The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-11-19
From the Charleston STANDARD
A THRILLING SCENE-ALMOST A
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

great speech delivered at Lowell, on Tues
day eveniag last by Hon. Rufus Choate.
A correspondent OF the Boston Courier
who was present and heard the speech,
gives the following graphic particulars
Of what may be termed u ~ awtully Thrill.
ling scene
LOWELL, Tuesday, night, October %.
The meeting was convened in Hunting
ton Hall, over the railway station
Ladies were admitted to the gallarie$, and
these thronged, tie doors were opened
to the multitude. The hall is one hun.
dred and twenty by eighty feet. Alto
clock it was filled to repletion. Men stood
packed together in the closest possible
manner, and it was estimated tina: there
were over FIVE thousand persons within
the walls. The crowd outside amounted
to high numbers.
The orator was hailed as no ma in
Massachusetts had been hailed since Web,
ster; and everything promised an hour
Of intellectual enjoyment ard instruction
rarely afforded, and satisfactory tcrmi.
nation. The meeting came to order :
was organized the President, Mr.. Whip
pie, was introduced, and was gracefully
saying hat he wonld not detain us; that
this audience was here to hear another !:
and, while thus agreeably engaged, when
n sound, as if from a cannon at a distance
filed all ears, and we felt the floor yield.
ing. There was n general panic, and a
movement toward the platform, and Il
great deal Of excitement.
Mr.. Choatc was sitting on the rostrum,
calm, contemplative, and apparently in.
different, no that he was unconscious Of
the shock. lie inquired Of Il gentleman,
seated near HIM, in his characteristic way,
Are We sinking to the earth /" and be.
ing informed that the hall was used for
dancing purposes, and that it was the
spring floor only that had given Away, he
observed, Very well, let us go on, them"
But the crowd was alarmed, and il was
necessary to say that "thcre was no dan
ger" and 10 announce that "Mr. Joseph
III. RAND, a member of the city govern
ment, and an experienced architect, would
60 below and examine the building"
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 cffac-
Ell by the attractive eloquencc and subtle
reasoning of the orator. Ali thought OF
danger, Mr.. Rand's return, everything sci.
fish had given place to the pleasure OF the
hour. Mr.. Choate had spoken fully ,lir-
ty minutes, and had reached that point
of his address -"What is it % you or
ma what is it to the vast, innocent, and
quiet body of our countrymen, North or
South, whose folly. whose violence, whose
distrust, whose ianaticism for slavery or
slavery, whose ambition, low or
high, is responsible for the past or present;'
another dismal sound was heard
sinking Of the floor experienced A.;
there was q pauic again and a rush. Mr..
Choatc paused ; Mr.. Butler shouted ,ha,
"Ihere was no danger )" others gave SIM
liar assurances; but the men were res
The ladies alone were composed.
Mr.. WhiPple attempted to make him.
self heard, but could not; and Mr.. Choate
TO his assistance. re urged gentle
men to be calm and firm {; that an inspec.
ton of the building-thorough and sat
isfactory-woull be made and ii the
place was not deemed safe an orderly
would be had Mt once.
Mr.. Butler stated that he would 90 be
low and enGeayor to ascertain the true
atate OF things.
Notwithstanding the threatening aspect
OF atfairs-the floor settled at least six
in the centre Of the hal-no more
n thousand men withdrew /; such
the desire to enjoy in full the %"feast
IF reason" There was some commotion
in the ladies' gallery {; and a movement ;
but confidence was restored, and for ten
minutes general quiet was observed on
the part Of all.
But Mr.. Butler returned aud said,
Gentlemen, although | have full conf
lence in the strength Of this floor, al
am persuaded there is no dan
ger, yet, such is the GeeEpg here, l think
We had better %adjonrn. But let thsfe be
no stampede-retire in ORDER"
In less than five minutes the hall was
empty, and all escaped accident and
harm.
And now let me say there was danger
and awful. Mr.. Butler.
though he disguised his fears, entered
hall, never expecting to leave it alive:
and 10 his frmness and intrepidity credit
should be given for the preservation OF
great concourse Of men and women.
He discovered, with Mr.. Rand, that the
soog had yielded perceptibly /; that the
noise which s. alarmed all was tie snap
ping Of the iron f~astenings and support;
il the audience was not o remov-
ed, the floor and roof, and perhaps the
side walls, would soon come down. lie
that certain timbers and joists
upon which the floor rested had given
way, and that the ceiling Of the depot
beneath was opening and threatening.
But the audience retired in order and
without accident. The gentlemen on the
platform were OF the last to leave. Mr..
.hoate, while passing to the door, for the
frat TINA aaapnad IN ;.l.~a