The Portland daily press., 1870-05-02
VO per 0pasat72a, i31 ddrance.
DAILY PRESS.
Monday Morning, Nay q, 1870.
The Eicamond Ca,n.,ropbc.
Ro1sTLANn

The Eicamond CatnstroDhe.
The latest intelligence from Richmond puts
the whole number of persons killed at fifty
nine. We collate description fsome of the
scenes of that terrible calamity:
Sudden, and while awaiting the arrival of
the remaining judges, a report as of a smotl-
cred gun under the floor was heard, followed
Immediately by another similar report, and
everybody started from their seats and looked
toward the centre of the room, from whence
tnese ominous sounds seemed to issue. PeO-
pie there stood up and looked themselves for
an explanation of this strange and MYSTERIOUS
noise. But they had not long to wait There
came ci iackllng sound, as of small timbers
breaking, and then the floor was felt giving
way in the centre of the room. Simultaneous.
ly everybody jumped to their feet for ali felt
that danger was imminent, and sef.preserya-
tlon IS the iirst law of nature. Bat It was too
late. Down went the floor with terrific
crash, with its living, breathing and fright
ened human freight, dragging with it the gal
lery and its living mass, and down they went
distance Of % feet to the floor of the House
OF Delegates. Then, with the descending mass.
the ceiling above, which was somehow attach
ed to the gallery, also, came down with aneth-
er fearful crash, smothering and crushing the
living and struggling mass OF victims beneath.
A ledge OF about twelve feet, on which the
n,
this many lives were saved, including the
| judges and reporters. As soon as the fearful
crash had occurred those who could clutched
hold OF tLo windows sfaDDed out of the gal
iery and ran out to other rooms, ana s2s-
many Others were also saved.
The scene which followed is utterly beyond
description. Between the two bodies of the
floor and ceiling was the mass Of people, the
force and power of the latter, with the gallery
falling upon them, forever silencing their cries
for help. 1t was q scene of horror never to
be forgotten by those who witnessed it. To
those who remained about, and who ventured
to look down into the vacant space of the
courtroom, nothing was visible but cloud
of thick dust, through which the frantic cries
Of the victims yet alive could be heard vainly
appealing for help. The crash was felt in ev-
cry portion of the building, even to the base
ment, out of which the officers ran in precipi-
tate haste, and soon the alarm of the catas-
trophe was pealed through the city on the
bells of the surrounding churches. This
sound had had the effect Of bringing prompt
ly to the scene the fire department, besides a
large concourse of citizens, who had the i'm
preston that confagration had taken place.
Hooks and ladders were at once brought into
active requisition. and the work of extricat-
ing the dead, the mangled, the wounded and
the dying was commenced.
One by one they were brought forth from
the mass of debris through the windows and
doors, those unhurt first making their appear
ance begrimmed with dust and with torn and
battered clothes. Next came the dead and
wounded, who were deposited on the grass
plots of the square, which soon resembled the
scene after a battle, with afflicted relatives,
male and female, wandering about in search
of some one missing since the announcement
of the catastrophe. 1t was painful and heart
rendng to hear the groans of the wounded
and dying, and the wailing Of women and
children, strong men beng affected to tears,
and as each fresh victim, covered with dust
and debris, was borne forth, another cry of
sorrow and distress was sent up.
From the mass of fallen timbers and debris
many of the arms and legs OF the wounded
and dead projected, and it requires the work
of hours to eXtricate them; but the citizens
and fremen worked vigorously throughout
the entire morning until the last one was
brought out and consigned to the keeping of
friends and relatives.
Luckily it was an hour prior to the meet
ing of the Legislature, when the House of
Delegates would also have been thronged,
and hundreds of others would have been add
ed to the already immense list of killed and
wounded. As it was, some fifteen or twenty
persons are reported to have been in the
House, some of whom escaped and some
were killed, one of the pages among them.
An incident of the lamentable occasion is that
both the mayors-Ellisnn and Cahoon-who
were the most interested parties present,
went down with the floor into the yawninS
room beneath Ellison escaping unhurt, while
Cahoon was slightly injured.
When the corpses were brought and ex-
posed on the square, scarcely one of them
could be recognized, so fearfully disfgured
were they, and the broken-hearted wives, sis
ters, and mothers of several even failed, in
inst 10 tba ~ no
| faces Of all the dead were fearfully swollen
and blackened, it is supposed from suffocation;
| and about the mouth aud lips was a sort OF
| coagulated froth, tinctured with blood, which
| was hardened and stiffened with dust In
the case of DR.. j. B. Brock reporter of the En-
| quirer, his wife failed to recognize him, and a
brother reporter only discovered his identity
| by searching his pockets.
The capitol building, which dates nearly TO
the Revolutionary era, is dilapidated and in
secure and is now but wreck of what it was.
| the whole northern side of it being mass of
| debris. While the dead and wounded were
being removed many alarms took place, and
| the people rushed from the building repeated
| ly in terror of another calamity.
VA gentleman who narrowly escaped with
his lite, describing the scene, says:
81 was seated at one of the tables with the
| reporters, when the floor caved in, and the
L
My chair, thus half-fell, and went over the
ledge, but, happily, grasped the floor, and was
for time suspended. involuntarily prayed,
and heard a clinging companion say, Lord,
have mercy upon me, am gone" 1t was
terrible moment, which shall never forget.
The cashing of the floor, the shrieks ca the
| mass who went down in their death slaugh-
| ter, and the frantic efforts of some to escape,
with my own slight chances Of life, were all
fearfully presented in single instant. When
recovered and got myself back on the plat
form had tainted, and was hurried by some
body from the fatal apartment.
Mr.. l.. 81. Chandler, of Norfolk, one of the
wounded, formerly from Maine, was United
States District Attorney for Virginia until
July last, and since the war was elected men,
Der of the United States Congress from the
Norfolk district, but was not admitted to a
seat. He has recently been practiciEg law
yer, and well known at the North as stand
ing public speaker in behalf of the Republi-
can party during the late Presidential can
vass.