rA Serious Accident Boston Daily Globe - 18 September 1877 |
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A Serious Accident1 Several people severely injured - defective construction the cause of the calamity - what inspector Shaw Says - Other accidents of the day. An accident which did much to mar the enjoyment of the great celebration, and which might have resulted in a terribly fatal affair, occurred a little before noon yesterday [17 September 1877] at the South End, and caused a great deal of excitement in the vicinity. Platforms with three tiers of seats had been erected for the use of families and guests of members of the City Government, extending along the entire Washington street sides of Franklin and Blackstone squares, inside the enclosures. At about 11 A.M. Captain Small of Station V., perceiving that the Franklin square staging was unsafe had it cleared of people. The upright supports were out of plumb, and the whole underpinning was awry. This directed the attention of the occupants of the Blackstone square staging to their won structure, and many gentleman commenced to remove their families, pronouncing it unsafe. It was evident to those who examined the underpinning that it was not braced properly, and indeed what few braces there were were all in one direction. The upright supports, however, were plumb, and most of the six or eight hundred persons occupying the seats remained in their places. At 11:45 o'clock, suddenly the staging began to settle under the weight on it, and in less time that it takes to tell it the structure fell flat to the ground, collapsing completely all along the line, with a loud crash. The shrieks of frightened women and the shouts of men, the clouds of dust arising and the crashing of the timbres, were enough to attract a large crowd, and cause the most painful excitement. Most of those who occupied seats sprang their feet as the staging began to settle, and were in that position when the final crash same. Those who were uninjured sprang at once to the aid of the less fortunate ones, and soon the grass in the rear of the ruins was covered with the wounded. The officers of Station V. rendered every assistance and with little delay the serious cases were removed to the apothecary stores in the vicinity, thence to their homes. Following is a List of the Wounded: Mrs. Ellen W. Crowley, wife of Superintendent of Pawnbrokers James K. Crowley, 260 Broadway, South Boston, compound fracture of the left leg; carried to City Hospital, Jackson E. Hall, 25, Sidney street, Cambridgeport, bad fracture of both bones of left leg above the ankle; carried to City Hospital. Henry Clinton O'Brien, son of Alderman O'Brien simple fracture of left leg; carried to St. James Hotel. Mrs. N. Apollonio, left leg fractured. Carried to her home on Monroe street. Miss Belle Bartlett, 37 Everett avenue, Chelsea, dislocated ankle. Carried to her home. Charles W. Sullivan, East Boston, severe contusion. Mrs. Hannah, Buckley, 49 Monument avenue, Bunker Hill District, injury to back. Morris Rowland, East Cambridge, head and right wrist slightly cut. E.H. Woods, leg broken. Miss E.G. Rothwell, Warren street, Highland District, severely bruised. Mrs. John N. Devereaux, 384 Main street, Bunker Hill District, injured internally. Mrs. H.W. Fernald Warren street, Highland District, badly bruised. About a dozen women fainted, and many received slight bruises or sprains which did not require medical treatment. Alderman O'Brien was informed of the misfortune which had befallen his boy, and hurried to the St. James, arriving soon after the limb had been set. The people who were present when the accident happened say that persons were permitted to pass to the seats upon the Blackstone square staging up to the very moment previous to its downfall. The responsibility for the catastrophe is freely charged to Inspector of Buildings Shaw. It is said that he had inspected the staging and pronounced it safe. He was on the ground shortly after the accident, surveying the wreck. Carpenters who inspected the premises after the accident said the material used was good enough, but the construction was faulty. Mr. Joseph F. Paul, the well known builder, constructed the seats, it was reported for $2500 or $30002, and the reputation of the builder was considered a guarantee of substantial work. WHERE THE BLAME BELONGS. Mr. Oliver L. Shaw, Inspector of Buildings, says, in regards to the accident, that the following letter was issued from his office on Saturday City of Boston,
To the Assistant Inspector You are hereby directed to inspect all the stands and temporary structures that are or may be erected along the route of the procession of September 17, and see that each and all of the said stands and temporary structures are constructed in a thoroughly safe manner, and you are authorized to forbid the use and occupancy of those that, in your opinion are in any way unsafe and dangerous. Oliver L. Shaw Mr. Shaw goes on to say that Messrs. Thomas P. Sweat, William Frye and William G. Emery were detailed to take charge of the route south of Dover street, and John D. Randall and George W. Griffin were assigned to that portion of the route north of Dover street. The Assistant Inspectors reported to Mr. Shaw that they had examined the stands and found them perfectly safe for occupancy. An investigation has been ordered by the Inspector in all matters pertaining to the occurrence. Mr. Shaw also states that the Assistant Inspectors reported to him that they had examined the staging on Blackstone square, and found it to be all right. Anybody, Mr. Shaw says, can build a stand without a permit; and the Assistant Inspectors were supposed to go over the whole route of the parade and ??? all the stands and inspect them. He says the stand on Blackstone square fell in a lateral manner; it was 300 feet long, and had three tiers of seats.
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