The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-28
News from Central America.
The Isthmus of Darien Canal. !
THE RICHMOND DISASTER.

THE RICHMOND DISASTER.
The Latest PnrticuInrs-Three Hundred Per-
sons Precipltated Distance of Thirty Feet
Corrected List of Casualties. ...
We present, in addition to the facts already
transmitted by telegraph, which will be found
on our third page, the following particu-
lars of the terrible disaster at Richmond
THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
RICHMOND, April 27.-Such was the intense
interest felt in the decision to be rendered by
the State Court of Appeals in the Mayoralty case
to-day, that by IL o'clock A. NJ. o crowd of eager
citizens filled the courtroom, which is located
on the upper floor of the Capitol building, on
the north side, and Immediately above the hall
of the House of Delegates. The room is about 20
by 25 feet, the judges bench at one end being
confronted by small gallery at the other The
entrance to the courtroom Is from balconied
gallery in the upper story over the Washington
Monument, on the lower floor, and above is q
skylight i'll the roof which admits the light
This balcony, gallery, was also filled with
people who could not gain admittance to the
courtroom. At the time of the catastrophe it
is estimated that not more than 300 persons
were in the courtroom but these filled it to its
utmost capacity. A large number of the legal
fraternity and members of the press were seated
in the room Immediately in front of the bench
and the gallery. The opposite end was filled
with leading citizens, and the centre of the small
room was thronged by crowd both seated
tion or discussion as to the merits of the case
going on among the assembled audience, and all
were eagerly awaiting the advent of the Judges.
At length two of their Honors entered Judges
Joynes and Anderson-and took their seats,
when the conversation lulled among the people,
and for the first time there was a perceetible
silence. ..
THE ACCIDENT.
Suddenly, and while awaiting the arrival of
the remaining judges, report as of a smothered
gun under the floor was heard, followed imme-
dately by another similar report, and everybody
started from their seats and looked towards the
centre of the room, from whence these ominous
sounds seemed to issue. People there stood up
and looked themselves for an explanation of
this strange'and mysterious noise. But they had
not long to wait. There came acrackling sound,
as of small timbers breaking, and then the floor
was felt giving way In the centre of the room.
Smultaneouslyeveryb jumped to their feet for
all felt that danger was imminent, and self
preservation is the first law of nature. But it
was too late. Down went the floor with a terri
fc crash, with its living, breathing, and fright
ened human freight, dragging with it the gallery
and its living mass, and down they went a
distance of nearly 25 feet to the floor of the
House of Delegates. Then, with the descending
mass, the ceiling above, which was somehow
attached to the gallery also, came down with
another fearful crash, smothering and crushing
the living and struggling mass of victims
beneath.
PRovIDENTIAL ESCAPES.
ledge of about twelve feet, on which the
bench was located, did not 60 down, and on
this many lives were saved, including the judges
and reporters. As soon as the fearful crash had
occurred, those who could clutched hold of the
windows, stepped out of the gallery, and ran
out to other rooms, and thus many others were
also saved.
TERRIBLE SCENE.
The scene which followed is utterly beyond
description. Between the two bodies of the
foor 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 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 vacant space OF the courtroom,
nothing was visible but cloud of thick dust,
through which the frantic cries of the victims
vet alive could be heard Vainly appealing for
help. The crash was felt in every portion of the
building, even to the basement, out of which
the officers ran in precipitate haste, and soon
the alarm of the catastrophe was pealed through
the city on the bells of the surrounding churches.
Ibis sound had the effect of bringing promptly
to the scene the Fire Department, beside a
large concourse of citizens, who were under the
impression that conhagraton had taken place
Hooks and ladders were at once broughtI into
active requisiton, and the work of eXtricatine
the dead the mangled the wounded, and tho
dying, was commenced.
FORTUNATE INCIDENT.
Luckily 1t was an hour prior to the meeting o
the Legislature, when the House OF Delegates
would also have been thronged, and hundreds o
others would have been added to the alread,
immense list of killed and wounded AS it was
some fifteen or twenty persons are reported Il
have been in the house, some of whom escapes
and some were killed, one of the pages amonl
them. An incident of the lamentable occasion
is that both the mayors-Ellison and Cahoon-
who were the most interested parties present
went down with the floor into the yawnin.
loom beneath, Ellison escaping unhurt, Will
Cahoon was slightly injured.
THE DEAD DIsFIGURED.
When the corpses were brought and expose
on the square, scarcely one of them could b
recognized so fearfully disfgured were they
and the broken-hearted wives, sisters an
mothers of several even failed, in some IL
stances, TO recognize the victims. The faces
all the dead were fearfully swollen and blacl
ened, it is supposed, from suffocaton; and aboI
the mouth and lips was q sort of coagulate
froth, tinctured with blood, which was hardent
and stiffened with dust. In the case of DIR.
II. Brock, reporter of the Enquirer, 1t is sa
his wife failed to recognize him, and brothi
reporter only discovered his Identity by searcl
THE CAPITOL BUILDING, -r-
which dates nearly to the Revoluti onary era,