The destruction was unimaginable. Workers in nearby factories watched with horror as the Pemberton Mill buckled and then collapsed, trapping more than six hundred workers, many of them women and children. Word of the disaster spread quickly and volunteers rushed to the scene. As survivors called out for help, a lantern fell, and within minutes fire engulfed the building, burning those trapped inside. It took days for rescuers to complete the grim task of removing the charred bodies of the dead. Alvin F. Oickle's riveting account illustrates why, nearly a century and a half later, the Pemberton collapse is still considered one of the worst industrial calamities in American history.
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
History that reads like fiction,
This review is from: Disaster in Lawrence: The Fall of the Pemberton Mill (Paperback)
Disaster in Lawrence: The Fall of the Pemberton Mill is a fascinating book about the little-known collapse of one of the major mills in late 19th century Massachusetts that resulted in the deaths of many workers, including young children put to work to support immigrant families. The tragedy is the tremendous loss of life when women and children were forced by poverty to work long hours six days a week for wealthy mill owners. Occurring in the Robber Baron era of the late 19th century, the disaster is movingly brought to life by Oickle 's amazingly detailed account. The book includes loads of illustrations from contemporary sources--I found it very sad but compelling reading and highly recommend it to those who love history and anyone interested in social justice as well as those who just enjoy a good read.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Hobo Philosopher,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Disaster in Lawrence: The Fall of the Pemberton Mill (Paperback)
Being raised in Lawrence I am interested in all books about Lawrence. I don't remember where or when I first learned about the Pemberton Mill Disaster. William Moran wrote several emotional pages on the Disaster in his book "The Belles of New England." Bruce Watson did a bang up job on his book "Bread and Roses." And now we have Mr. Oickle filling in some of the gap with regards to the Pemberton Mill in his "Disaster In Lawrence." This is a very good history book - lots of historical stuff. Mr. Oickle gives us lots of names, people, places and facts. The last two or three chapters get into the controversy over the mill's construction. I am sure another whole book could be written on this area alone.
This was a very positive book for the town and community of Lawrence. A number of very familiar names to all Lawrencians pop up everywhere and are made real as opposed to just a name on an old school or a plaque at the Common. I enjoyed the book and will add it to my personal Lawrence bookshelf. I would never have thought when a child wandering the streets and hanging on the corners of Lawrence that I would one day be writing and collecting books on the town. So there you go. Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher - Author of: "A Summer with Charlie" Salisbury Beach
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Massachusetts mill disaster!,
By Christopher P. Obert (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Disaster in Lawrence: The Fall of the Pemberton Mill (Paperback)
This is a fact filled book covering a story that every New Englander should know. The Pemberton Mill disaster was (and still is) one of the worst industrial calamities in the United States history. And yet many Massachusetts (and New England) residents don't know the story. In 1860 the Pemberton Mill, a textile mill, located in Lawrence, Mass collapsed. The workers, many of them woman and children, were crushed, trapped and some miraculously left uninjured. The rumble of the building's fall was heard all across the city as people came rushing to the aid of the hurt and trapped workers. The situation turned for the worse as a fire broke out during the rescue and quickly engulfed the still ensnared victims. People could do nothing as they heard the cries of pain as the buried workers burnt to death.
2010 marks the 150th Anniversary of this tragic event. In honor of these poor souls lost I recommend that you read this book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
Look for Similar Items by Category
- Books > History > Americas > United States > State & Local
