The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-30
Tho Rioh,nond Casualty.

--<@o-%-
Tho Richmond Casualty.
We extract the following particulars of
the terrible calamity in Richmond on
the 9th, from the Enquirer. of the 29th.
Fifty y-seven persons were killed and near
" 200 wounded-some seriously:
The daily papers having announced
that the Court Of Appeals would make
thei- decision at IL O'Clock, in the Ely
son-C Chahoon, Mayoralty case, an i'm
mehse crowd packed the courtroom, in
tho second storyof the Capitol, before
the hour named: Tie courtroom is
just over the ball 6f ttiA House Of Dele
gates, and was literally packed in every
part, with persons eager to hear the ex-
Hpected decision. Suddenly the packed
gallery gave way, and was thrown for
ward with a heavy copcnssion, into the
centre OF the courtroom. "a This occar-
renee, with. the rush and lburRiug OF the
crowd, caused the whole floor 70 break
through from Che wallis, and silk ih q
cloud Of dust and. laaen, With its load Of
human beings, down into the hall or the
House of Delegates below. The mass
which fell buried beneath it's ruins the
persons who happened then to be In the
hall. It is exceedingly fortunate that
the catastrophe happened at Che early
hour OF IL; for if it had occurred after
the House OF Delegates had met, scarcely
any of the members could have escaped.
A large meeting of Delegates which had
been held in the hall had Just adjourned.
The scene which was presented after the
fall of the suspended courtroom was
frightful beyond description. A thick
cloud OF dust filed the vast space.
Every individual of the vast throng OF
human beings was begrimmed with dust.
Many were bleeding and groaning from
the injuries they had received. Many
lay dead in the promiscuous crowd.
Through the incumbent floor of the
fallen room, the legs and arms and
heads of the persons who had been
caught beneath it, were protruding;
some still under the spell of death; !;
others moving in efforts at extrication,
or in the agony of pain and suffering.
The greater number of tue persons
who went down with the floor, readily
made their escape from the hall below.
Those who were struck by timbers and
caught by the gallery above, and those
who were in the lower hall and caught
by the falling mass were the sufferers
from the occurrence.
1t is cause of thankfulness that so
small proportion Of the great number
Of persons who were in the courtroom
has been injured. The Judges of the
court itself all escaped unhnrt. They
were IN the conference-room, just about
going into the courtroom, when the
floor sank. Very soon after the catas
trophe occurred, almost au instant, as it
were, those who were uninjured COM
those who were buried beneath the heavy
joist, gallery, stair-ways, and tons Of
fallen latbs and plaster, and whose groans
could be heard rising in mournful Gu
dence above the noise aud confusion in
cident to the horrid occasion.
Some thoughtful ones ran to the bell
house, and, obedient to their suggestion,
the bell-men commenced tolling, which
soon brought out all the fire department
and many citizens. The report was rife,
and for some time believed, that the
Capitol was on fire.
When the fremen and citizens found
out what was demanded of them-help
for the helpless-they went to work no.
oily, the former with ladders and with
their hands, and the latter by every ex-
ertion of strength, endurance and perse-
verance. to rescue their imprisoned
fellow-mortals. The heavy timbers, &C.,
had been pitched out of the windows.
The records of the court, such as had
been recovered, were thrown into the
railing enclosing Wushington's statue,
together with hundred hats and as
many shoes.
The corpses OF those taken from the
ruins were all laid on the grass on both
sides OF the capitol, as were the wounded.
The wounded and dead were alike borne
away as soon as their friends could be
informed Of their condition.
The catastrophe destroyed the room of