Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-05-06
The Richmond Calamity.


our State, and, even at this late day, can
not be contemplated without pang of hor-
ror. Never in the history of the State has
there been cause for such widespread lanen-
tation. The burning of the Richmond
Theatre in 1911 created a feeling of sadness
and anguish throughout the State, but that
sad event almost pales into insignifcance in
comparison With the sufferings Of the victims
of the late disaster at the capitol and Of the
thousands Of women and children who sur
rounded the building, the pains Of whose
anxiety none can describe, as they, with
longing eyes, sought to find the trace Of
some loved and dear one--some father, hus-
band. son or brother who had left home that
morning in the vigor Of life, and whom they
could only believe were among the unfor-
tunate sufferers of this terrible accident.
The people of the State have lately been
greatly excited over the question Of the
constitutionality of the Enabling Act, "
which question arose in the Mayoralty con-
test in Richmond, between Messrs Ellyson
and Chahoon. By an agreement between
these parties, the case was brought up be-
fore the Supreme Court of Appeals and had
been argued for serveral days by counsel,
and it had been announced that the Court
would render its decision on Wednesday
the 9th ult In consequence of this, a
very large number crowded into the room
of the Court of Appeals, which was on the
third floor of the capitol, in the Northeast
crn corner, and Immediately over the Hall
of the House of Delegates, to hear the decls-
ion rendered.
The Dispatch says;
'sFhe bells had just tolled the hour OF
IL, and death-like silence reigned as Mr..
Starke the clerk, entered and placed his
books on the table Judge Joypes was in
his seat. Mr. Starke, leaning over the rail
ling, was talking VITA aim, while the rest of
the Judges were in the conference room
not quite prepared to enter on their days
duty. The counsel for Mayor Elyson,
Messrs. Neeson and Meredith, had taken
their seats, and were ready to proceed to
business Ex-Gov. Wells and i. FL Chand-
Ter, Esq, were in their places, and the re-
porters of the Enquirer, Dispatch. Wing and
State Journal were at the desks set apart
for their use and accommodation,
The moments we're spent in pleasant con-
versation by the spectators present Vari-
GUS were the speculations as to the final re-
snlt, when, all at once, panel piece Of
ceiling fell, and then the girder, which is
represented by the line of partition between
the clerks office and the court room, gave
way with an awful crash and preci plated the
spectators who were in the gallery of the
courtroom to the main floor, and the addi-
tional weight, in one single moments time,
crushing the courtroom through. The mass
of human beings who were in attendance
were sent, mingled with the bricks, mortar,
splinters, beams, iron bars, desks and chairs,
to the floor of the House Of Delegates, and
in second more over sixty souls were launch
ed into eternity The whole atmosphere was
thick with dense cloud of dust from the
plastering, ard the human beings sent up a
wall which will ring forever in the ears upon
which it fell In moment a few survi-
vors, clinging to the windows and fragments
of hanging timber, and the bare and torn
walls, were all that remained to mark the
place where only moment before there was
a scene of life, 'vigor and hope"
The News says:
CA glance at the inside of the walls of the
buildings revealed the cause of this frightful
calamity. The old hall, in which the low
er house meets, was so very high that when
it was deemed necessary to have additional
offices in the capitol, floor was thrown
across, and thus two stories made OF one
In doing this, the architect, instead Of in
sertipg the floor beams in the wall, rested
them upon a ledge Or Offset in the wall,
which projects not more than four inches,
and on this fraii support timbers measuring
at least two feet by eight or ten inches thick
were rested, the constant tendency of which
was to press out the walls and lessen the
support. For many years the floor has been
concave to an extent that was alarming, but
familiarity, had, as usual removed the
doubts of its safety.
That portion of The floor on which the
Judges platform was erected did not go
through with the rest, as there was compar
atively but little weight upon it. Judges
.Joynes and Anderson escaped to the ICON
ference ROOM" and were followed by Mr.,
Pizzini Of the Wing, and several others,
who had struggled through the mass of rub
hi.h and reached the nlatform
One report of the occurrence says that
the scene which followed the crash is utter
iy 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
sileneing their cries for help, 1t was a 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 va
cant 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 fol
help.
AS soon as the accident occurred. the
bells were rung and the news spread like
wildfre, bringing TO the terrible scene al
immense number eager to render assistance
to the uufol Inmates. and, by the presence o
mind of Gov. Walker and others, were
speedily at work at the most available points
The doors and windows of the Hall, were
shrown open, and within we're soon collect
ed the busy workers, who, mid their, owl
shouts and the agonizing groans of those
they were seeking to rescue, were removing
abe limbers. AS the wounded and deat
were reached. they were brought out anc
placed in the Senate chamber or else unde