Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-01-19

Mil, which is the next building towards the
east, happened to be looking out of the win
dow at the time, and says that the first thing
that he noticed was what appeared to be a
squeezing out of piece of brick work at the
bottom of the southeast corner, about Is feet
! IN height and six or eight feet on each side.
! This corner of the building fell first, and the
floors, falling upon one another and crushing
in, successively fell with wave in the direc-
1 rection towards the canal. The time occupied
! in falling was just about one minute. The
time was about ten minutes before o'clock.
To persons in the city the noise resembled
that of an earthquake at first, and afterwards
/ as 1t Is described, that of a team loaded with
IRON passing over the pavement. The wall
| mex! to the Washington Mills remained stand,
! ing about one story in height, until the FIRE
| broke out, and most Of the occupants of the
| weaving room, which was on the lower story,
! escaped being crushed by the protection thus
Afforded. They were rescued through the
], windows.
One young woman, 20 years of age, who
was at work in the second story, heard the
crash of portion Of the building, and saw
| portions of it tumbling down. She immedi-
Gtely started in an opposite direction, but be.
fore she reached this point the walls were
Almost panc-stricken, she rushed to the side
! door and was just emerging to the entry when
| that was crumbled in. She recollected moth
ing more than getting through a window end
! leaplng to the ground, where she was uncon-
! scious and much wounded. She was taken
! to her boarding house, as T5as supposed, in
dying condition. Tbs happily proved a mis-,
take. 1t was paroxysm of fright She re-
covered during the evening, and on Wednes-
day vas sufficiently well to stand ia the door
! say of her boarding house.
Another young woman also about 20, es
capped an awful death. Unapprised of the
| fall of the building until the terrible catas-
trophe itself came upon her, she was at work
in the third story. She only knows that the
whole flooring above her was precipitated
upon that on which she stood, accom- panied
by terrific noise. She was crushed beneath
some machinery near which she was at work,
her head being passed against beam, SEEM
ing, as she described it, as if her head would
split III two at every moment" Her limbs
were forced in one direction, her arms in an
other. But one arm could be used at ALL
Every second the heavy weight seemed to be
settling closer and closer upon her. She saw
nothing but death awaiting her. Her feel
ings were those Of the most agonizing kind.
She said that she prayed God that she might
be delivered from impending death.
Hardly had she ceased uttering this pray
er than the falling of a wall in distant por.
ton Of the mill released her from the immi-
nent peril about her With a presence of
mind that exhibited genuine heroism she
struggled amid danger and death, and in
time reached point Of safety. This was af-
ter being in the ruins for upwards of an hour.
She was, however, more injured than was
first supposed, as is evident from her inabi
ity not only to leave her bed, but hardly turn
her body. Her physician apprehends some
internal injury OF serious nature. She con-
versed with difficulty.
A young man who was taken from the |
ruins after confinement of some FIVE hours,
says his feelings were of the most painful and |
indcscribable nature. The groans of the |
wounded and dying met his ear at every mo- |
ment. The shouts Of the people without |
mingled with the terrible sounds within. |
When released, such had been the pressure |
upon his person, that he was nearly uncon-
scious. lie never expected to get out alive,
and it is miracle that he did.
A maiden lady, about SO, who worked in |
the upper (dressing) room, was precipitated |
to the ruins Tor with them) below, and sus |
tained no particular injury. Her escape is |
most extraordinary. She came along timbers, |
portions of the roof, bricks, machinery, &C., |
but was unframed. 1t was one of the most |
wonderful of all escapes of this terrible trag-
edy.
1t is related by gentleman who was carly |
on the spot that at one point of the ruins he |
distinguished female voice crying in distress,
and soon another voice answered, 1" Is that |
you, Lizzy? Are you hurt?" The reply |
was another groan, and an appeal to Gods |
mercy in her behalf Both these girls were |
afterwards rescued.
A young girl was released Just before the |
flames burst forth, and in answer to ques-
ton, stated that she was unhurt. 1t after
wards appeared that her right arm was badly |
broken near the wrist but in the excitement I
of the moment and in the Joy of deliverance |
from dreadful death, she had not noticed |
the hurt.
One woman was found her head jammed be-
tween two heavy beams, and pressed so that
1t was not thicker than the thickness of
hand. 1t was sickening sight.
One young GIRL confined in a narrow hole, |
surrounded by broken machinery and ragged |
timber and boards, succeeded in crawling out |
into the open air, but when she emerged from
the ruins she had scarcely an article of cloth
ing on her person.
Shortly before the fire broke out, and while |
there were thousands of persons exerting
themselves to their utmost TO save human !
life and extricate the dead, little girl was
discovered by party at work in one part of
the ruins. She lay upon her back a large
bar of iron, one of the iron columns. was
thrown over her that it was impossible for
her to move; besides, she had her arms pin
Toned by some of the machinery wiring that
had got wound around them Her face was
badly lacerated, and the human individuals,
saddened by the sight around them proceed
ed to extricate the supposed corpse. After
repeated trials at the bar of iron, without be-
ing able to move it off, stawart man, in
passing by, stopped and easily lifting the bar
laid 1t TO one side. The surprise of the par.
ty, on finding the little girl alive, and not
fatally injured may be imagined, but not