Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-10
A Terrible Disaster.


The origin of the fire is yet doubtful,
although there seems to have been an
explosion of barrel or barrels of oil OF
some sort in the beginning. The flames
spread with such rapidity that almost
the entire freight station was on fire
before the engines were fairly at work
1.-THE night express on the Detroit and
Milwaukee road had been made up and
was waiting in the depot for the engine
There were two passenger coaches,
sleeping car and a baggage car INSIDE
the building. The sleeping car was
partly occupied by passengers, sc;ii1 OF !
whom had retired to they berths When
the startling alarm that the depot was
on fire was given, the widest consterna-
ton prevailed on board the train.
A man rushed trough the cars
arousing the sleepers, all Of whom made
| a rush for the doors, pushing and jam
! inc, shrieking and cursing, the stronger
overcoming the weaker and trampling
them under foot. Those In the sleeping
car pushed forward to the forward coach,
where they were met by those in the
latter going the opposite way. Mean
time the flames, like thousand Kissing
serpents, were coiling their way around !
the roof and rafters, licking their wCy
among posts and pillars, and enveloplt5
the doomed train within their heIy
folds. Dense volumes Of smoke rolled
through the avenues, and, with their de-
mon sister, fire, presented trlghttul
picture of impending doom to the fran
tic crowd struggling for egress through
the narrow appertures for escape. Many
rushed to their assistance, and as fast as
one or more emerged, they were torcibIy
thrown from the platforms to make way
for those following close behind.
The flames came cracking on, and
soon the rear end of the sleeping car
took fire while several passengers were
yet inside begging and implorlng Tor
| aid. The windows were smashed IN,
and one or two rescued through the
opening thus made, but the rapidity
with which the flames advanced drove
away all further assistance, and it IS
l feared that several persisted. 1t is al
most certain that one poor old man, IN
firm with years and sickness, and anoth-
er, whom heaven forgive, in beastly
state of intOXication, persisted in the
i flames, Whether there were others lost
, cannot as yet be asCertained, as Ia the
t fright and confusion and hurry to es-
q cape, but little attention was paid to
one another. So rapid was the progress
of the fire that some of the later ones IN
the sleeping cars escaped only partially
: clothed. They were completely stupe-
4 | IL 4 with tba an1HannpGg
j. of the outburst."
Il The burning of the Windsor is thus
s described
|. "The appalling loss of life among the
q crew and workmen employed on board
~ the Windsor is beyond comprehension
'e Admitting that the flames spread with
ID the rapidity of the lightning's fash: il
lie would seem that when all hope of escape
IT. through the depot was cut of, some one
of the thirty to forty on board would
have discovered that only slight re
IL sistance INSTRUCTED passage from thu
y dock to the yard below the depot, o.
De that the idea could have suggested itsel
t. when the vessel took fire to cut he
"a loose from her moorings and drift he
!, out Of reach of the burning pile. Blu
u the men appeared to be perfectly paral
ne lied. Many Of them seemed to thinl
>" that their doom was settled, and dar
RI not venture to face. the danger. Tn
III only one on board who exhibited any
49, thing like GOODNESS or bravery wa
" Mr.. W. Firby, mate, who ha
a been left in charge of the boa
H. When the alarm was first given h
u went ashore to discover the cause, bu
he before reaching the spot the explosio
= took place, and he with the Others, wer
-, driven on board again, the forked tongu
All of the devouring element following clos
at their heels, and Selling the boat a
lat most before Mr.. Firby had sounded tt
to alarm to cast off the lines, creating sue
10. a panic among the terror stricken worl
- men that they became pOwerless
vi help themselves or obey the orders d.
livered to them. The wood work of tt
nd boat being as dry as tinder was SOC
en-, mass of flames on the port side, an
,ol and little or no effort being made
- stay their progress, the doomed me
go We're driven to the opposite side foot
res foot by the relentless enemy until the
is clothes took fire. and their faces ar
the hands began to blister. 1t was the
in only that they plunged into the waite
Do. very many of them to meet quite as &c
tain but less terrible fate. The mo
lay urgent appeals were made by the ma
to them to keep cool, but as well mig
TX he have attempted to quiet the roaril
,ct- flames with a thimble full of watt
~. Some of the crew who were asleep
'-' the boat were aroused too late to rea
'he' the deck, and more than one was Sc
ess- to stagger wildly forward for secor
une and then fall headlong into the burni
fol- cauldron. The assistant cook nam
Thompson, slept in the hold, and as
.os has not since been seen, it is suppos
.'ea that he was suffocated. A trem
auu named Freeman, who was also asleep
W the hold, has not since been heard
rei, Those who had assembled on the do
~ VA near the foot Of Randolph street {
I've" scribe the shrieks and appeals Of tho
in the water for aid as truly heart-r'
lteo ding. As soon as possible some boa
'hey were got out, and many instances Of
1em dividuals heroism were perform
avs Among those worthy Of mention W
bear the gallent efforts Of the seamen
or board the revente cutter John Sherma
Tko oF man