Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1860-01-12
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Falling of the Pemberton Mills, at
Lawrence, Mass.
1872 PERSONS KILLED,
600 Operatives Buried in the Ruins
HORRIBLE UTILIZATION OF THE
SUFFERERS.
THE RUINS ENvELoPED IN FLAMES.

ieColu OcCufTeu III IDlS Guy JnlS afternoon -
The Pemberton Mills fell with a sudden crasl
about five o'clock, while some six or sever
hundred operatives were at work The mills
are complete wreck. Some two or three
hundred persons are supposed to be still il
the ruins. AT present it is impossible to give
anything like q correct statement of the los.
of life, hut from the best authority it is be
lieved that at least two hundred are dead il
the ruins.
| Some two or more acres of ground are pileG
up with every description of machinery and the
fallen building. Huge bonires are burning
to light some two or three thousand persons
who are working, as if for their own lives. tC
rescue the unfortunate persons, many of whom
are still crying and begging to be released
from their tortures. Every few minutes some
poor wretch is dragged from his or her prison
and 1T is heart-rendiug to hear their cries as
they are drawn out, with legs and arms crushed
or torn. One man, shockngly manged and
partly under the bricks, deliberately cut bis
own throat to end his agones
The whole city seems in mourning MANY
are running through the streets, and with fran
tic cries searching the ruins. Temporary hos
pitfalls have been arranged for the rescued
Many stand by the wreck, frigid with despair
Gangs of men, with ropes below are constantly
dragging out huge pieces of the wreck which
mprisons so many. Some of the rescuers are
killed in their humane efforts
SECOND DISPATCH.
LAWRENCE Tuesday, Jan. 10-11 D. m.
At about ten minutes of five o'clock this af.
ternoon our citizens were alarmed by the cry
OF fire, which proceeded from the Pemberton
Mills, about four-ffths of which had falien--a
shapeless mass, without the slightest warning
to the near 800 human beings who were then
at work, The building was never considered
to be as staunch as it ought to have been. 1t
was built about seven years since, and was
then thought sham. Indeed, before the ma
chInery was put in, the walls spread to such
degree that some twenty-five tuns OF iron
states were put in to save it from falling in by
its own weight
From the best information that can be now
gathered, the building appeared to crumble
and tall from the eastern corner or end toward
the Duck mill. 1t fell inwards, as if power
fully drawn that way. The FIRE companies at
once repaired to the spot, but their being no
fire they quickly set to work with will to
remove the rubbish. They very soon reached
some of the rooms, so that the dead and
wounded were taken out as fast as they could
be reached
Mr.. Palmer was deeply buried in the ruins
at the time, and thinking there was no pros
pect of being extricated, cut his throat to
end his suffering. Still he was extricated and
lived some time after arriving at the Hall
One woman in that part of the mill still
standing became frightened, and threw her
bonnet ard shawl out of fifth story door.
and jumped ont herself, breaking her arm and
lnjurlng herself SO that she cannot recover
The laborlng force of the mill was about nine
hundred and sixty, and it is supposed that
about seven hundred human beings were &C
tually buried in the ruins.
About half-past 9 fire was discovered
This additional horror although somewhat ap-
pretended, struck terror to- the hearts that
had before been hopeful Of saving more lives.
Still the work of removal went briskly on.
The force pumps, and all the engines which
were on the ground, at once got streams of
water on, and have been pouring on torrents,
SO that now (ll:30 p. ny, although voiumns
OF smoke and steam are rising, yet the fire
does not seem to gain, and it is certainly to
be hoped that it has been stared
Those near at the breaking out of the fire
were almost at the point of extracting a wo-
man badly hurt, but the flames drove them
back. and the woman is supposed to have per,
shed, when delivery seemed SO near. The
Mayor has telegraphed to Lowell for the fire.
men of that city, who will arrive here about
o'clock. 1t is estimated that not less than
two thousand able-boded men have been con-
stantly at work on the ruins, but notwith
standing that so many have been working in
a small space, no accident that we can learn
of has occurred.
Twelre O'clock-Midmight-- Calamity sue
ceeds calamity. In ten minutes the whole
mass of ruins has become one sheet of fame
Ihe screams and meanings of the poor buried
creatures can be distinctly heard, but no pow
can save them.
The flames threaten the destruction of the
Washington Mills, and the bridge over the
river.
BosroN, Jan. IL, 1860.
| The terrific catastrophe at Lawrence has
spread gloom over the city. 1t is the prin-
clpal subject of conversation. Hon. David
Sears presided over meeting of twenty gen.
| temen this afternoon, who subscribed $4,000
for the relief of the sufferers, aud appointed q
committee to solicit further contributions.
The following are among the numerous
heartrending incidents:
Margaret Hamilton, aged II years. This
was her first days work in the Pemberton
Mills. She commenced work in the spooling
room. A devoted mother attended her, and
when asked what injuries her daughter had
received, said: Her arm is broken and her
head is broken, and, Oh, my Goo (and here
| the poor woman burst into a flood of tears)
my poor darling is all broken" The unfortu
nate girl died to-day The daughter was the
the main support of the mother and four
young children.
Miss Olive Bridges, who worked in the 9Th
story, seized the hosting chain of the eeva-
tor and went safely down FIVE stories to the
ground, and escaped without injury, Through
the whole night she was at the City Hall
passing like an angel of mercy, among the
ceuches of the sufferers, anticipating every
want, and breathing words of consolation and
comfort to the wounded and dying.
Before the building caught Ere, number
of those imprisoned beneath the ruins could be
seen and conversed with, and drinks and re.
freshments in some instances were passed to
them. When the fire spread over the rims,
and they found escape hopeless, they bid aden
to their friends. and in some instances gave