The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1860-01-18
rHELAwRENCE CATASTROPHE.

III We could but forGet the occASlon VI
onr crowded streets, we shoIld at once
conclude that some great occasion or q
gala-day had arrived, but the air of sad
ness aud almost despair so visibly depict
ed on the countenances Of our citizens
keeps the dark reality constantly before
our minds. Every train from every direc-
ton comes 10 laden toits utmost capacity
with living friends. When we consider
that no less than $50 long passenger cars
hare been in here to-day, realizing idea
may be arrived at in regard to the num-
Der of our visitors. The morning and
forenoon were used in removing the rub
bish, after being sufficiently cooled, in or
der if possible, to get the bodies known
TO be stillunder the ruins. Quite num-
Der were got out. Two persons were ia
ken out alive early in the morning. A
squad of canvassers were organized, and
the whole city laid out into small dis
tricts, and pretty thorough canvass was
entered into, the men going from house
to house, thereby ascertaining in every
family whore persons were either wound
ed, missing OF safe. The summing up
shows that 1879 persons are missing. This
embraces all those known to have been
killed, and those of whom no tidings have
been obtained. 1t is admitted by those
who have gone into the investigation that
So persons are yet inundated in the brick
and mortar. 100 dead bodies have been
removed to the City Hall, or been deliv-
cred 10 recognizing friends.
Previous to the fire two sisters were
together, and comparatively unhurt.-
They would have been rescued. Hearing
the roar of the flames, they exclaimed,
Oh God we have got to dep One
woman shrieked out piteously that the
fire was burning her hair, but the flames
soon after silenced her cry. 1t has already
been stated that one man cut his throat
lest he should be burned alive. Mr..
Branch told his friends who were digging
for him, that he should resort to the same
means TO escape the tortures of the fire,
he was persuaded to desist and was for
tunately rescued. The awful death that
some died of by the fire was fearfully at
tested by their baked and blackened forms
when taken out, not in anything like those
of human beings.
LAWRENCE, Mass, Jan. II.
AT the inquest to-day, Jesse Glover,
overseer Of the repair shop of the Penn.
berton Manufacturing Company, testified
that he had at times seen cracks in the
walls, but nothing that he considered Sc
rious. He had never strengthened the
walls with iron work, but had heard il
was SO strengthened. He thought the
building was weak, but apprehended no
trouble.t Did not think it as strong as
buildings usually are. Had heard that
the timbers were not bolted TO the walls.
Iron trusses had been put into the build
ing before he went to work there. The
boiler appeared perfectly sound. 1t was
in q separate building. He examined the
building since the accident.
Mr.. Chase, agent of the mill, testified
rs to his escape. He said there was less
weight at the end which fell than at the
other. -Four fly frames in the fourth
story were moved that day from the part
which fell to another place. They weigh
ed a ton and a half There were proba-
bly, 500 persons in the building. He did
not know how the fire caught. The Es-
sex Company built the mill. He die not
know how it was constructed. There
were cracks each side of the chimney in
the building, caused by the swaying of
the chimney. The chimney had broken
away from tho building, and iron had
been placed round to strengthen il, but
not from any fear of the building itself.
There have been no new cracks near the
chimney for two years. Know of no otl-
er cracks in the building Was less mo-
ton in the building than in Others. He
considered it safe, as it had stood six
years.
John Patterson, overseer in the weaving
room in the basement, testified rs his es-
cape. Had heard a statement that the
building was unsafe, but never noticed
anything about the building TO make him
think so. Mr. Corlss, who put in the
shafting, had told him that be Gid not
consider the building safe. He also un-
derstood he had said that two upright
shafts would ia time shake the end of the
building out. Don't think over thirty
persons employed in my room were kill
ed. There were 3o4 employed there last
Monday.
John Pinder, wooden manufacturer in
the Washington Mill, testified that he
with others helped what they could. We
got the roof of and took out machinery.
wood and bodies There were some men
near me with lanterns, and as they were
not doing any good, said, "For Gods
sake take care of those lanterns, there is
cotton all around here" saw four men
goingto hole with two lanterns, and |
shortly after saw them come out with on
ly one lantern. In moment after he
saw the flames. The men ran into the
crowd, and he after them, but could not |
catch them. The lanterns were guarded |
ones, aud think they were filed with
oil. The fretookfrom loose cotton hang
ino, ol.o,,t L. Il.