The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-20
Ffom tho Cleveland Leader.
The Terrible Lawrence Catastrophe.

HHIuly pHfhnel III tlc lOSs VI IlO huu
amount Of physical ag ony involved. The
sufFerings Of many Of the unfortunate VIC
Tins were almost pconceivable, as to the
agonies Of crushed Nmbs were added the
torlures of fire. The recovery OF bodies
wac still going on last Friday, most of
those taken out being horribly burned,
and recognizable only from detained por-
tions OF dress, so pressed under the rub
bsh as TO remain unburned. Eight hun.
dred and thirty two names have been re.
corded on the books OF the Pemberton
Mill Company, and still the list is not
complete or this number, seventy dead
bodies have been recovered, and sixty
one are missing-a total Of one hundred
and thirtyone. One hundred and thirty
four are badly wounded. A large pro-
portion of killed, missing and wounded
are females the largest portion young
girls of Irish descent. OF the bodies re.
covered some fifty.fve are females, of the
missing thirty-two are females, and Of the
severely wounded large proportion are
OF the same sex.
The testimony before the Coroner's in
quest establishes the fact that the walls
were insufficient for building Of such a
size, and that they were dangerously
weakened by numerous windows. The
mill was nearly double in width Of cotton
mills generally, and some Of the broken
iron pillars supporting the interior are
found to be full Of flaws and blow holes.
The origin Of the flames which soon
changed the ruins into q vast funeral pvre,
now accepted at Lawrence is, that man
Jealous TO releave suffering and save life,
endeavored 10 pass some hot coffee
through an aperture into space where
several men and women, unharmed by
the crash, were yet imprisoned between
the wall and the beams. To find his way
safely in for his pitcher, he first intoduced
his lantern. 1t met with some resisting
substance, and was knocked from his
hand. 1t broke as it fell, and the cam.
phene with which it was charged, Of
course ignited while it was scattered
The loose cotton took fire at once, and
thus transformed the fallen building into
tirery furnace, filled with imprisoned
victims.
The Pemberton Mill was built some
seven years since, and the principal own
ers at that time were A. j. Lowell, +. G.
Lowell, S. II. Putnam, Lawrence, Stone
IL Co.
1t was originally intended that the mill
should cost . $l50,000 to 100000, but
the plans were enlarged until finally the
total cost was fully $3OO,OOO. There was
in the outset trouble with the foundation
as quicksands are common on the banks
OF the river at that place, and this may
have tended to gradually undermine the
building.
1t is stated, however, that with the pres
ent increase of manufacturing business, tho
machinery and operatives Of the mill have
been lately increased. After the failure
of Lawrence, Stone & Co. the mill was sold
to Geo. Howe and David Nevens, fol
1925, 900, and has since been carried or
by them.
1t was five stories. 98O feet long by &c
feet wide with an l. AS feet square on the
west side. 1tran 300 spndes, and 96t
operatives were employed, and was MOI
very thoroughly constructed, according tc
the statements Of builders, architects ant
others, who say they had no confidence
in the durability of the structure.
1t was insured for $4,000 agains
fire only.
The building fell--the different part
almost simultaneously-at five minute:
before five O'Clock. A portion Of the op
eratives had left, but it is probable lha
about six hundred (the minimum calcu
latoni were in the building at the time
The report that an explosion of the
boiler caused the fall is Incorrect Th
boiler was not located in The main builGin!
and it fell, as nearly as can learn. from
mere weakness Of the walls and their in
ability to support the structure itself ant
the weight and constantly jar of the ma
chinery within it,and not from any suddel
shock or pressure brought upon it.
The building seemed to crumble frs
near east end, and fell In towards the east
being pressed in that direction by th
workshops, chimney, &c c., on the west side
The l. remained standing for an hour o
two, and a portion of it is still up, but il
an instant the main building was lying
heap of fragments, and the screams an
groans of the wounded could be hear
issuing from them.
Mr.. John f. Chase, agent of the corpo
ration, and Mr.. s. &. Howe, the Treasurer
! were passing through the mill at the time
| They heard the noise of the upper storie
t falling, and being on a lower floor, ,rushe
for door and succeeded in jumping Gror
it Just in season 10 escape being buried i
the ruins.
r Try to imagine. says the reporter of tn
Courier, building two hundred an
eighty feet in length, seventy feet in width
having height Of i've stories suddenl
, falling-as one Of the workmen said, "ius
in the place where it stood, fiat in its ow
= tracks, neither failing out nor falling in
but right down." in the building wer
hundreds OF women ard children and mer
they are mingled with the broken timber;
shattered machhIey-all the strange jun
} Bile of such ruin; out from the heap her
! and there struggles one and another misel
able creature, as said the man befor
quoted, "creeping out as the worms cree
out Of the earIh;" busy hands commenc
tearing away the fatal heap and exLricaln
y the dead, the dying, the manned, the Ut
: injured; the voices Of many sufferers ca
- plainly be heard, and in one or tw instar
D ces man or woman can be seen perch
) ed on the monstrous pile, giving encoul
AMI to ,l,N - L.