Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-01-21
THE Lawrence Calamity.


Further ParficuiarS-N Statements OF
Uitnesses-ThriHing Incidents, Sc
Lawrence is entirely a manufacturing
town, and is mainly laid out between the
Merrimack and Spirket rivers. lis 90
600 inhabitants are united by the peculiar
bond of sympathy existing between lndI'
viduaIs engaged IN almost the same branch
es of industry, and we have no doubt but
that the brief but thrilling words OF the
telegraphic dispatches give only FAINT
and feeble impression Of the horror, The
suffering and The despair called forth
among the men and women Of that grief
stricken city.
Statement Of an OperafiUe.-Mr. John
Ward, an operative in tie card room,
which was situated in the second story.
describes the escape Of himself and vile,
as follows:
was in the carding room with the Sec
ond overseer, Lighting Up: /! was then or
10 minutes before O'Clock. We had
few burners lighted. when suddenly !
heard loud, Numbering crash overhead.
and on looking up, saw the shafts com
ing down upon us, all over the room.
Terrified, stood nailed to the spot, al
though knew the building was coming
down on me. Then heard The overseer
shout | rIed 10 jump out of the rubbish
but something struck me senseless. When
came TO, found myself in the rubbish
covered with blood from wounds in my
face. Finally, erawled up and got TO
the top of the rubbish. found LOT Of
ruins hanging over me, which | greatly
feared would take my lf bot succeed
ed in getting out. passed a dead girl
and two msngled bodies. When was
first knocked down, fell under large
grinding stone which was too heavy toI
give way TO the weight above. Mr.. Ward
found his wife at the City Hall.
Thrilling Mcidents-n Girl Mangled.
Margaret Hamilton, aged IA years, was
taken from the ruins and carried 10 the
hospital. This was her fret days work
at the mills. Her devoted mother atien.
ded her, and when she asked what InIu-
rips size had received, the daughter replied
my arm is broken mother. "And her
head is broken, and oh my Lord y and
here the poor woman burst into tears {;
any poor darling is AL broken" The
poor girl died in a verY short time. She
was the main support OF her mother and
iour children,
Three U,omfn buried .AiiUe.-BefOre
the building caught fire, those imprisoned
beneath the ruins could be seen sn1 con-
vcrsed with. Drinks and refreshments
were, in some instances, passed TO them.
In one part Of tie building hole was bat
tered through the wall, and through II
could be seen three young women, who
said they were not at all injured One
of them thrust her arm through The email
aperture. and begged 10 be drawn through |
il. But before il could be made largr |
enough tie flames drove the men away.
and The prisoners persisted in the flames.
Escape dy a Hosting Chain.-Miss
Olive Bridges, of Calais, Me-, who work
ed in the fifth story. seized the hoisling
chain of the elevator, and went safely
down FIVE stories, and escaped uninjured.
How they mere brought OW-Horrid
Sights Fifteen hunJred persons gath.
cred about the spot, and by the light Of
the fires The mere daring were on TOP,
cra~ ling under lie ruins. fixing ropes and
doing all in their power TO extricaie those
within. One poor girl. alive and fully
conscious. was dragged from the east end
Of The fallen mass, with her left arm torn |
from The socket and her body and legs
awfulIv monglef. She was taken IN
charge By her friends, but could not have
survived long. In one place the bodies
Of three girls were found locked in each
others arms, not quite dead. They could
not be removed without mangling the bod
les. and being abandoned for time, the
flames broke out before another attempt
was made. and all three persisted. One
woman was found with her head jsmmed
between two heavy beams, and pressed
so that il was no thicker Than the thick
ness of a hand. IL Vas sickeUing sight.
The Boston rspeTs are rePlete with
scenes Of similar character.
TecumsePs Iomahnwk -Tecumseh's
tomshawk was taken froO hin as he fell
in The battle OF The Ihsmes. by Major
Beckes. OF Vincennes. who was lien,en.
an, undot CoIousl Inbnso, 81 -. -