The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-30
THE GREAT CALAMITY.
THE PARTICULARS As GIVEN IN
THE RICRMOND PAPERS.


Escapes-H rrowing scenes-The
Deaths by Observation-Disclosures
Full List of the Casualties, sc.
From the Richmond papers Of Thursday we
CLEAN the following particulars of the fright
full calamity at the Virginia capitol:
THE CRASH OF DEATH.
The bells had Just tollcd the hour of IL, and
death-like silence reigned as Nr. Starke, the
clerk, entered and placed his books on the
| table. Judge Joynes was in his seat. MIR.
Starke, leaning over the railing, was talking
| with him, 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 pro-
ceed to business. Ex-Governor Wells and l..
H. Chandler, Esq, were also in their places;
patch, Whig and State Journal, were at the
desks set apart for their use and accommoda-
ton. The moments were spent in pleasant
conversation by the spectators present. Va
rious were the speculations as to the final
result, when, all at once: panel piece OF
ceiling fell, and then The girder, which Is
represented by the line of partition between
tile CLERKS OlllCc dilU tHC >COuttlooiH, s5osS
way with an awful crash, and precipitated the
SPECTATORS who were in the gallery OF the
courtroom to the main floor, and the addl-
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
a second more over fifty souls were launched
into eternity. The whole atmosphere was
thick with a dense cloud of dust from the plas-
terinr. and the human beings sent up groan
which will ring forever in the ears upon which
it fell. In moment, q few survivors 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 a
moment before there was scene OF life, vigor
and hope.
The portion of the floor on which the judges
platform was erected did not go through with
the rest, as there was comparatively but little
weight upon it. Judges Jones and Anderson
escaped to the ''conference-room," and were
followed by Mr.. Plzzini, OF the WING, and seve-
raj others who had struggled through the mass
of rubbish and reached the platform. Colonel
McPhail was leaning against the mantel, and
clung to it until he obtained foothold. His
arm was badly injured by the plaster falling
from above. Mr. William Taylor, grocer, OF
this city, grasped window sill near him, and
held on until assistance came. A large num-
Der ofthose who went through sustained no
other injury than severe shock and q few
bruises and cuts. 1t Is marvellous that so
many escaped death from the falling timbers
and heavy plaster ceiling of the courtroom
which must have fallen upon the crowc.
SCENE ABOUT THE CAPITOL BUILDING.
The scene about the capitol building just
after the sad occurrence was one of terror.
The first notice that those who were in the
building had of the impending evil was the
premonitory rumbling as the floor was settling.
Then there came fearful crash, accompanied
bya cry of human agony and terror which
smote the hearts OF all who heard it. In a
moment the irightful situation was realized.
The few who had been so fortunate as to be
able to get into the windows shouted ALOUD for
help for those who had fallen, and called for
ladders. In short time the bells were tolllng,
and. the hook and ladder truck being brought
upon the spot. the ladders were put up 10 the
windows, and the work OF humanity began.
The binding dust within prevented any one
from seeing anything, and the rushing OF per
sons within the building and the cries Of tue
wounded was all that could be heard.
IN THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Here was scene that fairly made ones
heart bleed. AS the dust cleared away a little
q mass of timbers and rubbish OF every descrip-
ton was deserted, and the reflection OF the
numbers of human beings crushed beneath Its
weight. dead and dying, was sickeninS. Add
to this the cries and grOans OF those who were
there, many in the agony OF death, and there
is q picture to make The stoutest hearts quail.
The entire hall was flooded with the ruins, cX-
cept tho space under the gallery. Desks
chairs and tables were crushed completely,
showing the force of the falling wreck. The
thn n1,r
one, but was undertaken by those present
with will, and it was not long before the un-
fortunate men were being rescued from their
painful position.
ALL HANDS TO TIE RESCUE.
In few minutes after the alarm was
sounded the Hook and Ladder company ar
rived on the square, and Immediately set to
work In eevaling their ladders. Other iire-
men followed rapidly, and united with the
ladler-men in attempting the rescue OF those
who were buried in the ruins. Many OF the
citizens who hurried to The scene also lent
their assistance, but the majority seemed petrl-
fed with horror, or feared that the old build.
Ing would fall In and crush oil who ventured
near its walls. One by one the survivors OF
the crash came forth, or were assisted TO the
open air, each one whItened with plaster dust.
or SO distigurcd by blood and dirt as to
be almost unrecognlza5le. There were soon
plenty Of workcrS-not only nremen, DuI
members of the Legislature and citl-
zens gencrally-who went boldly and man.
fully into the midst Of the debris, and proceed
ed to clear the hall OF the accumulated mass
of rubbish, or to bring out the wounded and
dead. number Of policeman soon posted
themselves ct the entrances to prevent too
many persons from aiding in the work of eX-
tricatina the sufferers. This was a judiciOus
precaution, ps the crowd increased every mo-
ment as the thrilling news spread through the
CITY. All the surgeons and physicians in the
CITY were upon the ground as promptly as pos
sible. and rendered all the aid in their power
to the sufferers The Senate chamber was
made a temporary hospital and morgue, but
most of the bodies of the dead and dying, as
well as those not seriously wounded, were
taken to The grass plots in the square.
THE SCENE IN THE SQUARE.
The toling of bells, the rushing and shout
ing of excited men and the news of the fear
fll calamity. which spread like wildlre over
the city in o incredible short space OF tlme
brought an immense crowd Of all classes, ages
and Solors, to the square. Hundreds OF wives
mothers and friends, were constantly filling
the grounds, who. with wrnging hands,
sought, In d. ',.oir. to know If any OIL tnclr
loved ones had been Uf the number mangled.
War; with its horrors, it aSonies, 1t sad separa-
tlons, Its ghastly wounds, its horrible deaths,
pictures to the mind no such scene as the one
which was yesterday enacted in the square.
To contemplate upon such shocking al
fair-to see the faces Of those who expected
each moment to find near and dear friend
borne from the ruins to be cared for on the