Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-01-13

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Reported for the-J Journal
Terrible CatastrOphe---Falling Of
the Pemberton Mills.
TWO HUNDRED PERSONS KILLED!
LAwRENoE, Mass, Jan. 10th-9, P. n.
One Of the most terrible catastrophes ON
record occurred in this city this afternoon.
The Pemberton Mills fell with q sudden
crash at about O'Clock, while some six or
seven hundred operatives were at work. The
mills are complete wreck. Two or three
hundred persons are supposed to be still in
the ruins. At present it 10 impossible to
give anything like q correct statement of
the loss Of life, but from the best authority
it is believed that at least 200 are dead in
the ruins. Eighteen dead bodies have
already been taken out, together with some
Is persons MORALLY wounded, besides some
SO in different states of mutilation. Mr..
Chase, the Agent of the mills, and Mr..
Howe, the Treasurer, escaped by running
from the falling building. 1t is impossible,
as vet, to tell tho cause of the disaster.
Our reporter has just come from the ruin,
and the scenes there beggar all description.
Some two OF more acres of ground are piled
up with every description of machinery from
the fallen buildings. Huge bonfires are burn
ing to light two or three thousand persons,
who are working as if for their own lives, to
rescue the unfortunate persons, many of
whom are still crying and begging to be re.
lieved from their torture. Every few min
utes some poor wretch is dragged from his
prison, and it is heart-rending to hear their
cries as they are drawn out, with legs and
arms crushed One man, shockingly man
gled and partly under the wreck, deliberately
cut his own throat to end his agony. The
whole city seems to be in mourning. Many
are running through the streets, and, with
frantic cries, searching the ruins.
Temporary hospitals have been arranged
for their reception. Many stand by the
wreck frigid with despair.
Another terrible crash, caused by tho
clearing away of the ruins, threatened death
to all who may still be alive in the ruins.
Gen. H. K. Oliver is conspicuous and active
in cheering those persons who are endeavor-
ing to rescue the victims of the disaster.
Gangs of men, with ropes below, are con-
stantly drawing out huge pieces of the wreck
which imprisons so many. Some Of the
rescuers were killed in their humane efforts.
Since we left the scene of the disaster, more
of the dead and dying are constantly coming
to us. Physicians are coming in from all d.
rections, and everything that can be done at
such painful moment is being done for the
suffering victims of this painful casualty, the
mystery of which will have to be cleared up
by inquest.
SECOND DISPATCH.
LAWRENCE, 1880, Pm.
At 10 minutes after O'Clock, this after
noon, our citizens were aroused by the cry
of fire, which proceeded from the Pemberton
Mills, about four fifths of which had fallen,
without the slightest warning to nearly 800
human beings who were at work within.
The building was not thought to be safe,
1t was built about seven years ago, and was
then thought mere sham. Indeed, before
the machinery was put in, the walls sprung
to such an extent that some % tons of iron
stats were put on to save it from falling of
its own weight. From the best information
that can now be gathered, the building
appeared to crumble and fall from the
erstern corner or end 1t fell inwards. Ths
fireman at once repaired to the spot, but
there being no fire, they at once set to work
with will to remove the rubbish. They
very soon reached some rooms, SO that the
dead and wounded could be taken out -
fast as they could be reached. MIR. Charlie.
Batcheldor helped to remove some 26, in
various condtlons-some still living. Mr.
Branch, an Overseer, has not been found.
The city Hall has been converted into 8
temporary hospital for the dead and wounded
till recognized Mr. Palmer was buried in
the ruins all the time, and thinking there wat
no prospect of fleeing extracted, cut his throat
to end his sufferings. Still he was taken ou
and lived sometime. One woman in the par
of the mill still standing, became frightened
and threw herself out of the fifth story door
breaking an arm and injuring herself so sh.
cannot recover. The laboring force of the
mill is about 960, and it is supposed thai
700 human beings were actually buried ir
the ruins. A woman just rescued says tina,
there are some % more in the vicinity of her
yet alive At 81 o'clock fire was discovered.
This additional horror struck terror tc
the friends that before had been hope
full of saving more lives. Still the work
went on. The force pumps and engines
on the ground were at once got to work
and have been pouring torrents of wa
ter on, so that at 100 the fire was not seer
to gain, and hopes are entertained that il
will be stayed. Those near the breaking
out of the fire were almost on the point OF
extracting a man not. much hurt, but the
flames drove them back and the man is sup
posed to have persisted. The Mayor has
teiegraphed for the Lowell fireman, who
will arrive about clock.
IL midnight.-Calamity succeeds calami-
ty, In ten minutes the whole mass of ruins
has become one sheet of flames. Screane
and means Of the poor buried creatures can
be distinctly heard, but no power can save
them.
100 4. M.-The Pemberton Mills are
now a black smoking mass of broken mortar
and human bones promiscuously mingled.
Probably not less than 200 beings persisted
in the flames. The " ashington Mills were
in great jeopardy, the wind blowing toward
the Dock Mills, whose counting house
touched the Pemberton Mills.
2, 4. A.-Through the almost superhuman
exertions of the frer en-, the Washington
Mills are now somewhat out of danger. OF
the Dock Mill the prospect is not so good.
Everything that can is being done BY fire
companies from oil the neighboring towns,
and about 40 or 30 physicians, are in
attendance at the City H ote, or wherever
the injured need their assistance. The ruins
having burned down, it will be many days
before true knowledge of the killed and
wounded can be ascertained. The fire
caught, without doubt, from lantern of
burning fluid, accidentally dropped. One of
the fireman fell dead in the street. Friends,
who, before the fire, were alternating
between hope and fear, are now settling
down into hopeless despair.
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