 

(INS) — Six persons were
killed, 15 injured and an un-
determined nuruber are mizsing
in the collapse of the First Na-
tional bank building during a
rush hour today, The death tolt
may rise as three hours after
the crash workmen had been
able to clear away the debris
only at the edge of the build-
ing.
e . e
SHELBY, N. C., Aug. 28—(AP)
—Four peopis were known to
have been killed and an unde-
termined number fnjured here te-
ay when three buildings in the
business district collapsed. The
dead are: Miss Gra Eskridge, a
clerk in the First National bank;

one unidentified white man and

two unidentified negroes.

| The buildings that collapsed

were ths First National bank, in
temporary, quarters; Goodes grec-
ery store. aid &, tailér. shop” No
cause for the collapae wat given
witho workmen were said to have
been excavating under, the buiid-
Me. : My

George Blanton, acting vice
[president of the bank, escaped
with «minor injuries, as did“ For-
est Eskridge, cashier. Ciarencs
Mull, assistant cashier, was sert-
ously injured.

"Two other clerks were sald to
have been buried in the debris.
The proprietor cf the tallor shep
was missing and was reported to
have been buried in the ruins ot
his shop.

Four bank clerks were unac-
counted for but {t was thought
‘| possible. that they were in the
| crowds about the scene. A physt-
cian climbed thru dangerous orer-
| banging walls to treat 2 woniad

bank clerk who was pinned under
twisted steel and brick. a
‘ ‘Tle two dead negroee were
members of the excavating crew
‘at work under the buildings
Others of the crew are missing.

Construction gangs from al
parts of the city were workin
desperately to clear the wreckag:
and extricate those who may atil
be allve. Physiclans from all cit:
hoenitals were called.

 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
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. . .

 

 

 

  

 

 
 