W. H. Richards, general manager of the Standard Tinplate company, was in Baltimore when he heard of the disaster of Saturday night. Some one called him by telephone, but he was out of his hotel room at the time. When he returned he was told there was a call for him, and at once he endeavored to get in communication with the party who had called for him. The telephone was a slow means, however, and all he could learn from the operator was that "something dreadful" had happened at Canonsburg. Finally, at the end of an hour and a half, the connection was made and he talked through to Canonsburg and learned of the catastrophe.