The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-13
THE FRIGHTFUL CALAMITY-INTEREST
lNClDENTS--STATEMEN OF WITNESSES
OF THE CALAMITY

There is strong force of newspaper reporters
| on the ground, and vOuminous accounts have been
received, though they really afford but few addi-
| nonal particulars to those contained in the brief
| but comprehensive telegraphic reports which have
| already acquainted the public with this sad event
| Some OF the statements of the operatives who
were rescued are of an interesting nature.
John ward, an operative in the carding-room,
which was situated on the second story, who was
miracuously saved, with his wife, who worked near
him, describes their escape as follows:
L was in the carding room with the second over
seer, lighting up; it was then five or ten minutes
before five O'Clock; we had few burners lighted
when suddenly heard a loud, laundering crash
overhead, and, on looking up, saw the shafting
coming down upon US, all over the room; terrified
stood nailed to the spot, although knew the
building was coming down me; then heard the
overseer shout; tried to jump out of the rubbish,
but ething struck me senseless; when came to
| found myself in the rubbish, covered with blood
from wounds on my face; finally crawled up and
got to the top of the rubbish; found lot of ruins
hanging over me- which feared would take NV
life, but succeeded in getting out; passed dead
girl and two mangled bodies; when | was first
Knocked down fell under a large grinding stone,
above.
Mr.. Ward found his wife at the City Hall.
The following is one of the many heartrendering
incidents:
ruins and carried to the hospital. This ,oas her
first days cork at the mills! Her devoted mother
attended her, and when she asked what injuries
her daughter had received the latter replied ''my
arm is broken, mother"
"And her head is broken, and oh! my Lord, ;" and
here the poor woman burst into tears. ''Mv poor
darling is all broken"
The unfortunate girl died to-day She was the
main support of her mother and four children
Miss Olive Bridges, of Calais, Maine, who worked
in the fifth story, seized the hosting chain of the
elevator and went safely down FIVE stories and es
capped uninjured.
Before the building caught fire, those imprisoned
beneath the ruins could be and conversed with
Drinks and refreshments were in some instances
passed to them.
found cape hopeless, they bid adieu to their
friends, and in several gave directions as to
the disposition of their bodies.
In one part OF the building hole battered
through the wall, and through it could be seen
three young women, who said they were not at all
injured. One of them thrust her arm through the
small aperture and begged to be drawn through it,
but before the hole could be made large enough
the flames drove the men awav and the prisoners
pershed in the flames.
The coroner summoned a jury TODAY, who after
viewing the dead bodies adjourned till tomorrow
The insurance on the Pemberton mills is S4l5,-
OO0 This is said to be against fire only
THE LATEST.
LAWRENCE, Jan. 1l.-Nine O'Clock p. MA hun
dred and nifty long passenger-cars, crowded to ex-
cess, arrived here to-day. But the railroads did
Every kind of vehicle in the surrounding towns
was brought into use.
During the forenoon, large force were busily
engaged in removing the rubbish. Quite number
out alive.
A strong force of canvassers went from house to
house, thereby ascertainng of every family what
persons were wounded, missing safe. This sum-
ming up shows 1872 persons missing. 1t embraces
all known as killed, and those of whom no tidings
have been obtained by those who made the investi-
cation.
Fifty-two persons are yet inundated in the brick,
mortar, &c, and hundred and thirty dead bodies
have boen removed to the City Hall, or delivered
to their friends.
FURTHER PARTICULARS
INCIDENTS.
The Boston Herald of Wednesday contains the
following account of the rescuing of the sufferers
and other incidents:
The dreadful calamity which Yesterday afternoon
cast gloom over the city of Lawrence has already
been detailed with much fulness, but the following
account gathered last nj hit by our own reporters
on the spot, will be read with intense interest.
THE ATTEMPT AT RESCUE.
At this time-six o oclock-ffteen hundred persons
gathered about the spot, and by the light of the
fires the more daring were on top, crawling under
the ruins, fixing ropes, and doing all in their power
to eStricate those within. At the outset their eff
forts were quite successful. About seventy-five
| persons, men, women and children, more or less
wounded, taken out, and if recognized carried
home, and if not taken to the City Hail. which had
| been converted into a temporary hospital After
| the first hour, however, the work becomes much
more dangerous, by of the fall of timbers as
| displacements made, and often the rescued and
| the rescuer are again in danger of fresh entomb-
| meRt We do not learn, however, that anv serious
accident has befaen any of those who rendered as
sistance from outside but still the danger of the
| attempt deferred from rendering any helm
except by standing at distance and screaming
themselves hoarse in giving advice direction to
the more daring spirits who were hot at work
wOMAN'S HERoISM.
