Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-19
Terrible Disaster.

of the sort which ever before happened in this
country occurred at Lawrence Mass, on
Tuesday afternoon. The Pemberton Cotton
Factory, brick building five stories high, and
covering about two acres of ground fell ID
with sudden crash, buryng in its ruins most
of the operatives, over 500 in number VI
these, it is estimated, that no fewer than ZOO
have lost their lives, by the fall or lire while
mutitudes of others have been more or less Sc
Yerely injured The disaster occurred quarter
before five O'Clock, and without the slightest
warning The eastern wall appears to have
given way first but in a few seconds four ffths
of the factory had tumbcd down, the walls |
falling inwards, and burying hands, machinery |
and stock in indiscI inmate ruin. In short
time two thousand of the citizens had collected
to render assistance, and every effort was made
to rescue the wretched sufferers. BonfreS
were lighted and houses converted into hospitals.
About half past nine o'clock a fire broke out
and by midnight it had involved the whole
wreck in a mass of flames, in which many per-
iShed The fireman were unable to eXtinguish
the conhagration, although assisted by another
body which arrived from Lowell Mr. PAL
MER seeing no prospect of relief, cut his throat
he was, however, taken out alive, but died in a
few minutes afterward The Washington
Mills, close by came very near being destroy
ed by the fire.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT.
The building fell-the different parts almost
simultaneously five minutes before o.
clock. A portion OF the operatives had left
but it is probable that abou: six hundred (the
minimEm calculation were in the building at
the time.
The report that an explosion Of the boiler
caused the fall is incorrect. The boiler was
not located in the main building, and it fell as
nearly as | can learn, from mere weakness of
the walls and their inability to support the
structure itself and the weight and constant
jar of the machinery within it, and not from
any sudden shock or pressure brought upon it.
The building seemed to crumble first near
the east end, and fell towards the east, being
pressed in that direction by the workshops
chimney, &c, on the west side. The L re-
maned standing for an hour or two, and a
portion of it is still up. In an instant the main
building was lying heap of fragments, and
the screams ard groanS OF the wounded could
be heard issuing from the ruins.
EXTRICAToN OF THE BODIES.
The news Of the disaster went like an cleo
trio shock over the city, and people commenc-
ed running to the spot. The Washington
others in the ritv nonrod f6rrL in eYcitoJ
thrones Those on The street rnsbad 70 tbo
nIacn stores wore dasortod houses loCt rnrro
tccted and almost tho whole nonnIatio, c,atL.
cred around the spot.
Those who could work piled hands and tools
briSkly, all with heavy hearts, and spirits sad
dened by the frantic cries of some for help the
Of those who bad Eean tiIloG o7N'
As tba Lodies If tLa yron,dod dao5 o,d
DYING were tokan out those which ,vnro roco,r
uizcj wera deIircrad n tIair friord, and srnb
as were not ranoo,,il.J p.nrs tal,,, - tLo C;t,,
M T. tii,
mon tbe nile Iaborrd nnr9mittin%jv for bonrs
John Porter F>o the Cj,y Marshal and ali
the officers If tLa rcIico I,,rI,od ,nlJv ond
we're successful in savjno monv bodies
BREAKING orr Or rIIr FIRE
About 8 o'cIocl, \ fire broL, ant fr.,r tho
cnginc room at tbn south opd oC tho LniIdin,r
and soon sprcad over the whole rnfn Tha
scene now was bpart-sickenipo accor,lin, n
every doscrintion Copsrions Of thn tortnriro
death which awaited the nnrortnnotos yboso ,
spf,rinos had not baan erdnd ~, doo,b tho
by.standers we're pnabIn to orTord tbcn ony
relief
A few more bodies were oot ont hrt only .
few, after the flames had begun to rage The
groans Of the sufferers caused indcscribablc
-" ~ i''' u "a an ''I OuhN', anu ~ 'Ie'H
were added the frantic appeals Of some who |
relatives and friends to whom no succor was
poSsible