Shelby, N. C., Aug. 28.—
Collapse of the First Nation-
al Bank building here dur-
ing a rush business hour
this morning claimed an un-
determined number of dead
and injured.

At 12:45 this afternoon,
when excavation operations
had been under way only
three hours, a check up re-
vealed six known dead, 15
known injured, and a num-
ber of persons missing.

 
  

   
     

Police estimated the death
toll would mount steadily

as rescue
bodies.

No accurate check up
could be made of the miss-
ing persons, but it was
known that a dozen or more
had not been accounted for.

Early this afternoon the
crews had searched only
the edges of the huge pile
of debris, and it was feared
many more bodies would be
found toward the center.

The known dead:

Miss Ora Ethridge, secre-
tary to the bank president.
Guy Green, bank clerk.
Alex Boyd, bank clerk.

Zeb Bianton, a _ farmer,
who wag in the bank.

Carl Blanton, his son.

An unidentified white
man.

It was feared that a crew
of 17 negroes who were
working in the center of the
building were all killed. The
rescue crews had not been
able to get to the place
where the negroes were
working at an early hour
this afternoon.

It was knwwn that 15 per-
sons were injured, several
of whom were expected to
die. They were all taken
to a hospital here as they
were dragged from the fall-
en structure. |

Excavation work at a
nearby building was gener-
ally assigned as the cause of |
the collapse of the bank-
building. It wag known that
several persons were in a
grocery store and a tailor’s:
shop which were a part of
the building, but it was ex-
ected to be hours before
hat part of the structure
could be searched thorough-

y. |
_ The collapse occurred dur-
ing a rush hour on this lit-
tle town’s main thorough-
fare, and it was believed
that several persons in the’
street below were trapped
under the resounding deluge
of stone and timber.

The entire fire and police
forces of Shelby, referred
to as “The Summer Capital
of North Carolina,” were
taxed to the fullest in con-
trolling the crowds which
gathered around the scene
of disaster.

Many volunteers aided in,
arse operations.
e building was located
in a busy district, and was'
one of the largest in the’
 
COM Tees thet ke eh ae eee .

SHELBY, N. C., Aug. 28: |
Bight persons were killed. 15
injured and an undetermined |
number are missing in the
collapse of the First National.
Bank building during a rush
hour today. eS
_ The death toll may rise as -
three hours after the crast |

workmen had been able. t¢
clear away the debris only at’.
‘the edge of the building. ,
| The known dead: .
| MISS ORA EHNTRIDGE. secre. .
j tary to the bank president. :
| GUY GREEN, bank clerk.

ALEX BOYD, bank clerk.

DEB BLANTON, a farmer.

CARL BLANTON, his son,

An unidentified white man.

Unidentified negro.

— Vnidentified white man. .
| Police estimated the death toll
‘would mount steadily as’ rescue
‘erews dig deeper into the debris
‘in the search of bodies,
Expect to Find Bodies :
No accurate check up could be.
‘made of the missing persons, but
jt was known that a dozen or more -
ad not been accounted for.
| Barly ‘this afternoon the crews.
pad ‘searched only the edges of tha .
huge. pile of debris, and it was
feared many more bodies would be
found toward the center.

Tt was feared that a crew of sew
enteen Negroes who were working -
in the center,of the building were”
all killed. the rescue crews had
not been able as yet to get to the
place where the Negroes were
working, oe

Tt was known that fifteen per
sons. were injured. several. of whont
may die. They were all: taken ta
a. hospital- here as they were ex

‘tricated from the falien structure,

Excavation work at a nearby

building was generally assigned 3”
‘the cause of the collapse of tia
wank building. It was known that -
lseveral persons were in a grocery
and a tailor’s shop which were A.
part of the building. but it was ex-
‘nected fo be hours before’ that
fpart of ihe- structure could be
/searched thoroughly. 2 oe
| The building was on a principal
business corner here. :

Ther were a dozen petrons em

| ployed in the batk and as the
erash occurred during a rush
| morning business bour, it was be-
lieved that at Jeast that many oth-
ers were in the building, Four
persons were employed in the’
grocety and two in the tailors’
shop. we .

Tt was believed that it would be
hours before rescue crews could
pring out the bodies of all the per-
sons. either dead or trapped under
the piles of debris, and the ex-

| tent of the death tol! definitely as-
| cartained. . .

 

 

 

  

 

 
 