Whitmore Lake Tragedy

Interest iu tbs tragioal oollapse of the big ice honses of tbe Toledo Ice Co., at Wbitmore Lake, on Thursday of laet week, has only abated a very little. With the exoeption of William Foltz, William Bautngarrfner and John Stillson all the injured ruen are doiug as well as could be expeoted. John MoBride, of Owosso, the uufortunate foreuian of tbe work, lies at the hospital iu Ann Arbor, witb one arm broken in five places, both jaws broken and both legs broken. Many of tbe esoapes from injury were truly wonderfnl. Frank Dunoan, of Nortbfield, relates bis expeiieDce as follows: "I was working just outside the building. Sometbing snapped just like three or four pistol shots. I juinped and ran. I saw the north section going down and saw the others being knooked off before it. In 10 seconds the whole building was iu rnins, and the place where I stood was oovered with plank 10 ïeet deep. "For a minnte there was a hnsh, aud then rose the awfulest cry I evec heard. It was the cryiug of the wouuded. They were pinued in the wreek in every ■way. I woiked for half an hour to et oue man out, and it was three-quarters of aa boor befoie wegot them all out." C. A. Trumbull was in the center of the building when he saw the west wall coming , and got out Six men wbo were workiug above him and one man who stood bebind him were hurt. The debris has already been cleared away and the wrok of reconstruoting the immeunse building bas been commenoed. The iuqaest was adjonrned from Friday last UDtil Wednesday before Jnstioe T. D. Muss, as coroner, and a jury compused of Jay E. Pray, Eruery Aneil, James MoHngh, W. B. Rane, James Bnrke and Charles Rane. Amoug the attorneys wbo were present were : Lehman & Stivfrs for the relatives of Oscar O'Connor, Thos. D. Kearney for Wm. Baumgardner, J. W. Babbitt for George Martin, Seldeu A. Minor, of Owobho, for the wounded men residents of that city, Prosecuting Attorney Kirk represented the people, A. J. Sawyer and I. N. Ilnntsberger, of Toledo, for the loe Co. The testiomny of witnesses so far has not beeu of a very important nature. Ten witnesses have been ex amined and the inqnest now stands ad journed to Jan. 27 vvhen the testimony of Mr. McBride will be on hand it i hoped. His depositiou will be taken Jan. 24 if be is well enough. Among those who testified was Alexande Todd, who said that on the evening o the accident the wind had ruade hi barn qniver to its foundation. He be lieved the wind blew the ice house I down. A Detroit Tribune representatve wa allowed to see Foreman John McBride at rbe University hospital, last night Mr. McBride said: "I haven'tan ache in my body, and think ril be able toget ont next week Juhn Todd's story that I was presen and ordered the bracea taken ont of the Whitmore ice house is utterly false. ! i knew that to take them out was danger ous. Besides I was not at the ice house that afternoon. Right after dinner Todd aud I went down to the hotel anc helped Turnbull fix up the books. After a while Todd went baok to tbe works, but I stayed at the hotel unti about 4 o'olock. Then I went back anc saw that the bracea were gone. I saic 'Put them back,' and I did not say it in very uioe language either. Then tbe buiding feil. I think Todd found them in the way and without thinking took them down. John is a good fel low, and I can't see why he shoulc want to teil sucb things on me. Turn buil had nothing to do with taking on the braces and l'm sure he did not know trjey bad been removed." One of the hardest workers at the sceue of the accident tbis week bas been Rev. L. P. Goldrick, pastor of öt. Patriok's cliurch, Northfield, and he has been unremittins in his attentions to the wounded ruany of whom are ruembers of bi5 oongregation.