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’
 
 

... yphedby, NOC. Auge 28.—Kight
persons were killed, fifteen in-
jured and ajl undetermined num
.ber are missing fin the collapse. of
the First National bank building
during a rush hour ‘today.

The, death toll may jrise three
hours after the -erash ‘workmen
had been able to clear away the
anly at the edge of thy

 

 

 

   

 

  

The known dead are; Miss Ora
Ethridge, seeretary to the bank.
president; Guy Green, bank clerk;
Boyd, bank clerk; Del) Blan-
ton, a farmer; Carl Blahton, his
‘son; two unidentified white men,
and an tiidentified negro,

Police .estimuted. the’ death,-toll
Would ‘mount steadily as rescue
crtws dug flecper into the debris
in the search df bedies. '

No Accurate Check. +

Nozpeenrate, check, “codild » be
jraade of the missing persons, but.
hit was known that a dozen or more
had not been, accounted , for.

! Early this afternoon the etews
‘hail searched only the edges of
the huge pile of debris, and it was
feared: many more Wodics would
be found: teward| the center.

Tt was. feared \that a crew of
‘seventern negroes|who were work-
ing incthe center\of the buildin;
all wert, killed....T. OSCUG. CLEW!
had "ngt* been ahle! as yet to pet
to thé/piaee wiere the negros: had
been jorking.

It. was. known that fifteen per-
sons were injured, several of
whom may dic. They were all
[taken to a hospital here as they
were extricated: from the Lal
structure, oa

Excavation work at aciearby
“building was gencrally! assigned
us the cause: of the collapse of
the bank buildings "It was known
that several pefsons wert: in a
i grocery store and ‘h-tailor’s shop
which were a ‘part of the build-
; (hg, but it was—expected: ‘to che
| hours befate t part of tm:
tstructure—eould—pe-searched d-ther
oughly. » at Beak 5,

   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

  

 

 

 
 