New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-12


of manufacturing business the machinery ani opera
yes Of tire mil have been lately ssed. Alt the
failure of Lawrence Stone & Co, the mill was sod
to George Howe aod David Nevens for $gl5, 0oO aad
has since been carried on by them.
TIE Pemberton Min wac chartered in 1853, aud she
factory was erected soon sf'srward. John A. Lowell
and Samuel Lawrence were TIE leading owners. Its
size may be Inferred from the fact that it contained GOO
looms 10000 srinder. 1t was 800 feet long by 81
wide. The mill was involved ia the failure of Law
| renee, Stone g. Co and was sold by auction late In
1857. II wac purchased by Messrs David Ncvins aud
George Howe for $30O,0oC. The original coat was
100000. The present owners have it about two
| yeaia
There is considerable insurance upon the property
DESTROYED but whether the policies will hold good ex
ccpt for tie oss by ere cr the building fell is for the
| future 10 determine .r
Nearly all employment is suspended here to-day, ex-
cept that of attending 10 the wants of the wounded,
preparing for burial the oead arsoy found or search"
ng for further victims ia he waists Ieodef;ng becta-
tomb which now covers the si'e where stood the
Pemberton Mil
The streets are htoDf ed WITH cj7ens and strangers,
ard crow6S Of people SURROUND the funs aud beslege
tie doors OF the Cry Hail. TO learn tn- fate OF irend'
or examine the bodies brought out for fseognoH Al
the Hall, about twenty OF the wounted lie on mat
resses placed upon the floor and att ded by taer
relatives.
These unfortunates presenf most ptiabi' spectacle
Most of them hover between life and death, nd are 80
badly bruised by the falling MIA, or bhserta D, tne
flames, that recognition is very difficult Oisen es-
capped with Bnmntilated features, and le,s serious
bruises. All who retain oopscisuEness exhihe re-
markabe fortitnde IN their diAress, and but few sx-
pressions Of pain heard anongtse helpless vcsis.
In room adjoining the large han, seventeen esd
bodies lie stretched upon the floor Their liyid black
ened and blistered faces present picture of unuttes
able horror The hospital of Seutari nor the bloody
field of Solferno could have exhibited fri ,htfui
Bending several OF the iel sss fornss were
their female relatives, bemoanng theiz loss Va tn
low wailiDg which melted the stoutest hearts.
The view at the City Hall is but instance 81 the
many scenes of suffering and death. AT the bor n.y.
houses and other homes of the operatives, the sad
spectacle is repeated.
Before the fire broke out among ths ruins thoye5s IS
of many persons were heard, who We're apIarsnd
the building as it TELL and who appeared to be- nN
much injured The pro- ress Of the cOliagrstSn
brought these imprisoned victims to most teT-
rlhe DEATH
the city, have been untiring in their labor, sinee the
accident in behalf of the suffering and bereaved. Aid
from the surrounding towns is also at hand, ans the
victims of the catastrophe are receiving all the help
which mortal power can bestow.
When the disaster occurred nearly all the mills
were Immediately stopped. The Pacific mills how
ever, were KEPT running until the usual boar for
closing in consequence 1t is said, OF the absence
chief overseer as no one present who had author
ty to order the stopping OF the engines and thusths
operatives were kept for time in painful sus-
pense.
THE SCENE OF The CATAsTROHE.
The PembertOn Mill, where The accident occurred, is
situated on the right side OF Canal street, near the
lower end the opposite side Of the canal. Il was
five stories $50 feet long by 20 feet wide with an u
IS feet square on the SIDE Ii 200 spiades,
and goo operatives were employed. II not very
thoroughly constructed according to the statements Of
builders architects and Others who that they had
no confidence in the durability of the structure.
A tall column on the south side, and similar ons
opposite and near the canal, with small portion OF
one end of the building alone we're standing, and
trembling If about to fall. Engines were about tho
ruins throwing water into the smoking and burning
rubbish, and thousands of people were crowding the
vicinity The canal had been briiged with RATS of
boards thrown on the cracking ice.
Two long lines of clearinghouse, how 80 suddenly
deserted, were situated on the opposite side OF tbs
canal in front of the MILL and the operatives were
obliged TO a bridge in going and return
ing from work. The operatives were mostly girls;
great MANY of them were of Scotch origin, and wero
regarded the most skful and faithful operatives In
Lawrence.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT.
The building fell-the different parts almost stimuli
taneOusIy--at five minutes before o'clock. portion
of the operatives had left but is probable that about
six hundred the minimum calculation) were in the
building at the time
The report that an explosion of the boiler caused the
fall is incorrect. The boiler not located in the
main building and it fell, nearly as L can le.rn,
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 crumbe first near the east
end and fell III towards the east being pressed in that
direction by the workshops chimney &c on the west
side. The remained standing for hour or two,
and portion of it is still up, but in instant the main
building was lying heap Of fragments, and the
screams and gIOans of the wounded could be heard
Issuing from the ruins
STATEMENT OF ONE OF THE OPERATIVES.
John Ward, one Of the operatives in the carding-
room in the second story, was miraculously saved,
with his wife, who worked near him in the same room.
give his description OF the accident and escape in bis
own words:
81 was in the cardng.room with the second over
seer lighting up. Ii was five ten minutes before
o'clock, and we had got but few burners lighted Sud-
denly heard noise-it sounded Ike loud, thunder
ing crash over my head, and looking up, saw the
sbafting coming down upon us, all the room. l
could not account for il, and was terrified. stood
nailed the spot, and did not to have power TO
move, although knew the building was coming on
me. Then heard the oyerseer shout, and tried to
Jump ont of the rubbish but something struck me- and
l was thrown senseless.
81 did not remain 60 long, but when came to
found myelt buried in the rubbish and didn't expect
to get ont alive was all covered over with blood
fl IN wounds on the face. l finally crawled up, and
got to the top, and found lot of ruins hanging over
me- which like to have taken my lie. But sueceeded
in gettiog out. l passed by dead girl ON my way,
ana two other manged bodies before got ooe. men
was first knocked down, fell beneath large grind
ing stone, which was too heavy to give way 70 inc
weight above, and this saved my lie. Wea TELL
under there, saw the walls over me All iaiiing ana
III. Ara