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

rounding the femDerton Mills, anu alohS luo
banks Of the river, were quite a number OF
other mills, the principal ones being the Wash.
ington Mills, the Duck Mills, and the Pacific
Mills
The Pemberton Mills cost, originally, be
tween 500 900 and $S00,000, and were own
ed by stock company. Several years ago,
the company failed, and the mills were bought
at auction by their present owners-three or
four persons, who carried it on as partner
ship concern.
The firm has been quite prosperous, and
has done very large business, having con-
nections with all sections of the country. AT
the time of the disaster they had over seven
hundred looms at work, running full time.
The principal fabrics of their manufacture
were cottonadeS, shirting stripings, ticking,
canton fannels, &c.
Some of the statements of the operatives
who were rescued ale of an interesting nature.
John Ward, an operative in the carding
room, which was situated in the second story,
who was miraculously saved with his wife,
who worked near him, describes their escape
as follows:
| was in the carding room with the second
overseer, lighting up it was then FIVE or ten
minutes before five O'Clock. We had few
burners lighted, when suddenly | heard
loud, laundering crash overhead, and on look
ing up, saw the shafting coming down up
on US, all over the room. Terrified, | stood
nailed TO the spot, although | knew the bull
ding was coming down Oh me. Then heard
the overseer shout. tried to Jump out Of the
rubbish, but something struck me scnseless.
When | came to, found myself in the rub.
bish, covered with blood from wounds in my
! face. Finally, l crawled up and got to the
top Of the rubbish. | found lot of ruins
h.,,t ,al,Iph ly-
would take my life but succeeded in get
ting out passed dead girl and two man
gled bodies. When was first knocked down,
fell under large grinding stone which WAS
too heavy to give way to the weight above.
Mr.. Ward found his wife at the City Hall
The following is one of the heart rending
incidents:
Margaret Hamilton, aged IA years, was ta-
ken from the ruins and carried to the hospi
tai. This was her first days work at the mills.
Her devoted mother attended her, and when
she asked what injuries her daughter had re-
eeiyed, the latter replied, My arm is broken,
mother
And her head is broken, and, Oh my
LordH and here the poor woman burst into
| tears; my poor darling is all broken
The unfortunate girl died to day. She was
the main support Of her mother and four chill
dren.
Miss Olive Bridges, of Calais, Me-, who
worked in the fifth story seized the hosting
chain Of the elevator, went safely down five
stories, and escaped uninjured.
Before the building caugh fire, those i'm
prisoned beneath the ruins could be seen and
conversed with. Drinks and refreshments
were, in some instances, passed to them.
When the fire spread over the ruins, and
they found escape hopeless, they bid adieu to
their friends, and, in several cases, gave di-
rections as to the disposition of their bodies.
In one part of the building 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 Of them thrust
her arm through the small aperture, and beg
ged to be drawn through it. But before it
the men away, and the prisoners perished in
the flames
EXTRICATIoN OF THE BODIES.
The news Of the disaster went like an elec.
tric shock over the city, and the people com
menced running to the spot. The ashlng-
ton Mills, near by, were entirely deserted
and others in the city poured forth in excited
throngs. Those On the street rushed to the
place, stores were deserted houses left unpro
| tected and almost the whole population gath
cred around the spot.
| Those who could work piled hands and
! tools briskly, all with heavy hearts, and spir
| its saddened by the frantic cries of some for
help, the groans of the dying, and the disfg-
ured corpses of those who had been killed.
| As the bodies of the wounded, dead, and
! diving were taken out, those which were rec
ognized were delivered to their friends, and
such as were not recognized were taken to the
City Hall. In this way as many as could
find room upon the pile labored unremitting-
! ly for hours. John Porter, Esq, the City
Marshal, and all the officers of police, work
! ed nobly, and were successful in saving ma
ny bodies.
! THE SCENE AT THE CITY HALL.
The hall of the city government building
was used as a hospital for such Of the wound
ed as it was deemed necessary to convey
| thither. Mattresses lined the hall on three OF
! its sides, and on them were stretched mang-
! led bodies, and others not dangerously inJu-
| red, but suffering from painful wounds.
Kind hearted physicians ministered unceas-
! ingly to them, and some, whom years OF prac-
! tice might have excused from sensitveness to
| the suffering of others, performed their Offices
with fearful eyes, compassionate countenan-
ces. and all the genteness of sympathetic ma
| lures.
On one pallet lay little girl, with beau
tiful pale countenance, knit with the suffering
/ she could not conceal, yet unmurmuring.
She was watched over by weeping friend,
apparently her father, and my heart was re-
ioiced at the announcement by the physician
that she was not dangerously, though severe
| ly, wounded.
Further on were young Ward (whose fortu-
nate escape is described aboyel and his wife.
fervently thankful for the preservation of
their lives, and furnishing all the information
in their power
Still further, on pallet, was young wo-
man groaning with pain, from several broken
bones, internal injuries, and bruised head.
! Half a dozen disconsolate friends were abeus
| hnr manr;nn Cor the nhyaiH an had said she