The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-01-17
Lawrence. Mass. Jan. l0-9 i. NJ.

Lawrence, Mass, Jan. 10y L. NJ.
One of the most terrible cstsStrophes on rec
ord occurred in this city this afternoon. The
Pemberton Mills fell with 4 sudden crash al about
5 o'clock, while some 600 or zoo, operatives
were at work The mills were complete wreck
Some POO or 500 person are supposed 10 be still
in the ruins Al present i: i Impossible 10 give
ANYTHING ike a correct statement of the loss 81
life, bur, from the best authority, it i believed
that al least POO are dead in the ruins Eighteen
dead bodies have already been taken ont, to-
geiher with twenty-five persons nortalv ~oun-
ded besides some fifty in different stages OF mG-
tilation. Mr.. Chase, the agent Of the mills,
and Mr. Howe, the treasurer, escaped 10y run
ming from the falling building. Il i impossible
"a vet 10 tell the cause Of the disaster.
Our reporter has I.t come from the ruins,
snd the scenes there beggar all description.
Some two or more acres OF ground are piled up
with every description of macliuer, Of the fallen
buildings. Huge boufres burning Il light
some two or three thousand persons who are
working. as il for their own lives, 10 rescue
the unfortunate persons, many of whom are SIN
CRYING and begging 10 Toe rescued from their
tOrtures Every few minutes some poor wretch
i dragged from his prison. and tits hcartrendlns
To hear their cries they are drawn out Witli
legs and arms crushed or torn. One man,
shockingly manged and partly under the
bricks, deliberately cut his own throat 10 cnd
his agony. The whole city seems 20 be ~
mourning. Many are running through the
streets, and with frantic cries searching the
ruins. Temporary hospitals have been arranged
for those rescued. MANY stand by the wreck
trigii with despair Another terrible crash,
caused by the clearing AWAY, threatened death
to all who may still be alive in the ruins. Gen.
ii. h. Oliver /, conspicuous and active IN diFcc-
ting those persons who are eudcaVotlnS To res
cue the victims of the disaster. Gangs OF men
with ropes are constantly dragging out huge
pieces OF the wreck which imprisou many.
Some of the rescucrs were killed IN their hG-
ma.e Efforts Since W. left the scene ot Dis
s>'or reports Of more of the dead and diving
are constantly coming To ia. Surgeons are com
ing in from all directions, and everything that
can Ice done at such n painful moment l. being
done for the suffering victims OF the fearful ca
laniitv. the mystery of which will have Ia be
cleared up by an inquest.
1870 u. W-At about Ia minutes after : %
dock this 7. NJ, our citizens were reused 10y the
cry of fire, which proceeded from the Fembcr
ton Mills about tour tilths Of which bad fall ia,
shapelcss mass, without the sHshtrsr warning
10 nearly 500 human beings Who were then AT
work. The building was never considered to be
p stauuch as II ought To he. II was buiit about
seven wears ago and WAS then thought sham
Indeed. before the n achmcry vas put IN, the
mills spread 20 such extent that come twenty
tso tons o. iron Stats rut in To save il from
falling by its own weight, From the best iiior
nation that can bee now gathered, the building
appeared 10 crumble and tall from the eastern
corner or end. II fell iuaards The ire part
nent at once repaired TO the SPOT. but, there be-
lnr no IRE, they at once set To work with viii
TO remove the rubbish. They very soon reach
eli sOme rooms, that the dead and wounded
were taken out as fast they could be reach
ed. Mr. Chas Bachelor helped remove some
twenty-six in various conditions, some still living
Ar. Branch, an overster, las not been found.
The City Hall has been converted into tempo
rary hospital for the dead aud wounded Il re-
cognized. Mr.. Palmer va. deeply buried in the
ruins all the time and, thinking there no
prospect OF being eItricatcd, cut his throat Ia
end his suherings. Still he Was taken out aud
lived some time. One woman in the par, of the
mill still standing became frightened aud threw
herself out of the fifth story door, breaking
her arm and injuring herself 20 that she cannot
recover. Tie laboring force OF the mill l. about
goa, and II Is supposed that about 10 human
beings were actually buried in the ruins. 4
woman just rescued saws there some TWEEN
tv-hve more IN the vicinity of her vet alive. A.
bout half past 9 fire wa. discovered This aidI-
tIOna horror struck terror to the hearts that had
before been hopeful of saving more lives. Still
the work OF removal went on. The forre-pump
AMI engines on the ground were at once got TO
WORK, and have been pouring torrents on, so
that at | 40 the fire does not seem to gain, and
hopes are entertained that il will be stayed.
Those near the breaking out of the fire were al
most on the point of extricstiug woman not
much hurt, but the flames drove them back, and
Ia L. IN laV -lsE he
Mayor has telcgraphed for the Lowell firencn,
who viii arrive about o'clock.
= W,injqh-Calamity succeeds calamity.
In ten MINUTES the whole mass of RUNS has be-
come one sheet Of fame. The screams aud
meanings OF the poor buried creatures can be
distinctly heard. but no power can rave them.
l;3o 4. W-The fcmbcrton Mills are now a
black mass of brick, mortar. and human bones,
promiscuou-y mingled. Probably no, les than
goo beings persisted in the flames The Wash
rgton Mills are ia great jeopardy, the wind
blowing towards the Duck Mills, whose count
ng room touches the Pembertnu.
>. 4. N-Through the alrlo-, supcrhuman
eXertions OF tie fifcmsn, the Washington Mil.
are now considered to To- out of danger OF the
Duck Mills the prospect j. not 40 good. Every
thing that can bc done !: beirg done. Fire com
PirIIes present from all The ucighhorn.
towns. Between 81 and 80 phy siciaus are H. AT
tendance at the City Hall, aui other places
wherever the injured need their services The
NUNS having burIel up i. viii be many days
before true knowledge of tho killed. aud woun-
a.d can Toe arrived a. The Gpe which finally
sacrificed the bIii,d human beings caught
without doubt from lsftcrn # burning hlid
which was accidentally dropped one fireman
dropped dead in the street. The streets are
hied with a mass If human beings, everv one