Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1877 — The Falling of the Rockford Court-Houe. [ARTICLE]

The Falling of the Rockford CourtHoue.

The Winnebago County Court-House, which this morning, when oar cltigfina commenced their day’s labor, waa ihe pride of their hearts, is now a desolate ruin, a monument of criminal incompetency on the part of some one. Families that hade adieu to their loved ones at the dawn of day with the Joyous expectation of seeing them return at noon are weepffig over corpses disfigured and mutilated, some of which were drawn from the ruins piecemeal. Our citizens look at one another aghast, and inquire, Who is responsible for this fearful loss of life and property? In the early part of 1815 Winnebago County advertised for plans to build a Court-House, and, after the usual number of plans and specifications had been examined, those of Mr. Henry L. Gay, of Chicago, were accepted. The contract for the building of the edifice was let to Mr. W. D. Richardson, of Springfield, who, early in the spring of 1876, commenced work on the structure. yTbe corner-stone was laid Juno 22f amid grand festivities and Masonic honors, nearly all the leading Lodges of the State taking part in the ceremonies. The work progressed, and our citizens had just cause to feel proud as they watched the magnificent structure rise with imposing grandeur above all the buildings tn the city. The contract called for the building to be roofed before winter set in, in 1876, but, owing to the inclement weather, the contractor found it impossible to fulfill the contract, and the massive stone cornice which preceded the roof was put in place this spring. To-day, just as the key-stone of the roof was being placed in the dome of the main pavilion, the brickwork between the iron and the stone gave way, and the entire dome and the interior walls of the structure came crumbling down with a terrible crash, that was heard by persons living nearly a mile distant from the scene of the accident.

That the reader may more fully understand the causes which led to the fall, it will be necessary to describe the structure. The style of the building was French Venetian, of the Renaissance type. It had two pavilions and a center dome over the front entrance. The two pavilions on each side rose about thirty feet above the level of the cornice. The dome was 119 feet from the ground. The dome was supported by the front walls on the north side and two iron columns from ten to twelve inches in diameter on the inner side. These columns rested upon a brick wall going up from the ground floor to the floor of the court-room. The walls were about thirty feet high, and, it appears, were entirely Inadequate to hold the immense weight of the iron pillars and the massive masonry of the dome, which rested upon the pillars. Upon the top of the iron columns was a wrought-iron girder upon which was laid the veneer and brick of the dome. It appears that the lower brick walls were crushed by the weight ot the upper masonry, and crumbled like so much rotten mortar, bringing with them the entire interior of the building, taking all the rafters, the corrugated iron-cell-ing of every room, with its concrete filling, and the iron joists. The scaffolding came down in one terrific mass, bringing with it nearly all the workmen who were operating upon the top of the building. At the time of the accident thete were from twenty to twenty-five men at work. The accident happened at 11:80 a. m. The whole massiVff' stone top of the dome fell with a terrific crash toward State street. A man named Timothy Flanagan, who was just putting in the key-stone of the final cornice, jumped for the guy-rope of the big derrick in front, but, missing his aim, fell the distance of 120 feet to the earth, and was dashed tn pieces. At this time but few persons beside your correspondent were upon the scene. The mass pf human beings, with the exception of four or five who jumned from the windows, fell inside the tottering walls and were buried in the debris. At this time the whole structure looked as though it would fall, and those assembled were appalled, and knew not what to do. To go near enough the structure to rescue those mangled and bleeding in the ruins was hazardous in the extreme, but brave men, regardless of danger, went fearlessly to work before the dust cleared away, and commenced to assist to extricate the dead and dying. Men lay terribly mutilated beneath these rocks, shrieking for assistance that was only rendered at the risk of the rescuers’ lives. One unfortunate man named William Gloss was extricated, but one of his legs was left beneath a ponderous stone. He was lifted out upon the green sward, in front of the old Court-House, and expired in great agony. A negro jumped from a window, sixty feet from the ground, and, though seriously injured, will probably recover. Within ten minutes after the catastrophe, no less than four bodies were recovered by the almost superhuman efforts of the immense crowd which had by thia time assembled. The sights in and about the ruins were terrible. The anguish of the living was also heartrending. It was near the noon hour, and the workmen’s wives and mothers were soon upon the spot. One poor German woman rent the air with her sobs for her husband, a man named A. Haugh, who was brought out of the ruins two hours after the accident in a terrible condition. His face was mashed beyond recognition.— Rockford, 111, (May IDfopecial to Chicago Tribune. (By thft accident over twenty persons were either killed or seriously injured.)