Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-01-20
THE LAWRENCE CATASTROPHE.

approach to the real horror of the calamity.
From the accounts in the Boston journal and
the Boston Aaas of Thursday morning we
take the following.
"The mill was built by the Essex Company under the
direction Of Mr. Storrow, former Mayor Of Lawrence,
and Chas. II. BigelOw. Mr.. StorrOw, with whom
porters convcrsed regarded the mill safe any in the
country never having had any msgyngs as 10 security
Soon after the mill was erected IL was discovered that
the floors sagged, and before the machinery put in
the structure strengthened by the introduction Of
iron Orders two being placed under each and every floor
timber, except those in the upper room. These we're
frightened by means Of nuts upon the outside
We have t upon the authority N the owners that a
crack has never been discoyercdn the walls and
hdcut was Mr. So0w Of the security Of the MILL that he
would have sent his own there into any
mill in the country No machinery has been added since
the factory sold BY the Pemberton Company to the
present owners On the other hand improvements have
been made by taking out heavy machinery and subst-
tutng lighter This work has been pursued of late and
fumof is current that at the time Of the catastrophe
Mfkmeh were engaged in moving heavy piece Of ma
ohiney, which aocdonty io several inches producing
SHOCK 90 which some attribute the fall Of the
This, however, needs confirmation
In the absence Of all positive testimony as to the cause
Of this rghtful disaster numerous and conflicting con-
lectures naturally arise Il must be lcf the inquest
develop the facts.
Many Of the persons who were rescued from the ruins
alive owe their escape om instant death to the arches
OF me looms which resisted the immense weight Of tim
9es ana machinery, aud efi space between the floors
IN which the suffers could move about
TUE riRg AND IT'S MEASUREMENT.
The origin Of the fire is attributed to various
IN the opinion of men u judgment il proceeded rom the
iunumerable gas pipes which ramhed the mill others
feel equally certain that proceeded from the furnace
uu a agree that in the alleged dropping Of cappheue
anteI, me cause was inadequate TO the sudden rapid
ana widespread advancement " the devouring element
he water works connected with the mill were render
ed useless oy the destruction Of the building still there
was an ample supply poured upon the tire from various
sources Elevca streams were obtained from the hy-
diants " The Washington Mills
The IRE department Of Lawrence was prompt and in
dcttigabie IA it's abOrs and steam FIRE engine from
Manchester arriving at late hour after the fire broke
out outwinded It's human associates The ruins were
delted WIN water but sui the presence of cotton waste,
saturated with OIL the doors rendered oombusble by the
dripping OF OIL from the machinery, aud above ali the
depth az which the fire originated and burned rendered
oout Of eNtnguishment, aud as late four O'Clock
Yesterday afternoon huge volume of smoke arose from
inc southeast corner Of the mill into which several
streams OF water had been playing since y o'clock ed
noday night
ins me fearful scenes Of the hour aures in the
tfe Depa tmcnt, also. When. after hours Of extreme
eAeruon he htemen, worn down and quite exhausted.
celou i'I helP be'y Of ladies who standing on
the sidewalk in Canal street. few over 10 the engnes
ana manning the brakes worked the machine amid
the cheers Of the nremen
Miraculous ESCAPES
The circumstances attending the delivery NJ tho opor,
yves from their living grave constitute in themselves
''aItls chaplof Among the foremost in their efforts
" save ie was Gen Oliver, who with the greatest self
nument went FROM place 10 place giving directions IN
ue Fescucfs cheering the sufferers and aborug with ali
i.s n'snt to eAtneate them Major Frank Watson the
''tHlt'ler az Lawrence, worked increasingly; and
1it LoA' OF the Washington Mills, lAbored heioically
Mf' Jason H. Dana, assisted by Messrs Loon1rd Stod-
Iu ana Augustus Wilder. succeeded I'M rescuinr about
"tA} persons. Mr.. Dana ID the ground IN about
m minutes after the accident which time tho heads
ma hands Of the victims were TO be seen protrdinv In
y ''neeNeble posture Of distress, from between the
hhercnt layers of the ruin. Twelve persons were re-
fUrtfl tho tss.f- Z
he machine shop Three Of these were dead and seve-
al othcr, terribly MANNED ''" '''s
heseagrs in pursuing their melancholy task, came up
'n niue ooy coutned beneath the ruins who, when
hcy proceeded to extrcae him begged them In lc,ye
m ana get out his sister who near him. One man
ound Two young in a comparatveIv cor,e,r,tio
POSITION. and handed them coffee with the cbeerin M
ufance mat IA fifteen minutes they would be rescued
lui "las or ne delusion Of hope The fire approached
ma as II gradually neared the two sufferers their en-
'eHes 70 oe saved were enough to make the stouest
leafi quail Men redoubled their exerions ut in vain
ne names ehNeieped the poor creatures who persisted
'eiofe the eyes Of their wouldbe deliyerers
one entire family vi five persons, all EMPLOYED in the
'ii were ptoIldentiaily saved, aud the poor mother
shehS neT children about her amid the darkness that
surrounded her her heart bursting with gratitude for
h.f de' erance offered up feryent PRAYER 10 Heaven
MISS Selma Weeks Of Dover. ~ H. worked in tho
'l9o toom ~ me sixth story She went down with the
luHl'hS ana when she recovered from the shock She
standing upon the floor Of the spool room her body
lAu e9nceaieo amid uins She scaped unhurt and re-
turned 70 her home last evening.
