Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-05-06
The Richmond Disaster.
rNcrprNrs or THE SAD EVENT.


The Richmond Disaster.
INCIDENTS OF THE SAD EVENT.
The details of the terrible calamity at
Richmond, Of which we gave brief ac-
count last week, filled the daily papers
for several days with accounts of the
funerals, incidents, escapes, &c. The
Richmond Wing says: One after an
other the dead and wounded, all cover
ed with dust, were brought down the lad
ders and either laid on the grass or plac-
ed in vehicles and carried to their homes
or to other quarters kindly provided for
them. So begrimed were their faces with
dust, and so crushed was their clothing,
that recognition was not easy. Most OF
the unfortunate persons, however, were
recognized before they reached the
ground. The feelings of the spectators
were of the most painful character and
full of rapid alterations. Now they
recognized in one of the bodies a rela-
ton or friend-dead. Then one man
gled. Then one not severely injured
What a relief it was when one appeared
in view who had escaped injury AT
length all the rubbish was removed and
all the bodies recover ed. Great as the
calamity was, it was felt to be relief
when the painful work was brought to
conclusion.
INCIDENTS.
Among the incidents are many of an
exceedingly remarkable character. A
Northern lady and gentleman, Miss
rockingham and her father, of Brook
Ign, who were viewing the surrounding
country from the cupola of the building
at the time of the sad event, were entire
ly cut off for nearly two hours, and were
kept in terror in their lofty prison, from
which they could witness the movements
of the excited crowd below, the display
of dead and dying on the square, the
endless scene of confusion, with the toll
ing of bells, wailing of women and chill
dren, without the remotest idea of tie
occasion of it all beyond the terrible
shock. In this predicament they, to-
gether with negro remained, all escape
being cut off by the falling of the stair
case by which they had assembled. A
door behind had also been locked, so
that they were prevented leaving until
the negro broke through skylight and
lowered the gentleman and lady to the
roof. The lath and plaster was then
broken, and they succeeded in reaching
the library, through which, in fainting
condition and with fear and trembling,
they reached the open air, where they
beheld in all its horrors the disaster that
SO nearly included them among its vic
tins.
Mr.. Rush Burgess fell on top of
gentleman whose name he could not
learn. He asked, "My friend, can you
not move little ?" Mr.. Burgess replied,
No, | cannot STIR" "Well," said he
i must die, then good bye and soon
after he wassleeping the sleep that kno VS.
no waking.
Mr.. Samuel Eaton, formerly of Bos-
ton, was killed instantly, his neck having
been broken by the falling timbers.
Mr.. Kendall ODwyer, one Of the city
detective corps, went with the mass into
the abyss, and thus describes his fall and
subsequent experience:
/ was standing near the gallery when
it gave way, and rushed, with others, to
the centre of the room, and then we fell
with crash, and in mass were tangled
and half buried in the plaster, timbers
and laths. l was crushed down lower
and beneath many others, in total dark
ness and almostunable to breathe. A por-
ton of mans body, which was bleed
ing, pressed close to my mouth, and thus
believe, l swallowed not less than a
pint of his warm blood, which, however.
moistened my mouth which was full of
dust and sand"
/ He was finally taken cut, his most Sc
rious injury being broken arm.
One OF the victims, Hugh Hutchinson
had insured his life the morning previous
to the accident for $1,000.
Many of the dead must have died
from suffocation, as not bone was dis
covered broken or joint dislocated.
Major Calvert, late State Treasurer,
makes the following statement 81 was
in the Clerks Office, just under the gal.
lery, looking through the window in the
Courtroom. Standing by my side were
Mary Roberts and Mr.. Baldwin l was
nearest the door, leading out friend of
mine; l started to come in he remark
ed, " will stay here; it's much safer
outside than inside !" he went outside the
door, and hardly disappeared when the
crash came; l tried to get near the door
/ had oil roocf mod, ,..x