The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-07-04
THE DAILY DISPATCH
Friday NIoraiug. July 4, 1856.
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT AT PHILADELPHIA
CAvING IN or A WHARF.
Loss OF LIFE-RopIEs REcoyEREp


place at Philadelphia about O'Clock on Tuesday
evening. The Philadelphia Bulletin of Wednes
day afternoon gives the following account of the
frishtful scene, and the cause:
The scene Of the disaster was at Reed st. wharf
The frat below the Navy Yard. This wharf ex
tended out about two husdred feet from the main
land. and II was built in three sections These
sections were joined together by bridges that span
ned the suces between the different divisions. -
The pier thus formed, running far into the river
WAS very pleasant A. place of resort after sun.
dow and 1t was favorable lounge for the people
residing in the vicinity, TO spend the evenings du
ring the lot weather We have just passed through.
About O'Clock last evening, one of the braces OF
the pier gave way, and IL was secured with ropes.
nothing more being thought about it at the time.
About = O'Clock, The outer and the centre sections,
and the bridge that connected them, gave way to-
gether, with most tremendous crash precipitating
great number OF persons into the river and form
lag scene that battles description About 100 feet
OF the pier was involved i'll the crash and II Is be-
heved that nearly, II not quite, two hundred per-
sons, principally women and children, were upon
the portions that gave way.
To add 10 the torrbs character of the disaster,
avery large and heavy pair of shears that were
used for hoisting heavy weights, and that stood
upon the outer section fell over among the strug-
gIlng mass Of people but We are assured that no
person was struck by them. The sections were
filled in with coal ashes and other rubbish, and
"uch tLc gave way. tuusG III uliuSt Oh tuc
wreck were not only entanged with the crashing
tilnbers, but were buried beneath the mass of rub
olsh that poured into the chasm into which they
were precipitated. The tide was down at the
time, but notwithstanding this fact, there were
twenty feet Of water at the extremity Of the
pier.
We give below descriptions of the scene taken
down from the lips of those who were eye-witnes ss
OF the dreadful event and We will not duplicate
their thrilling accounts. Those who not 80
fnvp xpH in fb,ayy IN ia hnl lY
erted themselves TO the utmost to succor the poor
crtalures who were struggling i'll the water boats
were put out from the shore quickly IS possible,
aud the boats of the United States Receiving ship
Union that lay within few rods of the scene,
speedily manned and performed good service in
the work OF humanity. A great number Of per-
sons were rescued in this way, and il is believed
that none were lost except such as were entangled
IN the timbeTs, or, to use the words OF an actor in
the scene, who were swallowed up in the earth
with which the wharves were filed In.
The excitement that followed the dreadful event
can scarcely he described. The news of the disas.
ter, which was much exaggerated, flew like wild
nre through the lower part of the city, and thou
sands of persons thrOnged to the scene The wall
ingof those whose friends were missing was heart,
rending while the anxious inquiries and anguished
faces of persons who were searching for those
whose fate still uncertain, excited the live
liest sympathy among the spectators.
The following is an accurate list of those known
to be killed Harriet RhinedOliaT, aged IL Hester
Short 10; John Bills 10; Sarah Jane Nickles, 10;
Ann s Nckles, s; Mary McMann, e; John Harri
son, g. Elizabeth Harrison, ); Wilson WolventOn,
g. Sarah Elizabeth Wooters, 81. making 10 in all
Two bodies-those Of Miss Rhinedoilar and young
Woiventon, were recovered Wednesday.
John Bills was the son of Jeremiah Bills, living
at No Is Marion street.
Mary McMann was the daughter Of Edward Me
Mann, Lnoulder. living in Front street below Whar-
ton. Dir. McMann had a son and daughter with
him on the pier At the time of the crash Himself
and his son were both badly hurt and the daughter
was lost.
Hester Short was sister of police officer Short.
She had been sick for some time, and had left her
home st No. %, Lancaster street, for the purpose
of getting fresh air. She was accompanied by her
niece, Sarah Wooters. Both of them ere drown
ed
Miss Rhinedollar was the daughter of Samuel
Rhinedollar, living at No. 30 Lancaster street
She was member of the Wharton street III. E
church.
The Harrison children were neices of Miss
Rhinedollar. Their father is at present at Norfolk
where he is engaged on board the United States
Surveying vessel Walker Mrs. Harrison, upon
hearing the dreadful intelligence of the loss of her
children and her sister, was dreadfully agitated,
and she gave birth to twins soon afterw ards. She
is greatly excited this morning, and strong fears
are entertained for her recovery There are five
persons lost from the two adjoining houses Nos.
Is and 30 Lancaster street
The parents of young Wolyerton reside in Jar
Wis street. between ID and Sd.
The Nickles children that are lost were the chill
dran of William Nickles, Wheat street. above
Reed.
STATEMENT OF MR.. DALLAS.
Mr.. Jacob Dallas, shipwright residing in the im.
mediate vicinity of the wharf, gives the following
statement:
about 8 oelock last evening WAS standing on
the end of the wharf furthest from shore / had
just looked at my watch, when heard noise of
children haooipg; looked back and saw the crowd
running to get off the wharf, saw that the shears
were falling on the wharf, and that the crowd
were rushing to clear them When the crowd
was about fifty sixty feet from the riverw ard
end of the wharf.it cracked and sank throwing
ABOUT one hundred men, women and children into
the water. The wharf cracked and made
ing noise like thunder, but the people made hardly
any noise; heard very little crying. was thrown
INTO the water when fifteen feet or from the
uead OF 'he wharf; was taken out by boat, after
"hich saved two little girls, aged about and Is;
dont know their names. When my hands were
tuii OF the httie ghis some called ont, My 3D.
JAKE save that woman looked and saw q woman
go down within arms length of me-
Mr.. Robert L. Graves, who was also ON the
wharf, corroborsted Mr.. DIS statement Mir
Graves was thrown into the water when about
the middle OF the wharf, and, we ara ipforme ed by
Mr. Nickles, saved Mr.. Ms youngest daughter
Both the above individuals place the numher Of
lost at Is or 20
MR. WIN. NICKLE's sTATrNgSr
Mr.. n. resides in Whest street above Read and
los, two children by this disaster. We saw him at
the wharf this morning. and At our Request he
made the following statement
About halfpast 7 O'Clock last evening lef. home
and came down TO the wharf with my three chill
drsn, Sarah Jane, Anna Sebrina, and Isabella had
been on the wharf nearly half an hour when it
gave way At this time was standing near the
end, holding Isabella, the youngest, by the haud;
the other two were about 10 feet from me, looking
at the fishermen When the wharf fell saw my
two children sinking with the dirt, and sprang at
ter them holding the younger by the arn; but
sank Immediately and could do nothing-had hold
OF all three of them when they were forced from
me by the tide | saved, and Mr. Graves
saved Isabella, but the other two children were
drowned
THE AFYAIR AS SEEN FROM THE RECEIVING SHIP
UNION.
AT an early hour this morning one of our re-
porters took boat and went on board the receiv-
ing ship Unon, where he received the following
from Lieut.. Hopkins, commanding officer
A little after dust last evening, was sitting on
deck, when heard cracking noise from shore:
crossed to that side of the deck, and that Reed
street wharf, which appeared full of men, women
and children, was sinking. The northern portion
gave way first, then the southern aide, leaving \
portion of the outer end still standing The part
...t.s A.