Mlss Olive Bridges Of Calais Me- who worked in the
u story seized the hosting chain Of the elevator and
ven s'iey down hve stories to the ground and escaped
nom tue building without injury. Through the whole
lbhl sue was 1' the Oly Hall, passing like an angel Of
mercy among the touches Of the sufferers antcpatin
very want relieving pain, and breathing words OF COM
uIt anu consolation 90 the wounded aud diving
a marvellous escape fom death is related Of a little
' up1ut ten or twelve years old She was found with
ler feet spread wide apart by huge mass Of IRON h
would probably weigh thousand mounds Ciose an y;
hef SIDE were heavy pieces Of machinery and over her
'"'N large lumber, while one Of her was thrust
hfouBh an IRON ung. All these heavy articles we're iu
lose contact with her body that ,he could not move
'nd YET strange to say she was rescued with only no
lules no" She could have got into such position is
Another young srl buried ten feet deep under rub
hsh Out her being heard parties set to work 10
'Nule9te her Aher toilng long and hard, they sue
'eeded III removing the superincumbent mass when 10
her astonshnent' the gill jumped uimhy up and ran
'Ppi3S away greatly pleased at her Iteration and not
An affecting scene occurred during the early mar, NJ
ne evening which melted the hearts all who Witnessed
o. A htte boy, whose only friend on earth was hi,
uoher' aud that mother poyed in the mill wandrrd
inoGt among the crowd so1bng II his little heart
would break, and begging the bysianders To ave hi.
nother Inc prayers of the little fellow were answered.
ms mother was saved and claspng her IN her arms.
bis JOY knew no boundsone extreme succeeding another
boy at work IN one Of the upper rooms hearing the
oias haa the presence Of mind tojump into waste box
whch win ~ occupant was buried several feet beneath
the RUNS When the raised the pile Of rubhh
nom the box, the young hero sprang from his narrow
happened.
Three women in the priyy when the mill fell and
were all saved, as that portion Of the building remained
standing until last evening.
The ire approaching the spot ,yhere a man ,v,s
surrounded by tmbers, yet had room 10 move about
stream Of water directed upon him. and every exer
ton made TO save him, but in vain. II and three 9th
ere IN nearly the same position, eit to perish
Dr. 5. A. Lord Of South Danyers was called IN ,,t.,d
TWO young women, who in the third story Of mo
mil In falling, one Of them, Mary WEIGH had two 6n
gers caught IN the machinery. In agony Of despair
sue iteray tore them on and crawed out through an
opening IN the ruins, tearing her clothes completely from
her body - '
Every effort which ingenuity and humanity eouid de-
wise, was put into operation TO save the victims By
means o ropes oars and other eontrvances seven
YhFe were taken out more less wounded aud their
iFea thus fortunately preserved Besides those INNS
saved large number Of operatives, mostly males who
were IN the weaving room, which is in the lower story
through couple Of low windows which were moi OH
'ructed The weaving room was partially saved by n
eANy stone moor OF the story above, and many in this
department thus saved. " ''''
Among the sufferers in the ruins At m tir,a ~ L.
broke OUT was Maurice Palmer Of Rochester II
an nNeiseer lie was much beloved by his friends and
Mhe the digging was going his voice was recognized
ne was nearly reached when the flames broke out lie
nploIed ms friends to save him quickly or he sbopld
lie They struggled 10 reach him. but tfe flames s,ysn,
around them. lie was confined and could MOI rssis,
mem AS the neat OF the fire began To be felt his hor
ole aealh seemed inevitable He able TO move one
hand and drew his knife saying he should commit anil
eide rather than burn to death His reselers messed %
1nt MS nope OF aid gave and he drew the knife c,
nus throat soon after they succeeded in removing him
lnu ms sellnicled wound was found to be danger,
'uN, Out ne ad suffered severe internal injuries which
rendered his recovery impossible II was taken IN tb
l Hail. but expired shortly from the effects of he In
ures received by his fall and his suiferngs while in
nured within the fallen walls SUI
Some Of the scenes, while rescuing tho ,i.,; - Al
'alanity, were heroic in the extreme Al ono noin,
Nheh rope had been fixed 10 projecting timber cali