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

ing at a late hour after the fire broke out
outwinded its human associates. The ruins
were deluged with water, but still the pre-
sence of cotton waste, saturated with oil, the
floors rendered com mbustiblc by the dripping Of
oil from the machinery, and above all the
depth at which the fire originated and
burned, rendered it difficult of extinguish.
ment, and as late as four clock yesterday
afternoon huge volume of smoke arose from
the southeast corner of the mill, into which
several streams of water had been playing
since II oclock Wednesday night.
The women of Lawrence, heroines in every
sphere during the fearful scenes of the hour
won laurels in the Fire Department, also
When, after hours of extreme exertion, the
fremen, worn down and quite exhausted
called for help, bevy of ladies who were
standing on the sidewalk in Canal street,
flew over 10 the engines. and Z" manning .
the brakes, worked the machine amid the
cheers of the firemen.
Miraculous ESCAPEs.-The circumstances
attending the delivery of the operatives from
their living grave constitute in themselves a
startling chapter. Among those foremost In
their efforts to save life was Gen. Oliver,
who, with the greatest self-pOssessipn and a
degree of Judgment invaluable at such a mo-
ment, went from place to place giving direc-
tions to the rescuers, cheering the sufferers,
and laboring with all his might to extricate
them Major Frank Watson, the Postmas-
ter of Lawrence, worked Increasingly; and
Capt Fox, of the Washington Mills, labored
heroically, regardless of his own life in his
efforts to save others.
Mr. Jason II. Dana, assisted by Messrs.
! Leonard St0ddard and Augustus Wilder, sue
ceeded in rescung about twenty persons.
Mr.. Dana was on the ground in about three
minutes after the accident, at which time
the heads and hands OF the victims were to be
seen prOtruding, in every conceivable posture
of distress, from between the different layers
Of the ruin, from between the different layers
persons extrcated were taken from the top
Of the rubbish. Twelve persons were recov-
cred from one spot on the west side OF the
mill, near the machine shop. Three of these
were dead, and several others terribly MAIN
| ed
Rescuers in pursuing their melancholy
! task, came upon little boy confined beneath
| the uns, who. when they proceeded TO ex-
/ tricate him, begged them 10 leave him and
/ get out his sister who was near him. One
man found two young women in compara-
| lively comfortable position, and handed them
coffee, with the cheering assurance that In
fifteen minutes they would be rescued. But
alas for the delusion of hope. The fire ap-
preached, and as it gradually neared the two
sufferers, their entreatles to be saved were
enough to make the stoutest heart quail.
Men redoubled their exertions, but in vain,
the flames enveloped the p or creatures, who
perished before the eyes of their would-be
! deliverers.
One entire family of FIVE persons, all en-
| ployed IN the mill, We're providentially saved,
and the poor mother, gathering her children
about her, amid the darkness that surround
ed her, her heart bursting with gratitude
for their deliverance, offered up fervent
prayer to Heaven.
Miss Selma " eeks OF Dover, \. H., work
ed in the spool room, in the sixth story. She
went down with the b Hiding, and when she
/ recovered from the shock, she was standing
upon the floor Of the spool room, her body
half concealed amid the ruins. She escaped
unhurt, and returned to her home last even
ing.
Miss Olive Bridges Of Calais, Me, who
worked in the fifth story, seized the hoisting
chain Of the elevator, and went safely down
five stories to the ground, and escaped from
the building without injury. Though the
whole night she was at the City Hall, pass
ing like an angel Of mercy among the couch
| es OF the sufferers, anticipating every want,
| relieving pain, and breathing words of com
fort ana consolation 10 the wounded and dy
! ing.
4 marvellous escape from death is related
| of little girl about ten or twelve years old.
She was found with her feet spread wide
/ apart by a huge mass of iron that would
/ ha bltvt irh
on either side were heavy pieces of machine
~, and over her back large timber while
| one of her arms was thrust through an iron
ring. All these heavy articles were in close
contact with her body, so that she could not
move, and yet, strange to say, she was res
cued with only slight injuries. How she
could have got into such position is a mar
vel.
Another young girl was buried ten feet
! deep under rubbish, but her screams being
! heard, parties set to work to extricate her.
Alter tOiling long and hard, they succeeded
in removing the superintendent mass, when,
to their astonishment. the glrl jumped nimb-
ly up, and ran skipping away, greatly pleas
ed at her liberation and not in the least
hurt
An affecting scene occurred during the
early part of the evening, which melted the
hearts of all who witnessed It, A little boy,
whose only friend on earth was his mother,
and that mother employed in the mill wan
dered about among the crowd, sobblng as 1t
| his little heart would break, and begging the
! bystanders to save his mother. The prayers
of the little fellow were answered; his moth
er was saved, and clasping her son IN her
arms. his JOY knew no bounds-one extreme
succeeding another.
A boy at work in one of the upper rooms,
hearing the crash, had the presence of mi
| to Jump into a waste box, which, with It's
occupant, buried several feet beneath
the ruins. When the TeScuers raised the
| pile of rubbish frorD the box, the young hero
| sprang from his narrow prison, and walked
away as coolly as if nothing had happened.
Three women were IN tn privy when the
/ II Ill iell, and Were all -aved, as that portion
OF the building remained standing until last
! evening.
The fire was approaching the spot where
d man was surrounded by tim bers, vt had
| room TO move about. stream of water
was directed upon him, and every ezertion
made to save him, but Ia vain. He and
three others, in nearly the same position,
were lett TO perish.
DR.. ). A. Lord of South Danvers, was
called To attend two young women, VINO
were in the third story of the mill. In fall
ing, one of them, Mary Welch, tad two fin
gers caught in the machinery. In an agony
OF despail she literally tore them off, and
crawled out through an opening in the ruins,
tearing her clothes completely from her
body.
Every effort which ingenuity and humanity
could devise, WIS put INTO operation to save
the victims. BY means of ropes, bars and
other contrlvances, some sevcnty-hve wele
taken out more or less wounded. and their
lives thus fortunately preserved. Besides
those thus saved, a large number OF opera
tives, mostly males, who were in the weaving
room. which Is in tbe lower story, managed
10 escape from tlat rom by cr4wllng up
through Il couple of low windows which were
not obstructed rhr weaving room was
partially saved by neaSy stone flo Of the
I m this ,1..t.s4 ~ ~