The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-01-20
CATAsTROPHE!
Fa!!iag ofa XU - 300 Liues Probably
Lost.
LAWRENCE, Mass, Jan. 10.

One Of the most terrible catastrophies
on record occurred In this city this after
noon. The Pemberton Mills fell with
sudden crash at about FIRE o'clock, while
some six or seven hundred operatives were
at work The Mil. are a complete
wreck. Some two hundred or three hun
dred persons ara supposed to be still in
the ruins. At present it i. impossible to
give anything iike correct statement of
tie loss of lie ; but from the best authori-
ty it Is believed tina: two hundred are
dead in tie ruins. Eighteen dead bodies
have already been taken out, ard some
twenty five persons MORALLY wounded, lie
sides fifty IN dI!lareu. stages of mu,ilation.
Mr. Chase, tie agent of The mills. and
Mr.. Howe, treasurer, escaped by running
fom the falling building.
Il Is impossible ~ yet to tell the cause
Of the disaster. Cur reporter has jast
come from the ruins, and tue scene there
Ieggsrs al description. Some two or
more s.res of ground are piled up with
every kind Of III 4chinery Of he fallen build
ing. Huge bontires are burning to light
CON. two or three thousand persons who
are working as if for Their own lives, to
rescue the unfortunate persons, MANY OF
whom are sti.l crying and begging to be
released from their troubles. Every few
minutes some poor wretch IS dragged from
his prison, and it is heart rendIne TO hear
their cries a. they are drawn out with legs
and arms crushed or torn
One man. shockngly msngled, lying
partly under the bricks, designedy cut
his own throat 10 end his misery. TIE
whole city seems TO he in Mourning
Manv are running through The streets and
Wit frantic erie. are searching tie ruins
Temporary hospitals have been erected
for those reported. Many stand By the
wreck in despair. Another terrible crash
caused by the clearing away of the rub
bi-h, threatened death TO all WHO may be
still alive in the ruins
Gen. Oliver - conspicuous and active in
directing those persons who are endeavur
ing to rescue tie victims of the disaster
Gangs OF men with ropes below. are con
stantly dragging out huge pieces of tie
wreck which lrnp:io"ns SO many. Some
Of the rescuers were killed in their humane
efforts Since we left the scene of the
disaster, report. of more of the dead and
diving are constantly coming 10 US. Slr-
geons are coming i'll from al directions,
and everything tia. can he done at such a
painful moment is being done for tie sut
fering victims Of the fea-ful Gala niLy-the
mys.ely Of which viii have to be cleared
up by Al inquest.
Second DI5PATCu, 11:30 P. M-At
about 10 minutes alter 5 o'clock This =.
m, our citizens were warned by the CRY
of fire, which proceeded from the Pembef
ton Mills, about four tift.s of which had
fallen, a shapelcss mass, without the
slightest waning to 500 human beings
who were then at work. Tie building
was never considered to be as staunch as
it onght to be- 1t was built about seven
years ago, aud was then thought sham.
Indeed, before the machinery WAS put in,
the walls spread 10 such an extent that
some ~ tons Of Stats we're put into IL TO
save it from falling by its own weight
From the best information that can now
be gathered, the building appeared to
cruDble and fall from the eastern corner
or end. 1t fell inwards
The fire department at once repaired to
the spot, but there heing no fire they At
once set TO work with will 10 remove tie
rubbish. They very soon made some
room. SO that the dead and wounded were
taken out as fast as they could be reached
Mr.. Charles Bachelor helped to remove
some 20 IN various condit!ons-some still
living.
Que woman, in the part Of the mil,
still standing, became frightened and threw
herself out Of The dina story door, break
ing AN arm and injuFipg herself so that she
cannot recover.
Mr. Branch, an ovsrseer, has not been
found
The laboring force Of the mill is about
$50, and It IS supposed that about 700
persons were actually buried in The ruins
y woman ha7 just been recovered, and
che ssys there are some twenty more in the
vicinity OF her vet alive. This additional
horror struck terror to the hearts that
had before been hopeful OF saving more
lives. Still the work Of reIuoya! " ent OF;
TIE force pump and engines on the ground
were a. once got to work, and have been
pouring torrents Of water on, so that At
1l.30 tie fire does not seem to gain, and
l.
Those near the breaking out of the fire
were almost on the point of extracting
woman not much hurt, but the flames
dove them back, and the woman proba
bly, persisted.
Tie Mayor has te'-grsphed for the
LoweI fireman. who are expected to ar
rive about o'clock.
i M.-Calanity succeeds calamity. In
ten minutes the whole mas. of ruins had
become one sheet of flames The screams
and meanings of the poor buried crea
lures can he distinctly heard, but no hu
man power can save them.
1889 \. M.--The renberton Mills are
nov block and smoking mass Of brick.
mortar aud human bones, promiscuousIy
mingled. Probably not less than 200
human beings have persisted in the
flames.
Between 40 and 80 musicians are in
Attendance st The city bail and other pls-
ces wherever the injured Iced their seryi-
ee,. The ruins having burned up; it will
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