Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-27
MIscELLhMEoUS.
:
EEcars.rending Accident.

p
melancholy and hcart-rending accident
which occurred tins afternoon. Many
homes that but few brief hours ago were
the see res Of happiness and Joyous antici
pations, W here dangers were not dreamed
ofand every countenance was bright with
smiles-now present deep melancholy and
sad dlamentafions-eycs that were bright are
] flooded with tears. and voices that were
merry are turned to wailing. The details
Of this sad calamity, as near as have been
able TO gather thcm, are as follows:
Abont two o'clock this afternoon, Miss
Harrison. teacher IN primary school No
26, was observed. probably from the close
ness of the room, to faint. On seeing this,
number of children run 10 her side
Others becance alarmed; and in their fright
raised the cry offre. This soon caused
the greatest alarm and cousrcrnaton a.
mong the little unsuspecling innoccnts-
Almost IN "A moment they, as with one i'm
pulse, made a general rush for the doors
and windows and the stairway; which, it
seems. was ofspiral form and running from
the first to the fourth story ofihe building.
Soon the press against the balustrade he
came so great that it gave way, precipi-
taling to the floor below, which was Of
| flag stones, used for play ground, nearly
or quite one hundred of the little ones-
| The scene, at this moment, was awful
and heari-rending beyond description -
Child after child rushed down The horri-
bic pit. crushing beneath their weight
L, l.. 4 4. L.
eaped voluntarily ont Of the windows, and
others threw themselves down the chasm,
minging their lie blood with that of those
already dead and dying. More than sew
eniy children thus rushed into the arms of
death; and although few escaped being Sc
riously injured, some fifty were instantly
killed
The calamity would have been still
greater, but Tor the presence Of mind of Mr..
McNuly, the principal, who was in the
ionr'h story, and who, on hearing the cry
oflire. Immediately placed himself against
the door, declaring that none Of the chill
dren should 90 out in this manner. His
class by this means escaped inevitable de-
| strnction.
The following is list Of the dead thus
far sceriaincd-Emnia Gildersleeve, An
ma Slate, Jacob S pinstead Mother Wood,
Edwin Glenroy, Sarah Bogart, John Land,
Anne Wooley, Catharine Doway, Julia
Delano, A. Van Tassel, Miss Brown, Lu-
cy Carbon. John Knappc, Anna NJ. Hill,
John McMann, Mary IS. Baxter, Sarah
Bogardus, Charles c. c. Moore. George
Mills. Anna Van Dusen, George Walden,
Jesse NJ. Devoe, Jane Cursa, Della Acker-
man, Abby A. Jacobs, Amanda Holf.
Anne c. Thorp, Benjamin Jacobs, Alfred
Pike, George Quackenbuss, Margery
Stephens, Harry Abbot, Mouis Waldron,
Sarah Levy, Catharine Reynolds, Eliza
O'NeiIl, Mary Harper, Mary Teachard
Besides these, many others were dreadf,L
ly injured.
A large number were Immediately car
red 10 their homes by their bewildered
parents. so that the full extent of the ca
lamity cannot yet be fully asceriained.
The excitement at the school and at the
9th Ward Station House, has been such
as is seldom or ever seen in our city.
The spectacle ofparents clasping their
dead and dying children bcggars all at
tempt at description. The scene was most
lamentabe to behold.
The Police and staff the Recorder and
Mayor, and many Medical gentlemen We're
promptly on the spot rendering the suffer-
ers all the al in their power.
Aninquest will he held at nine o'clock
tomorrow morning, whcn the true cause
Of this direlul calamity will be more fully
known.
P. S. 10l P. M.--Since the above
was sent. it has been ascerianed that be-
sides those killed some seventy or eighty
are maimed--some oi them for life MANY
Of the little ones are so dreadfully man
sled as tn be scarcely recognizable by
their parents. A number Of the wounded,
it issupposed cannot survive.
No language can half depict the distress
which exists in nconsequenoe of this most
melancholy disaster
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