Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-28
THE RICHMOND DISASTER.
A TERRlBLE CALAMITY.
THE CITY In MOURNING
THE DEATH ROLL.


OVER SIXTY KILLED.
OVER ONE HUNDRED WOUNDED.
LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED.
THRILLING PARTICULARS.
The terrible disaster in Richmond yesterday
caused profound sorrow in this city, and there
has been the greatest anxiety among all classes
Of our citizens to learn the particulars.
The Richmond Ne9s Of last evening has the
following account:
"Our city has this day been visited by one of
those terrible calamities, such as do not occur
more than once in two or three generations. We
have to mourn the loss Of some Of our best and
the opr 1se rodm s c in
which had assembled for the purpose Of dehv-
ering its decision in the case now pending, in
Tand the Of the 1 n1ayoahiy to be
caused the largest attendance that ever before
met in the room.
No event which has occurred in Richmond
brought to our people such a shock as the occur
rences Of to-day. In time of war, when mems
souls were braced to encounter horrors, We
death and wosnds; but on bright and beautiful
spring day, in q time Of profound peace, to see
our beautiful Square covered with the forms OF
the dead, the dying, and the MANNED, has fallen
The Court of Appeals was being formed; the
judges had arrived, and two were just entering
the room, when the floor, crowded with
closely-packed audience, estimated at at least
800 persons, was seen to sink little, and then,
assuming mOmentarily the shape OF an inverted
II. Grant was just entering the room as the
whole mass was precipitated, and, with COM
mendable presence of mind, ran at once to the
Dollhouse and and. gave the alarm: i When he
from the windows at the north and east sides,
and rose like huge column Of smoke above the
With the characteristic promptness Governor
Walker had taken command, and with q word
and bearing that no one dared to dispute, pre-
vented the rush Of a mob into the building. He
trance, and ordered each one who attempted to
ascend to stand by him until he was needed, and
as the wounded were removed and men were
called for, he allowed them to 90 in, adding elf
house we learned that Captain John Poe, un-
der the Governors direction, was in command
and as well as he could under the circumstances
giving proper directions. Looking into the door
ofthe Hall Of the House of Delegates we saw
the whole floor filled to the depth of six or eight
feet with the timber and plaster which had for
merly separated the two stories-while score
or more OF strong and earnest men were doing
their utmost to rescue the injured.
We take great pleasure in stating that not the
least prominent among them were John Cooley,
the dOOrkeeper OF the House, and Walter
Clarke, barber-they seemed endowed with
more than human strength, and their example
was nobly followed by other colored men, who
strove to do their utmost to assist in removing
the sufferers. The noise and din of the strug-
gle to remove the ruin was not loud enough to
a a1S iras the
part of the form of some of the buried, the
workmen increased their exertions.
No one who has not seen a similar occurrence
can form any idea Of the difficulty attending it
in consequence Of the dust which filled the air
Strong men whose arms and legs were untired
were compelled to cease their exertions and
rush to a window to relieve themselves of the
dust and get moutliful of fresh air. The hook
and ladder company hurried to the rescue with
a promptness that is worthy of all commenda-
manned the ropes, and in q few moments had
their ladders planted at the windows and with
ropes and steady hands eased down the sufferers
as they descended to the ground: Gen: New
berry, the superintendent of public buildings,
was also conspicuous for his well-directed ex
ertions, and did good service by controlling and
directing those who were working faithfully,
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
A glance at the inside of the walls of the
buildings revealed the cause of this frightful
calamity. The old Hall, in which the lower
House meet, was so very high that when it was
deemed necessary to have additional offices i'm
the capitol, floor was thrown across, and thus
two stories made Of one. In doing this the
architect instead Of inserting the floor beams in
the wall, rested them upon ledge or offsett in
the wall, which projects not more than four
inches, and on this frail support, timbers
inches thick, were rested, the constant tendency
ofwhich 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.
Where everybody who could, worked hard, it
not proper to discriminate, we however men,
ton among those who did excellent services as
seen by us-Mr. Henry Exall, Mr.. William
Beale, Captain John Poe, and several of the
policemen, whose names we could not ascertain.
supply ing the sufferers who were fastened in the
rubbish, with water and stimulants.
A spontaneous tribute Of sympathy for those
who suffer by this dreadful calamity, has been
paid by the whole business community. Nearly
every house is closed, and the emblem Of MOURN
ing Is hung on their DOORS"
THE DEAD.
From various sources we compile the following
list Of the killed First on the list Of the dead
from this dreadful calamity, we have the name
Of one OF Virginia's most distinguished lawyers,
Patrick Henry Aylett; next, N. P. Howard, at
er in Chancery Of the Court Of Common Pleas;
DR.. j. b. Brock. reporter Of the Evening News
and Of the Enquirer and Examiner; Julius Hob
Of Mayor Chshoon, formerly of Boston, Mass.
and the former theatrical manager Of the Bos-
ton Theater; j. w. D. Blame, celored, State
Senator from Prince Edward CO.; Captain VIM.
A. Charters, Chief Engineer Of the Fire Depart
%ent; Ash Levy, well known merchant; Col;
recently engaged In business in Richmond;
Thoe: d. Quarles, son Of the wen known Rich
m0nd merchant; John Dugger, member OF the
House of Delegates; j. A. Brewis, commission
merchant Of Alexandria; Robert H. Maury, Jr.,
land agent; W. H. Davis, coal merchant; Da,
vid Donpan, son Of w. 3. Donnan; Colonel
samuel Hairston, Of Henry COZ B. +. Robert
son, Of Cumberland co.; John Robertson, col
ored Baptist minister; ]. Watson, merchant OF
Danville; Thomas h wilcox, ex-Confederate
General; Charles j. Grinnau, Of Washington,
2: G.; z Folly, Deputy Y: g: Ma,shal; ". 3:
Edward Ward of England; Capt. James Kirby,
old citizen Of Richmond; W. a. Thompson; 4.
4; schoeeld, City Assessor, brother OF Gen:
Dslegates, son Of ypeaksr; jams Newman;
Henry FsfsytA. of StaIntcn; John Ryan;
coal dealer; Lewis n. Webb; james A. Blamire,
SISgsist, formeII q Berlin, Prussia; William
Spa, N: Y; Samuel Hicks, fhther Of policeman
Hicks JasTaylor, Nsnesniond CO.; Pst'k Lynch,