AT one point, when a rope had been fixed to n
| projecting timber, call was made to the crowd to
take hold and pull with will, but for few min
utes, such was the danger of the attempt-for the
beam in falling might engulph all near it-for a
| few minutes, we say, the call was unheeded Men
shuddered and drew back-they would risk much
to aid those below, but life was sweet and the dan
! ger great. At this critical uncture, woman
rushed from among the crowd, and, daring the
spectators to follow seized the rope and atempted
! to mount the pile Of smouldering ruins to clear
a way with her hands. The example was enough;
not word was said, but strong hands at once drew
her back, and then there was no lack of hands to
! the rope, the beam drawn out and at least
| two sufferers released from the opening thus
! made.
HOW THEY WERE BROUGHT oUT-HORRID SIGHTS.
Tine sights and scenes at this period of the dsas-
! ter were frightfu. One poor girl, alive and fully
conscious, was dragged from the east end of the
fallen mass with her left arm torn from the socket
and her body and legs awfully mangled. She was
taken by her friends, but could not have survived
long. In one place the bodies of three girls were
found locked in each others arms, but quite dead.
They could not be removed without mangIing the
bodies, and being abandoned for time, the flames
broke out before another attempt was made, and all
three perished.
One Irshman was taken out quite unhurt and
his first act was to feel in his pocket from whence
he drew forth a sooty ''dudeen," and seiZing a
brand from the fire, he lit his pipe and went his
way.
Next from the ruins we sau, tho da,d bod,, Of n
| lad, and following him was borne girl with one
| OF her ankles burnt to a crisp. She had been con.
| fined by one foot between TWO beams, and rly by
the utmost exertion she recovered. She was
also taken home by her friends.
young girl was released just before the flames
Durst forth and IN answer to question stated that
she was unhurt. 1t afterwards appeared that her
right arm was badly broken near the wrist but in
the excitement of the moment and in the Joy of
deliverance from dreadful death, she had not no.
ticed the hurt
One woman found with her head jammed be-
tween two heavy beams, and pressed so that it was
not thicker than the thickness of a hand. 1t was
! sckenng sight.
One young girl, whose name we bave but do not
| publish, confined in narrow hole surrounded
! by broken machinery and ragged timber and
boards, succeeded in crushing out into the open air
but when she emerged from the ruins she had
scarcely an article of clothing on her person.
Perhaps one of the saddest episodes of the whole
| calamity the fate of Mr.. Maurice Palmer who
was an overseer in the mill. In the fall he was so
embedded in the ruins that he could not be extrca-
ted before the fire, and seeing the dreadful element
approaching him, he, in his agony and despair, de-
| termined not to be roasted to death, and so drew
| his pocket-knile and cut his throat.
! Our reporter is told by a gentleman who was
early on the spot, that at point of the ruins he
distinguished female voice crying in distress and
soon another voice answered, 'Is that you Lizzie
| Are you hurt?" The reply was a smothered
groan, and an appeal to Gods mercy in her be-
| half. Both these girls were afterwards rescued
| GENES AT THE CITY HALL-THE DEAD AND WOUNDED
AGoNIzTNG SPECTACLE.
Immediately after the dreadful occurrence the
City Hall was thrown open, by order of the Mayor,
as hospital for the wounded, and a receptacle for
| the dead.
At sevon o'clock this morning, the stairways
were thronged by multitude of people, every one
apparently in agOnizng state of suspense to as
certain whether father, husband, wife or child
had been inundated in the awful funereal pyre.
1t was struggle for our reporter to obtain an
entrance to the main hall, but by the aid of the
city officials, he finally succeeded-and the sight
was fearful. Stretched on mattresses around the
hall were men, women and children, all more or
less inured-some dreadfully mangled.
On the right of the entrance, in a small ante
room, were stretched the corpses of thrty-sx per.
sons of both sexes, old and young. The bodies
were so close that it was difficult to pass between
without treading upon mangled limb. Feet were