Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-01-20

q slightly. 200
Missing, SO
Total. 525
1t is supposed but a few more bodies will
be found in the ruins.
The following letter was addressed by
Mayor saunders TO the Boston committee,
who have IN hand the raising Of charitable
aid for the sufferers
LAWRENCE Jan. IS, 1860.
Ny Dear Sir: We yet know but little Of the
heart-reuding agony that is crushing our people.
Instances are hourly brought TO my notice which
IA ke me long for time to weep. have Steeled
my nerves, yet they almost break. There are
many cases which call for special aid and sympa-
thy-900 people, upon whom 5000 at least were
dependent for support, out Of employment
Young children have lost their parents; brothers
and sisters, dependant upon each other, are sepa-
rated; aged and infrm parents, dependant upon
their children, are now chlldless-
One terrible ease came under my personal OBJ
servation 4 little girl, about fifteen years Of
age, who supported her younger orphan trothers
and sisters was covered in the ruins, but not in
iurei. We had nearly extricated her-ten min
utes more and she would have been saved, but
the flames came. You must imagine the rest; l
cannot write it out. Oh how ferventy our prayers
Joined with hers Z, God There are many very
rad oa-r>. write muIv, ~ unnorvss
Youis truly, D. SAUNDERS, Jr., Mayor.
Some of the most heart-rend:ng scenes have
occurred in the room where the dead were
brought for recognition. OF one there was
nothing but the scalp and shoe, shrlveled
hv the FIRE OF another there remained only
a few bones and a small scarf partly burned.
Thomas Nice recognized the body Of his
wife bv ring she wore on her finger. lie
hal searched anxlously for her body, rs she
was found in the list Of missing. 4 charred
and misshapen mass brought into the room
of the dead. he examined, as he examined all.
Upon a bone in the clasped skeleton Of the
hand he found "A ring. Upon it was engray-
ed his own name. 1t had been presented by
him to his wife on their happy bridal day.
When be found his sure token. his sad con-
ISOLATION triumphed for a moment over his
burning sorrow He waved his hands aloft
and cried for JOY. When he looked again
npon the blackened corpse, his loss fell is it
seemed with a deadening weight upon his
soul, and all was changed. He fell upon
his attendants, venting the widest grief
Nothing could command bis attention best lie,
ana be was borne from the room raying wild
as a maniac.
Mrs Barrett. wife of James Barrett Of
Lawrence, had lost a child. She, too. was
a frequent visitor at the dead-hOuse. Satur-
dav afternoon she came, accompanied by d
younger daughter, bringing a miniature like
ness Of the lost. The miniature represented
the features of young lady of unusual per-
sonal attractions With this the mother
and sister came seeking the original among
the dead. The lost one was found, but the
iair face was burned away. the 1.-the and
graceful form was now shapeless trunk,
which was recognized only by the fabric OF
the dress she wore, small part of which
was not destroyed The mother threw her
self on the remains; she aroused herself and
gazed upon the miniature, and from that her
eyes again wandered to the remains OF her
child. She tainted and was borne away.
Those present turned away heart sick.
The bodies of Catharine Harigan and Eli
en- Ahern were also taken out and identified.
The mother Of the latter saw upon miSshap-
ca ira Lmsnt, small piece Of dress OF a
peculiar pattern. Before that, she had no
thought that she was by the side Of what
was her fair and beloved daughter. She was
Overpowered bv the scene, and was borne
away ia a fainting fit.
An incident is related Of a young and
beautiful girl employed in one Of the upper
stories of the mill, who, when the crash came,
was thrown PROSTATE upon the floor by 4
piece of saaiting which fell across her neck,
preventing her rising. The coupling which
connected the shaft prevented the latter from
strangling her; and in her comparative ease,
and confident Of a speedy delivery, she calm
ly watched the efforts made by the rescuers
to extricate her. She would have been saw
ed had the fire been stayed but for a few
minutes. But the flames swept over the spot,
claiming and Obtaining their victim.
A little daughter of James Bannon was
cntangled in the ruins, beyond the hope Of
rescue As the greedy flames came cracking
towards her, she took her "time-bill'' from
her pocket, and giving it to another girl.
said "You will be saved, | shall not; give
this to my father, and say coed bye to him
for me- The story carries its Cwn Tchec-
tions.