Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-01-13
M~eIauehoay catastrophe- Failing -of
PembertOn MEills--e00 persons Buried
in the Ruins--Great Loss of Life.

ReIanshoay Catastrophs-- Failing Cd
PembertOn 1EiIls--eo0 persons Buried
In the Ruins--Great Loss of Life.
LAWRENCE, Mass, Jan. 1O.-One of the
most terrible catastrophes on record occurred
in this city this afternoon. The Pemberton
mills fell with a sudden crash, a tabout 5 O'Clock
while some six or seven hundred operati YES
were at work. The mills are a complete wreck,
some two Or three hundred persons are suppos-
ed to be still in the ruins. At present it is
impossible to give anything like a correct
statement of the loss of life, but from the best
authority it is believed hat at least 200 are
dead in the ruins. Eighteen dead bodies have
already been taken out, together with some
25 persons mortally wounded, besides some 90
in different stages of mutilation.
Mr.. Chose, the agent of the Mill, and Mr..
Howe, the Trs asurer, escaped by running from
the falling building 1t is impossible, as yet,
to tell the cause Of the disaster. Our reporter
has just come from the ruins, and the scenes
there beggar all description. Some two or
three acres of ground are filed up with every
description of machinery of the fallen build
ings.
1AS OCAAAA - Nv ooi AlAil4 ~ ~ Sp1liE wv
or three thousand persons who are working,
as if for their own lives, to rescue the unfor-
tunate persons, many Of whom are still CRYING
and begging to be released from their tortures.
Every few minutes some poor wretch is drag
ged from his prison. and it is heart-rcnding to
hear their cries as they are drawn out with
legs and arms crushed and torn. One man,
shockingIy mangled. cut his own throat to end
his agony. The whole city seems to be in
mourning. Many are running through the
streets, and with frantic cries searching the
ruins. Temporary hospitals have been ar
ranged for those rescued. Many still stand by
the wreck frigid with despair.
Gangs Of men with ropes below, are con-
stantly dragging out huge pieces of the wreck
which imprisoned so many. Some of the res
euers were killed in their humane efforts
Since We left the scene of disaster, reports Of
more of the dead and dying are constantly
coming to us. Surgeons are coming in from
all directions and everything that can be done
at such a painful moment is doing for the SUI
fering victims of the fatal calamity, the mys-
terry of which will have to be cleared up by an
inquest.
II, MIDx1GHT.-Calamity succeeds calam-
ity. In ten minutes the whole mass of ruins
has become one sheet of fame. The screams
and moaning of the poor burned creatures can
be distinctly heard, but no power can save
them.
lao 4. M.-The Pemberton mills are now
a black, smoking mass of brick, mortar and
human bones inter1mingled. Probably not
less than two hundred beings persisted in the
flames. The Washington mill was in great
jeopardy, the wind blowing towards Duck mill,
whose counting room touches the Pemberton.
The fire, which finally sacrificed the buried
human beings, caught, without doubt, from a
lantern Of burning fluid, which was accidentally
dropped. One fireman dropped down dead in
the street The streets are filed with a mass
of human beings, every one eager to do and
see and hear. Friends WHO before the fire
were alternating between hope and fear, are
now settling down into helpless despair. q
a portion of the operatives had left for sup
per previous to the falling of the building
about 600 remaining. The building was five
stories high, $50 feet long by 40 wide. with a
wing Oh the west side 45 feet square, shaped
ike the letter L. 1t ran 200 spind.es-960-
operatives were employed.
John Ward. operative in the carding room
Of ike second stGry, who was ~miracu.ously
saved with his wife who worked near him, de-
scribes his escape as followS
l was in the eardlng room with the second
overscer it was ti:e or ten minutes before 5
o'clock. We had but a few burners lighted
suddenly heard a loud laundering crash over
head, and locking up saw the shaiting coming
down upon Us all over the room. Terrified, |
stood fastened 10 the spot, although knew the
building was coming on me ; then l heard the
overseer shout, and l tried TO jump out of the
rubbish, but something struck me senseless.
When | came to | found myself in the rub
Dish, covered with blood from wounds on my
face, finally l crawied up and got TO the top
and found a lot Of ruins hanging over ne,
which liked to have taken my life, but | sue
ceded in getting out. l passed a dead girl and
two mangied bodies. When first l was knock
cd down, l fell under Il heavy grinding stone,
which was too heavy to give way to the weight
above.
Ward found his wife at the City Hall.
Miss Olive Bridges, of Calais, Maine, who
worked in the 9th story, seized the hosting
chain of the elevator and went safely down,
and escaped unlnJured. Before the building
caught fire. a number of those imprisoned be-
meath the ruins could be seen and conversed
with drinks and refreshments in some in
! stances were passsd to them. When the fire
| spread over the ruins. they found escape hope
less, and, bid adieu to friends, and in several
cases gave directions as to the disposition of
their effects.
In one part of the building a hole was bat
tered through the wall, and through it could
be seen three young women, who said they
were not at all injured. One thrust her arm
through the small aperture and begged to be
drawn through, but before the aperture could
be made large enough the flames drove the
men away and the prisoners persisted. A jury
was summoned, who after reviewing the dead,
adjourned till tomorrow.
The insurance on the Pemberton Mills was
SAL {, 900, said to be against fire only.