Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-30
PERSONS DIED IN THE CAPITOL DLSASTER 50 YEARS AGO
SCORES ALSO INJURED
IN BIG CATASTROPHE,
Anticipation of Decision of Supreme Court in Cee-
brated Chahoon-Ellys Case Brought Crowd
Too Big for Senate Floor to Bear

There were no sGch packed assem-.
b!aEcs drawn together Ny excitement
and entertainment of one kind and
another within doors. So the build
ers accommodated themselves to their
times. only the Capitol lived be-
You'd rs true day and added another
appalling chapter 10 city Of calam-
tiles.
Theory Of the Accident.
In this connection. the following
excerpt. taken from an account OF
the disaster printed in The Richmond
Dispatch Of ffty-two years aEo. Is
Interesting: From conversations
with several who were in the court
room at the Zine OF the fall. We
learn the following as the true
theory oc the accident: The large cir
de: which was under the partition
between the clerks Office and the
courtroom snapped in twain. and
immediately afterwards the floor
commenced - cav" The suanar, c-
the crowded gallery having given
away. the gallery parted from tn.
wa. and fell over into The center
Of the courtroom. crushing through
the floor and prccipitatiuc the mass
Of human beings and rubbish into
the hall below. W. examined tho
girdcr and found that +, had broken
on JUST in the center. Il was hcwn
timber and just where II broke was
a cut. Is 4 the workman. I'm haw-
ing. had rIadc a misslick and driven
his hdzc int; tho wood about a
quarter Of an inch"
Many Of tho dead. when brought
out. we're found to be without serious
bodily injury. but had evidently died
from sumocat!on.
Comparison OF News Treatment.
TX is interesting to cornpar. tho
treatment OF biz news events suc,,
as the Capitol disaster. by tho news.
parers Of half century ago and
those Of today. Whereas present
DAY newspapers spread happen
ings OF such import "an over tho
'front.' page" under eight-coluuun
S"V"n'y-two and eighty four-"poin,'
ncS' r!ohons, banners" or
Streaners," the Cari;oi disav,a-
was carried by The Richmond nj.
pa'ch OF hfty-two years ago under
a modest two-column head on a.,
inside page! Whereas ,vpical
new Shaner catch-line oe today would
r"a" 'hnd easily could he ROM,
across the street, "Fi.,v-Six nj. -,
capitol Disaster" the "scnrcb.,,,.,
~ NAN century ago would excite
ou' scant attention today. Two
words Horrible Calamity" Sc, In
eng h'"en-"roint' type. across ,wn
'"'ninns, sUi'iccd for the scaroh.aa
VI a"e "a toll tragedy
me style Of news writing a,,v-
'Wo years ago. ms compared with ~ .
"hroniciling OF present dnv ava,.s
u'" ered Just as head writing" di.
..red. as witness the foilowinr
Icad' to the Capitol horror:
Saa-sad. indeei-!s tho duty =,
me chron!cler Of the sad even,s ava
terrible scenes In our State Cant.
,oi on yesterday. Unprecedentna
IN their awful results. heart-rendins,
IN their every aspect. and bringing
mourning to our entire CITY. We
Almost malt in palsicd horror in N.
Undertaking OF their narration. To
describe II would hc beyond IN .
power OF man. and with those who
witnessed it's recollection VII,
remain indollibly vivid az long n &
life shall last. In sending IN n
opt" Srievcd people our account ~
'h's dreadful calamity we are well
aware OF our inability 10 give the,r
more than narrative OF the fact
and casualties The a,tendar.
scenes may be imagined. but Gamma.
be described"