115 Years Ago, 1910 transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

“Fatal accident on skyscraper Tuesday. Three men go through second story of Mahoning National Bank when false work collapsed — six tons of concrete with pipes and other material fall without warning. George Cunningham dead. Boss carpenter suffered fractured skull and died in city hospital. Other victims will recover. William Rainbow and Charles Jones, colored laborers, badly hurt but are improving. One man dead.

“George Cunningham died at the City hospital Tuesday at noon without regaining consciousness. The funeral arrangements will be announced later. The victim’s home is Pittsburg. It is believed at the hospital Tuesday afternoon that Jones and Rainbow will recover. There in charge of construction work at the bank building say they do not know the cause of Tuesday morning’s accident. It is thought, however, the wires which held the false work were unable to stand the strain and gave way causing the section of freshly laid concrete floor to collapse.

“One man was probably fatally injured and two others were seriously hurt when a section of freshly laid concrete in the southeast corner of the second story of the Mahoning National Bank skyscraper fell when the false work collapsed Tuesday morning at 7:40 o’clock. The victims were working on the second floor and were carried with the avalanche of concrete, tiles and pipe to the ground floor, a distance of eighteen feet. They were rescued within three minutes after the cave-in and were hurried to the City hospital in Orr’s and Gillen & McVean’s ambulances.

“George Cunningham, boss carpenter, fractured skull and internal injuries. Critical condition; William Rainbow, colored laborer, bruised, cut and internal injuries; Charlie Jones, colored laborer, bruised and cut.

“The accident happened shortly after the force of workmen started to work. Cunningham was on the second floor superintending the construction of the false work for the concrete. Rainbow and Jones were tamping the concrete on a section of floor in the extreme southeast corner. Every known precaution had been taken to safeguard against an accident. While the three victims were busily engaged the section of concrete floor on which they were working gave away with a crash and a roar. An avalanche of concrete, tile, reinforced steel bars and pipe dropped from the supporting girders. The victims were carried with the debris to the ground floor. Cunningham was struck on the head by a heavy pipe and rendered unconscious. Rainbow and Jones were caught in the wreckage.

“Warned by the sound of breaking timbers which heralded the accident, the other workmen whose attention was attracted to the spot, witnessed the cave-in. They hurried to the assistance of the victims. The groans of the injured mingled with the excited orders of the rescuers. A call was sent in for Orr’s and Gillen & McVean’s ambulances which made quick responses. Cunningham and Rainbow were carried from the ruins and loaded in the conveyances and were hurried to the City hospital. When Jones was taken out no ambulance could be found. He was carried to the construction office while a hurried call was sent in for a conveyance. None responded. Suffering intensely the victim could not be sent to the hospital until the return of Orr’s ambulance.

“Attracted by the excitement and the clanging of ambulance bells a large crowd gathered about the scene. The police had hard work restraining the curious crowd. The injured men were employed by Contractors Niedermeier & Restle. Cunningham, the boss carpenter, is a Pittsburg man. Rainbow and Jones are from Youngstown.”

• Compiled by Dante Bernard, Museum Educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society