Salem (IN) Democrat, June 26, 1889, p. 3. What might have proven a very serious accident occurred at Dr. Lanning's new building at the corner of South Main Street and the public square Monday afternoon. The building had advanced above the second story and brick layers were building the wall adjoining Mr. McIntosh's building occupied by F. L. Prow's general store on the east. The wall of the McIntosh building was weak and by no means perpendicular, yet an attempt was made to attach the new wall to it. When bricks were removed from the old wall, (three for four illegible words) inserting others which should join the two walls, the old wall gave way. Two or three workmen were on the new wall when it was observed that the walls were giving way. Ambrose Shrum ran along the north wall and escaped, letting himself down by a rope an instant later. Riley Shrum, a boy about 16 years of age, was near the center of the new wall and fell with it a distance of perhaps 25 feet. He first fell between the joists of the second floor and then between those of the ground floor alighting on a pile of rubbish in the cellar. The joists of the second floor gave way and fell after the unfortunate boy but were partially arrested by the joists below. Strange to say, he was not seriously bruised and so far as could be discovered, received no further injuries than a severe shock. When it is known that the old wall was three stories high and that a chimney stood above that, the great danger in falling under it is apparent, and the young man's escape from fatal injuries is remarkable. The walls of the McIntosh building were bad before, and the jar shook them still more, and extensive repairs to them will be necessary as well as to the walls of the Lanning building. Too much care cannot be taken in the erection of brick buildings and in all large cities when a wall becomes dangerous, it is condemned by the authorities and torn down, but even then accidents often occur in building new walls.