The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-28
THE CAPITOL DISASTER.
YESTERDAY WAS THE 18Th AMI
yERsARY or THE CALAMITY
Tor the Benefit of its Younger Readers The
Times Reproducss an Account as
Published Mt That Time.

number OF those VINO remember TINS Gay
Of general mourning in all or us de'aiiS
"a cofnparatiycly small. and fepfodNcllo"
Of the accounts published at the time
will no doubt be OF great interest 10 the
readers OF The Times.
The Richmond Wing on the next morn
.ng appeared In mourning. and ediiorialy
commented In the following manner on
the great calamity OF the previous day'
THE CALAMITY % YESTERDAY
..Thc disaster that occurred ia THIS CITY
S.surday was so startling OF suCh
mocnluudc. and so full Of calamity 10
rrIvsf, families. to the city. and 10 the
aboie commonwealth. that II VIII be for-
ever asyociated In the public mind with
INC burning OF the Richmond Iheaie'
which occurred on the nigh. OF pccem-
ber rs 1871 ana by which more .han one
hundred prisons lost their Lses. Inc
melancholy details Of this hearuchdihs
disaster viii be found elsewhere IN our
columns. .,
room OF the Supreme Court to near tne
announcement OF the decision IN the
,navorslty case. This room was used
many wears ago as the Senate chamber
ca Tor the convenience Of the public a
Gallery had been attached 10 IT, res
tcr8av. Jus, a moment or two before the
court was 10 meet fonly two OF the JUICES
having taken their seats on the hencn
Indges Jovncs and Anderson, the ola
gallery rave way under tho human weight
that bore upon 70. and fell in' breaking
through the floor OF the room. ana carry
ing along with 10 a large number or per
sons and prcclpitating them some twenty
10 thirty feet into the han Of the House
of Delegates Many were killed. many
mouelcd. others more or less injured
while some hy rare good fortune escaped
,.nhiirf In one instant effects were
wrought that volumes scarcely descrlbe-
When the crash occurred. the intelligence
OF IL Immediately spread through lhe
city. causing a panic and such a deEIoe
of Iainful anxiety and distress as "cIe
without a parallel during the war II
was known that the courtroom Would
be crowded. that II was the hour for
both houses OF the Legislature 10 as
s,mblc. and that subject would be
taken up which would attract large
concoDrse Of our most valuable citizens
and Of strangers 10 the capitol Every
heart felt "A shock Of horror as tho news
spread From an parts of the city, ana
through all the thoroIshfaics and streets.
crowds took their way 10 the Capitol all
fearing that their nearest relatives ana
dearest friends might he among the VIC
personal lpprohonsiOns. there was an ap-
palling sense Of public calamity that
stunned and bowildored the irnost minds.
Such scenes as presented themselves were
siclen!nc. Fortunately there are al
ways I'm such emergencies men who
throw aside human weaknesses and i'm
mcdiatoly give themselves up TO the good
work Of rescuing. saving and relieving
the subjects Of disaster. II was so yes
terday They lost no time, but going INTO
the fearful scene. they commenced opera
tions at once. Conspicuous among those
who Initiated measures for relief and
order were Governor Walker and senator
French The first order given and exc
cuted was 10 break open the doors and
windows and admit air for the relief Of
the many who were supposed and cor
rectly. as Il subsequently turned out, 10
be mcnaced with suffocation
"Whilc sons removed tho fallen tim
bers under which the sufferers lay others
procured ladders and placed thom at the
windows. Hacks. private carriages, fur
niture wagons. mattresses. ana other
conveniences were soon provided in great
numbers. Then commenced tho work n
r~nft,irg s.,ne killed and the wounded,
and q scene was presented that tried the
stoutest nerves and the coolest hearts.
one after another the dead and the
wounded, all covered with dust. were
brought down the ladders. and either
laid on the grass, placed In vehicles,
and carried 10 their homes. or 10 other
quarters kindly provided for them. As
the victims Of the disaster were brought
10 the windows and appeared before the
;hronging multitude. the most intense
anxiety was felt and manifested as TO
their recognition. All were on the look
out for their friends SO begrimed were
the 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 .he ground The feelings Of the
spectators were of the most painful char
acter and fun of rapid alterations.
Now they recognized In one Of the bodies
a relative or friend-dead; then enc
mangled; then one not severely injured
What relief it was when one appeared
In view who had escaped injury, At
length all the rubbish was removed. and
all the bodies recovered. Great as tho
calamity was IL was itlt 10 be "A relief
when the painful work was brought TO
a conclusion.
THE list OF the dead is given else
where. We have not the heart to name
them here. and TO speak OF their sur
Viv.ng families and friends.
among them were the old. the middle
aged and the young. white and colored.
citizens OF Richmond. and citizens OF
other portions of the state.
I'VE publish elsewhere as fun and
correct a list Of the wounded as IL was
possible for US To make II earnest good
wishes and sincere prayers for their
amendment can avail aught, they will
soon be healed and restored
THE frightful disaster We have de-
scribed will leave it's impress ON this
generation. May such another never be-
fall this city.
Attention is called TO the meeting Of
citizens announced TO take place on Capt.
tol Square to-day at Il o'clock. for the
purpose OF taking such action as heflts
the solemn occasion"
In the local columns Of the same dav
the Richmond Wig gives the following
detailed description of the sad disaster.
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
Floor OF the Supreme Court Room in the
Capitol Breaks Through
A Large Number of Citizens Killed or
Wounded-SCe nes and Incidents.
The 96th Of December. 1911. was long
remembered in Richmond. because that
date was rendered memorable. even 90
the present era. by the burning or the
Richmond Theatre. which occupied the
site on which the Monumental church
now stands. over one hundred ladies'
and gentlemen. including the Governor OF
Virginia. persisted In the flames. Since
That terrible event, which occurred sixty
nine years ago. this community has not
been afflicted with any calamity so pro-
ductivc OF overwhelming horror. desola-
ton. and grief. until yesterday. the 21th
Of Ar al.r,