Keokuk Buildings Collapse IV

LEE COUNTY LOCAL/FAMILY HISTORY DEPT. *  DONNELLSON PUBLIC LIBRARY *  500 PARK AVE. *  DONNELLSON, IA *  52625


MAK Project: Keokuk Building's Collapse

Mary Alma Powers Kay Project
Page Four

Continued from March’s Newsletter . . . . .
 

It was just another summer evening in Keokuk, IA on June 14, 1893 when suddenly the calm turned into chaos and a three-story building at 824, 826, and 828 Main Street collapsed, taking four men down into the ruins.  This is the third installment in a series of four describing the injuries and statements of the people involved. 
 

TERRIFIC CRASH WITHOUT WARNING

WALLS FALL AND FLOORS FOLLOW

Three Main Street Business Blocks Tumble to the Ground
Falling Timber and Bricks Bury Four Men
John Real and Harry Young Badly Injured
Many Miraculous Escapes and Moving Scenes

The Pecuniary Loss

When Mr. Wiley bought the two buildings that belong to him he paid $9000 for them and they are now practically worthless. The flour he had stored in No. 824 was somewhat damaged. Real and Shepherd had but recently fitted up their place anew and their loss will reach $500. A. Hoagland lost his full set of carpenter's tools, which was unusually complete and estimates his loss at $350. Mr. Burrows' loss will reach over $3000, though many of his goods were saved. Mr. Burrows stated today that it was his intention to tear down his building and put up a new one. Mr. Wiley is in Chicago and his plans are not known. The buildings as they stand are worthless and will have to be torn down entirely before new ones can be built.

Must Come Down

The building commission of the city, consisting of Oswald Schmied, chairman 9 of the fire committee, W.H. Jones, city engineer, W.S. Sample, chief of the fire department, examined the three buildings this morning and met immediately afterward at the city engineer's office. The buildings were condemned and were ordered torn down. The owners and agents of the buildings will go to work at once.

Among The Debris

Photographers were at the scene today taking snap shots at the wreck. Rumors were flying about in the crowd that certain other men were in the ruins, but they all proved without foundation. Four little boys were seated on the back porch of the Burrows' building, but got out of the way before the crash came.

The back wall which remained standing was barricaded last night and a watchman put in charge to keep unwary persons away.

Young's condition showed considerable improvement this afternoon and his recovery is probable, though he is still in a critical condition.

A false fire alarm was turned in shortly after the accident for the purpose of drawing the crowd away so the work of rescue could proceed more advantageously. It did not work however. Mr. Brellon's little child, mentioned in the foregoing, was secured after the crash by Wm. Higham, who found the little one sitting in a rocking chair in the second story back room wearing a paper cap and rocking unconcernedly, unconscious of the danger just passed through.

George Charnier was passing through the alley when the crash came and ran around to the front of the building. On learning of the presence of the men in the ruins, he lifted the grating, kicked in the cellar window and quickly got to where pinioned men were. All praise should be given to the men who worked in the cellar at the probable risk of their lives, to secure the men from the ruins.

Among the active workers were Wm. Sinton, George Tryon, Isaac Stamper, Pat Mullen, J. W. Nichols, Wm. Shepherd, Frank Conroy, Wm. Stimpson, John Reynolds, W. S. Sample, C. Van Hesley, M. Berryhill, John McCormick, Dr. O. P. McDonald, E. W. Harrison, Dr. J. C. Hughes, Mayor Moorhead, and Sheriff Kerr, Marshal Hardin, and the police force did effective work in handling the crowd.
~ Researched and submitted by Brenda Anderson


 

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