The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-11-05
correspondence of the Boston Courier'I
Mr.. Choate at Lowell-Narrow
Escape of the Audience from
Destruction.

lN4
Escape of the Audience from
Destruction.
LOWELL, Tuesday Night,
October IS, 1856.
The Hon. Rufus Choate arrived in
this city at six O'Clock this evening, to
fulfil an engagement long made, to ad-
dress the citizens Of Middlesex "On the
Political Topics now prominent before
the Country" Of course the
ment attracted numbers, not only from
all parts of the county, but indeed from
distant States. The throng was great
the events of the night startling-the
sensations of fear aud hope such as can
not soon be forgotten and taking all
things together the experiences were
such as one long remembers. Hear a
brief and hurried recital.
The meeting was convened in Hun
tington Hall, over the railway station.
ladies were admitted to the galleries,
and these thronged, the doors were
opened to the multitude. The hall is
one hundred and twenty by eighty feet.
At seven o'clock it was filled to repie
ton. Men stood packed together in the
closest possible manner, and it was esti-
mated that there were over FIVE thousand
persons within the walls. The crowd
outside amounted to high numbers.
This was the condition of matters.
The meeting came to order, was organ
lied; the President, Mr.. Whipple was
introduced, and was gracefully saying
that he would not detain us-that this
audicuce was here to hear another, aud
while thus agreeably engaged, a sound
as if from a cannon at a distance, filled
all ears, and we felt the floor yielding.
There was a general panic and a move
meut toward the platform, and a great
deal of excitement.
Mr.. Choate was sitting on the rostrum,
calm, contemplative and apparently in
different, not that he was unconscious OF
the shock. He inquired of a gentleman
seated near him, in his characteristic
way, care We sinking to the earth 4!
And being informed that the hall was
used for dancing purposes, and that 1t
was the spring floor only that had given
way, he observed Very well, let us go
on, them" But the crowd was alarmed
and it was necessary to say that there
was no danger" aud to ~nou that
Mr.. Joseph II. Rand, a member of the
city government and an experienced
architect, would go below and examine
the building"
I anticipated the greeting with some
fear, lest it should be the signal for our
destruction-but it passed over without
any renewal Of the forewarning, and the
memory of the FIRST shock was soon ef-
faced by the attractive ~eloquence and
subtle reasoning of the orator. All
thought cf danger, Mr.. Rand's return,
everything selfish, bad given place to
the pleasures of the hour. Mr.. Choate
had spoken full thirty minutes, aud had
reached that point Of his address
What is it to ;ou or me; Z hat Is 1T to
The vast, innocent and !iet body of our
countrymen, North and South-whose
folly. whose violence, whose distrus'
whose .fanat cism for slavery or against
slavery wh"se ambition low or h;gh, s
responsible fer ';e p st "r present.:
when another dismal sound vas heard;
more sinlir g f the aoo. Experienced
there WAS Il pai,ic again and a rush,
Sir. Choase uaused; Mr.. Butl'r shout
Ell that there was 70 Danger" o:bars
gave similar assurances; bat the men
we're ~rrsiive. Tne ladies alone were
comp posed.
Mr.. WhiriIe attempted to make him
sell heard, bat cGa;d not; Dir. Chnate
came 70 his ass;stancc. lie urged gen
]tle,nen to be calm and fem that an ia
spectinn Of tie huiidiug-,horough and
sqti-factory-wuuld be made; nnd if the
Ilaec VIZ not deemed safe, al orderly
adjournment would be had once.
Mr.. Butter stated that lie would go
below aid endcavor to ascertain the
true state of things.
Notwithstanding the threatening rs
pect Of aT-its-tle hoor settled at least
six i.chcs in the centre Of the hail-rot
more tIiaa a thousand men withdrew {:
such WAS tt,e desire to enjoy in full the
feast Of reason" There war some
connection in the ladie'' gallery, and
a movement, but confidence was restored
aud for ten minutes general quiet was
observed on the part Of all.
Mr.. Butler returred and sad :-"Gen-
Observation-Disclosures | have confidence in
the strength of this aoor, although l
am persuaded there is 10 danger. yet
such is the state of feeling here, | think
we had better adjourn. But let there
be no STAN pede-retire in order"
III less than FIVE minutes the hall was
empty, ard all escaped accident and
harm.
And now let me say that there was
danger-imminent ard awful. Mr..
Butler, though he disguised his fears,
entered the hall, never expecting to leave
it alive; and to his furnaces, aud intre-
pidity credit should be given for the
preservation of that great concourse of
men and ms He discovered, with
M. Rand, that the floor had yielded
perceptibiy, that the noise which so
alarmed all was the Swapping of the iron
fastcnings ami supports; that If the aud
fence was net soon removed, the floor
and roof, and perhaps the side walls,
would soon come down. lie discovered
that certain timbers and joints upon
which the floor rested had given way,
and that the ceiling of the depot beneath
was opening and threatening.
But the audience retired il, order and
without accident. The gentlemen on
the platform were Of the last to leave.
Mr.. Choate, while passing to the door,
for the first time seemed to indicate by
expression, the realization of the dan
ger which environed us. The floor act
ually sunk under him two or three inch-
es. and lie was heard to remark This
is eoinc;" but he retained his self-p o
session and walkc on.