbs of men here and there were seen writhing, while the trunks to which they belonged were buried from sight. A ladder lay across three’men, and was weighted down by tons of brick and lumber. Another poor fellow who was beyond all pain, lay close beside his fellows, a shapeless and mangled mass. The ladder lay across the stomach of one man, who was screaming with agony. Anothor man with a broken arm and twisted body, lay next to him. The man with a broken arm was dragged out and carried away. Under him, mute, but breathing, appeared the upturned f aceoTa poor fellow Hot seen before. The mortar and dust were cleaned from his lips, but he was bhried so deeply that no immodiate help could come to him. On all sides blackened- and bleeding faces, distorted with agony or dreadful in death, urged the crowd who had scaled the heap to assist them to redoubled efforts. The relief was carried on with great difficulty. The debris had fallen in V shape, and it was almost impossible to remove it from the depression. One by one the men nearest the surface were extricated, but as the men went down further they discovered new victims and the horror steadily grew. As fast as the men at work became exhausted others stood ready to relieve them. Every moment was filled with an awful suspense. As the wounded were carried out of the ruins they were met with embraces and tears of joy, but when the still, broken forms were borne away, motionless and limp, then was when the full sadness and horror of the calamity cafne upon the waiting crowd. Of the 89 firemen employed by the city 32 of them were in the accident. Of these latter eleven were killed outright and sev eral of the remainder were fatally injured. The killed were as follows: Andrew Cherry, Richard Lowry, George Glenn, George S. Faulkner, Ulysses G. •Glazier, Thomas A. Black, Albert Hoffman, Espy Stormer, Henry Woodruff and Tony Voltz. ; The following vrers injured: William G. Tallentyre, John Burkhart, Ash Glazier, Webb Robertson, Ed. Leach, Charles Jenkins, William Partee, William Long, A 1 Muir, William McGinnis (son of Gen. McGinnis) William Hinesly, William Reasener.-Thomaa Barrett, William F. Jones, Fred Bloomer, George Dillon, Samuel Neal an 1.: Louis Raffert The work of rcscuo continued all night. Jones was taken out alive at 3:30 on the morning of the 18th, after being in the ruins ten hours. Many acts of heroism on =tfie past of the injured are recorded. Immediate steps were taken for the relief of the stricken families and publio benefits were at once announced. The book store of the Bowen-Merrill Co. is a complete loss, none of the stock of consequence being saved. Loss on stock, $125,000; on building, $20,000. Insurance on stock about $60,000. The Company will resume business at Onoe with a new stock.

INCIDENTS AND I’ABTICULABS. One of the most pathetio incidents of the calamity was the attempt to rescue Billy Jones, of Headquarters, Monday night. He was known to be in the ruins, and supposed to be about half, way from the front end of the store. A hole was knochei in theoellar wall of the Beckner building on the west, and through this hoib a resouing party entered the wrecked building. The imprisoned man evidently heard them, for he shouted : “Here I am, boys, over by this wall. ” “Who is it!” shouted one of the party. “Jonesy,” came back the party. “Boys, don’t throw any water in here; yon will drown me. Get ms a doctor, boys, as soon as you oan. ” “Have courage, Jonosy, and we will get yon out as soon as we oan ” But they oouid not get to him, and sadly they withdrew, and a working party sought him from above. The man could be heard giv«. ing directions to the workers above, and then he would call .for help. The little crowd stooe around and heard him crying for help. “Hush," suddenly exclaimed Sergeant Joyce, Everything was as stlU as death. Above coaid be heard the thump of the axes and the cracking of boards. Away—it seemed as if miles away—was beard the voice of the itnprisonal man moaning, “Nellie, Nellie; oh, Nellie, darling Nel “He is calling his wife,” gasped one of the-men. “My God r** exclaimed a veteran fireman, with the tears streaming down bis dirtbegrimed face, “to think we are so clr«j to poor Jonesy, and can do nothing for him.'*’ The imprisoned man was at length

r*s4hed. ■ Two dead men lay near him, one of whom was Superintendent Cherry. Jones lay at least twenty feet beneath the top of tl*eruins. It was two o’clock boforohe was extricated. He bad been In the ruins nearly seven hours. When William Long was dragged out he was offered a drink of whisky. Sick and faint as he,was, he declined the liquor. “Better tako it,” said Councilman Gasper, at his side. “No, no,” moaned the wounded man; whisky never is good. Bring mo a cup of coffee." The coffee was brought, aud ha swallowed it at a draught. Will Gaston had reached the roof just as it fell. As it gave way beneath his feet he made a jump and laqded on the roof of the building adjoining aud was saved. Tom Dillon was saved in the same manner, but in jumping he sprang too . far, and nearly fell from the roof to tho alley below. Billy Partee showed himself a thoroughbred. He fell with his head to the north, with his feet twisted with Eb. Leach’s legs. He was lying with his back and side against a wall, and across him lay a heavy ladder. “Never mind me, boys.” shouted Partee to the wdTkers. Get Eb, out. I’m afraid he’s hurt.” While the men were tearing away the debris he uttered no complaint, and after Leech was removed, he said. “Now, boys, help the old man out if you can.”

George Diller was found lying partially on his side. His body was doubled until his head nearly touched -his knees. A heavy beam rested across his head under the left eye, and his ankles were pinned klowi by piles of debris. Lew,Sailor, of the 6’s, procured a saw and cut the beam in two, thus allowing him to lift up his head. It did not require a long time to net him up. “Webb” Robinson of the s’s, was near Diller, but back of him. He had fallen clcse to the big safe, and next to the wall. The timbers and roofing fell over him,, making a sort of shed above him, and thus protecting him from the falling brick. He was pin-ioned-by some boards. A fireman crawled toward him and shouted, “are you there Webb?” “That’s what I am,” answered a voice under the boards. “Tell BUI Stevens to come here.” In a second or two Mr. Stevens was at the opening shouting: “Keep up your courage, old man; we’ll get you out.” “All right, Bill, cama back from the depths. “Hand me a and I’il soon be with you. Help the other boys.” The saw was handed in and in a few minutes Bobinson appeared through an opening made by pulling away some boards.

There is a diversity of opinion as to the cause of the roof falling. Many believe that the fire weakened the supports and let it down. Councilman John R. Pearson, who examined the joists a short time after the collapse, said to a News reporter: “The fault is in the constructron of the building. The joists were not mortised in as they should have been, but instead were fastened with pegs. Had they been mortised there would have been a sinking of four inches before the roof went down, and that would have given the firemen an opportunity to escape. Instead, the pegs broke and all gave away instantly. It was the weight on the roof, the men, the weak wall that has brought this awful catastrophe to Indianapolis.

BELIEF. The call lor relief for the families of th'e victims of this awful catastrophe was responded to most generously. The News received subscriptions amounting to several thousand dollars in a very few hours, and other mediums met with almost equal success, President telegraphed S2OO, and Attorney General Miller SIOO. A general canvass for the relief fund was adopted, as the most possible plan of giving every citizen an opportunity to contribute. On theSlth the contributions had reached nearly $30,000. All the city papers opened books for 1 heir receipt