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’
 
| Shelby, N. G, Aug. 28. (1
N.S.)—Light persons were
killed, 15 injured and an unde-
termined number are missing
in the collapse of the First Na-
tional Bank building during a
rush hour today,

The death tol! may rise as
three hours afler the crash
workmen had heen abled to
clear away (the debris only at
the edge of the building,

Police estimated the death  tott
would mount steudlly as rescue
crews dug deeper inta the debris in
the search of bodies,

No aveurate check up could be
muade of the missing persons, but it
was known that a dozer or more
had net heen accounted for.

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

Te was feared that a crew_ of
seventeen negroes who were worke
ing in the center of the building
were all killed The rescue crews
had not heen able as vet in get to
the place where the negroes were
work lag.

Ht was huown that fifteen per-
sons were jnfured, several af shon
inty dio, ‘They were all taken ta 2
hospital were as they were evtract-
ed From the fallen structare.

Excavation work at a nearhy
building was generally assigned ax
the re of the collapse of the
link building, 1t was kuown that
several persmis were in a grocery
and a tatlor’s shop whieh were a
part of the building, but [t was
pected to be hours hefere that part
of the structure could be searched
Lheroughly,

The collapse seeurred during a
lsh hour on this Hitie town's main
thoroughfare, aud it was helleved
that severat persons fn the street
were trapped under the deluce of
stone awd timber,

The entire fire and police forces
rere taxed ta capacliy in control
fnz the crowds, Many voluntiers
lided fy the rescue aperations, ,

The buitting was located in a
msy district, and was one of the
argest In the town,

 

 

 

 

  
 