The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-04
Three Young Women Fatally Burned
THE DISASTER OF NEPONsET.
In Women Burned to Death in Cotton Dry
inr NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the Fire.

In Women Burned to Death in Cotton Dry
ing WorLs-PnrLicuiars of the Fire.
The Boston Post of the Sd inst. has the follow
ing particulars of the fearful disaster, previously
noted by telegraph
Yesterday witnessed a catastrophe that de-
prived six poor women of their lives and rem
dered six families desolate OF mother. 1t oc-
Cured in the Sixteenth ward, or what was Tor
merly known as Granite Bridge, Neponset At
this place was situated o number of buildings
known as McBrides Drying Works, owned and
occupied as cotton drying works by George
Mcbride. The buildings were seven in number,
connected together in such a manner as to faci-
litate the work. The section destroyed was in
the form of T. the top being building 90 by
80, used as sortng-room, In which The cotton
was first taken from the bales, the good sorted
from the bad, etc. The body of the represents
the drying building, so by 30, in which the cot
ton was placed on racks to dry. The heat
necessary for drying was furnished by 10000
feet of One-inch steam pipes laid between the
floors. These buildings were of wood, story
and one-hah high. The others consisted OF
one-story storehouse, small engne-house etc.
The number of operatives varied according to
the amount of work. At times there have been
as many as thirty or forty employed, but yes
terday the number was small, consisting of
three men and six women. The men were at
work in the lower story and the women in the
upper storyo the sorting-room before described
The origin of the fire is unknown, and probably
will for ever remain mystery. The men
were first aware Of its presence about 10
o'clock, by the smoke which filed their apart
ment, and Instantly seeking its cause dis
covered the fire breaking out from one corner
of the arm of the T., or the sorting-room.
OF course all the efforts which could possibly
be made were instantly put forward to rescue
the women; but the majority OF them must
have been suffocated before the fire was disco
vered. Only one was visible after that time,
and she quickly disappeared as the devourlng
flames, finding the best of fuel in the well-dried
wood, swept through the windows, encircled
the roof, and passed on to the drying mouse,
which fell an easy prey to the strong body OF
blaze behind it. Nothing could be done for the
unfortunate women the heat repelled all ad-
vances, and small need was there OF an attempt,
for there was not n single chance OF hndlng lie
in the building after the flames appeared at the
windows. A half hour had elapsed and the
burning pile was mostly consumed before the
fire engines made an appearance. Heavy
streams deluged the ruins and subdued the heat
so as TO render search for the bodies practl-
cable One could hardly imagine, on view
ing the spot, that the charred space OF
ground, eighty by fifty feet had so lately
been covered with structures and busy life.
Nothing would indicate 1t, unless we except
the multitude Of steam pipes which once laid
between the floors, but now are entirely eX-
posed. The relatives of the persons known to
have been in the flames encircled the ruins with
what feelings can be imagined better than de-
scribed. The finding of the remains occupied
but n few moments Six charred stumps with
nothing to indicate the one from the other,
were all that remained of the female operatives.
They were not in the shape of human bodies,
hut an examination gave evidence that such
was the fact. The names of the parties are:-
Mrs. Robert Martin, Chelsea; Mrs. Peter Mar
tin, Mrs Thomas Hurley, Mrs. Z. Kennedy, all
of Neponset, and Mrs Commit of Glover's Cor
ner. All of them leave husbands living, and all
of them have families of either one or two
children. The deceased were mostly middle
aged women. The bodies were finally placed in
the receiving tomb in the Garden Cemetery, i'm
mediately adjoining the premises. Here they
will remain until turned over TO the charge ol
their relatives.