Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-16
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The main building was in the form oil parai
telegram. and Immediately adj AGENT TO the store
house Of the Washington Mills. 1t was built o
brick. Eve stories h gh aud has always been con
sidered one of the finest mills in Lawrence. 1t hac
T. fiat roof ike the Pacific Mills. with nn ornate COW
oring. The exterior wasm handsome appearance
with very large windows extending through tive
stories.
The spinning rooms were highly studded. long
! and narrow, without partitions, and crowded with
looms lis supposed the strength OF the mill has
hns been severely tried by the recent introduction
/ of heavy fancy looms.
Il was originally intended TINT the mill should
cost Sl50.0m to 100000. but the plans were On
larged until finally The total cost was fully $500,
/ 900 There was in the outset trouble with the
! onniation as quicksands arc common on the
1 banks Of tho river al that place. and this may
have tended gradually to undermine the build
ing.
There is considerable insurance upon the prep
erty destroyed but whether the policies will hold
good except for the loss by fire after the building
ell, Is Cor the future To determine.
Nearly NIL employment is Suspended hore to-
day, except that Of tending to the wants OF the
wounded, preparing for burial of the dead already
found, searching for idrlher victims IN the vast
smoudcrng hccaomb which now covers the site
where stood the Pemberton Mill.
The streets are thronged with citizens and stran-
gers and crowds of persons surround the ruins and
bcsierc tho doors Of tho City Hall, to learn the
fate Of friends or examine the dies brought out
for rocogntion AT tho linll. about 20 Of the
wounded lie on mattresses placed upon the floor,
aud are attended hy their relatives
These unfptunates present n most pitiable spec
tace Many Of them. however, between life and
DEATH aud are so tadly bruised by the falling
mas. .or hlistcrcd by the flames, that recognition
Is ,cty difficult; others escaped with unmu
tilalcd features and less serious bruises. All
who retain consciousness exhibit remarkable
iprtiludc in their distress, aud but few express
sions o pam heard among tho plrss Vie
tins.
In room adjoining the largo hall II dead br-
dies lie stretched upon the floor. Their liyld black
cnrd aud b-tered faces present picture of unnt-
terabe horror. The hospital of Scutari nor tho
bloody field of Soliefino could have exhh!ted II
mora frightIul scene bending over several Of the
lil,eSs forms were their female relatives. bcmoaD
lng their loss with low wailns, which melted
the stoutcst hearts.
The view at the City Hall is but one instance Of
thc many scenes ,Ssufcring aud death. At tho
baa,d,ug houses and other homes of the operatives
the sal spectacle j. repeated.
before the fire broke out among the ruins, voices
of many persons were heard. who apparent
" confined in open snarcs formed 10y the material
oil the buing as il FILL and who appeared to be
not mnrh lnj ured The progress Of the conilaira-
ton seon brought these imprisoned VICTIMS to
most terrible death.
Tine r,ti1rn- of Lawrence. IA we'll as the uibccrs
If thr city. have been un,irin, IN their .tbprs
slare to accident III behalf Of the suffering aui
lercat"l. Aid from the surrpnnding towns IS
also al hand, and Tia" victims Of the catns rorhe
are receiving all tho help which mortal power can
bcst1w.
hen the disaster occurred, nearly all the mills
were immediately stopped. The Pacific Mills,
however, were kept RAINING until the usual hour
i'r closing. III conseqnence 1t Is sand, ot the alb
scnee OF the chiel over. Ger. no one was present
who had authority To order the stopping If the OIL:
gincs; aud thus the operatives were kept for some
time in painful suspense.
mn SCENE OF THE cArAsIRoruE,
Tho Pemberton Mills, where the accident occur
red. il situated tho right side If Canal street
ucnr til" lower end. the opposite side of the en-
nal. MAS five stories high, $50 feet long by e
feet wIdc. with an l. forty .Gve feet sqnar" on the
west side. 1t ran 1900 spindlcs and go opera
tvcs were employed. II not ye'y tho
rnnaiiy constructed, according to the statement,
of builders architects and others. who say thai
they had M confidence in the durability of the
structure.
4 tall column on the south side and II simila,
pnr npnositc and ncnr the canal, with n small
portion oil one cad of tho binding, alone were
slandus aud trembling w if about to fall
Engines about ,e ruins, throwing water in
to the smoking aud burning ruhhish. and thousands
of people wore orowding the vicinity The cam
hal lccn god with rnits OF boards thrown OF
F the era KIM Ice.
r., I,,.r linos oT i,o,l;,,h,usos ,,,y =, o,1
1.,1y I.4.T,c1 wcr. .,t,,t.1 -, IN, onnns;,c sd,
nr IN. canal IN front If III. mill AMI ,he ,ncr,
,,,..' ,nro ,il;,e1 T., ,r,s.. n,r',v L,,J,c - ,a
;,,. ,nJ r,t,r,,,uy I,p WI Theorer,,;vns W ~
mostly gnls: II great many OF them were of Scoiri
origin. aud we're ,a"c'l rs the most skillul an,
iHthiu operatives IA Lawrence.
h''"' N'''N"' 'uh h'p'tS'
He news "i the disaster went Ike an electro
shock over the city and people commenced ran
nlng 10 III" spot The Washington Miils,nrar b.