Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-01-21
Particulars ofthe Awful Catastro
pht at Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Mass, Jan. 100 P. NJ.

/
j One Of the most terrible catastrophe
ion record occurred in this city this 2. NJ
1.-THE Pembcrton Mills fell with sudlet
|crasl at about o'clock, while some 81
or seven hundred operators were at work
The Mills are complete wreck. Some
1.-Two or iAree hundred persons are supposed
Ito be sill in tho rains. At present it i
Impossible to give anything Ikea ccrecl
statement of the loss Of life, but from tbs
hes. authority ii is believed that at leas
two hundred are deal in the ruins. -
Eighteen dead bodies have already beer
taken out, together with some twenty -fiss
persons MORALLY wounded, besides SONS
4 fifty 10 different stages of mutilation.
Mr., Chase, Agent Of the Mills, and Mr.
Howe, the Treasurer, escaped by running
from the falling building.
I Il is impossible as yet 10 tell the cause
Of the disaster. Our reporter has just
come from the ruins, and The scenes there
Leggar all description. Some two hundred
acres Of ground is filed up with every dis
Icfiption of machinery from the falling
buildings. Huge Lonfres are Burning, te
4 light come two or three thousand person:
who are working as if for their own lives
to rescue the unfortupate persons, many
Iof whom are still crying and begging 70
be released from their torturea Every
few minutes some poor wretch is dragged
from his prison, and it is heart-rending to
hear their cries as they are drawn out with
legs and arms crushed or torn. One man
shockingly mapgled and partly under the
wreck, deliberately cut his own throat to
END his agony.
The whole city seems to be in mourning
Many are running through the streets,and
with frantic cries searching the ruins.
Temporary hospitals, have been arranged
for their reception. Another terrible crash,
caused by the clearing away threatened
death to all who may still be alive in the
ruins. Gen. II. K. Oliver is conspicuous
land active in cheering those persons who
lare endeavoring to rescue the victims Of
the disaster Gangs Of men with ropes
Ibelow are constantly dragging out large
pieces Of the wreck which imprison SO
many. Some Of the rescuers were killed
in their huihane efforts.
Since we left The scene of disaster, re-
1poris Of more Of the dead and diving are
constantly coming to US. Surgeons are
coming from all directions, and everything
that can be done is being done for the
fsufering victims of the fearful calamity,
the mystery Of which viii have to be clear
ed BY an inquest.
Second Dispatch, l1.3o p III
At about 10 minutes past FIVE o'clock
this afternoon. our citizens were warned
10y the cry Of fire, which preceded from
The Pclnberton MilI-aboat foar-iifIbs Of
which bad fallen shapeIess mass, without
the slightest warniog to nearly 500 hu-
man beings. aho we're there at work.
The building was not thought to be safe
il Was built about seven years ago, and
then thought to be 4 sham. Indeed be-
fore the machinery was put in, the walls
spread TO such an extent that some %
tons of iron Stats were put in to save the
frame from falling by its own weight
From the best information that can now
be gathered, the building appeared to
cNmble and fall from the eastern corner
or end. 1t fell inwasds. The firemen at
once repaired to the spot, but there being
no fire they at once set to to work with a
will to remove the rubbish. They very
soon reached some rooms, 50 that the dead
and wounded were taken out as fast rs
they could be reached. Mr.. Charles
Balchclder helped remove some &c in va
iious conditions some were still living.
NJ. 3anch, AZ oserseer, has not yet been
found.
The City Hall has been converted into
ia temporary hospital for the dead and
wounded till recognised. Mr.. Palmer was
buried in the ruins all The tire, and think
ling there was no prospect Of being extri-
lcated, cut his throat to end his sufferings;
Istill he was taken out AM lived some
time. One woman in The part of the mill
standing, became frightened and threw
herself out of The fifth story door, and IN
Ijured herself 50 that she cannot recover
| The laboring force Of the mill is about
96O, and it is supposed that about 700 hu-
man beings were actually buried in The
ruins. A workman just rescued says here
are some 25 more in The viclnity yet alive
! About half past nine fire was discovered
This additional horror struck terror to the
friends that before had been hopeful Of
saving more lives. Still the work of re-
lmova went on. The force pump and en-
Igines on the ground we're at once got to
work, and have been pouring torrents on
it, so that at | 80 the fire does not seem
to gain, and hopes are entertained that il
viii be stayed. Those near the breaking
j ors of the fire were almost on the point
,|of extricating woman not much hurt, but
, the flames drove them back, and the wo-
man is supposed to have persisted.
| The mayor has telegraphed for the
Lowell firemen, wEo will arrive about {
i o'clock.
! Taoelve O'clock MidnigM)
j Calamity succeeds calamity! In lei
minutes the whole mass Of ruins has be-
come one sheet of flames. The screams
and means Of the poor buried creatures cal