Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-10
Fire at Neponset Mass.
SIN WOMEN BURNED TO DEATH

There was confagration near the viii
lage of Neponset, Wednesday, which was
attended with a most lamentable loss OF
life The buildings burned were used for
dying and sorting wool and cotton.
There were seven wooden buildings used
for the purpose, and though erected at
different times, they constituted, practi-
cally, "a single structure. In the center
was building, 50x30, used az sorting
place aud for the storage of the raw wool
and cotton. On Que side aud toward the
public road there was dry house 0OX3O
On the other side OF the building was a
small brick engine house and sheds, and
further along two buildings 50&2O feet,
standing close to each other. They were
all very lightly built, shed-like affairs,
only one story i'll heighth.
just before ten o'clock the workmen
who were employed about the esta bllsh
ment. and Who had been in the small
building beside the engine room. discover
ed fire issuing from the larger central
building. They do not give clear ac-
count OF their discovery IF 1t, aud were
probably bewildereA by the discovery.
la this building six Irishwomeu, regular
ly employed by Mr.. Mcbride, were at
work sorting cotton. They were i'll the
loft at place which was reached from
the lower floor by a ladder through an
open door way, and there was no stairway
near them
There was no FIRE whatever in this
building, all the heat needed being OBJ
| tanned from the steam pipes which passed
through from the engine room TO the dry
house. The building was filled with the
most inflammable of material and WAS dry
as finder box Before the workmen
ontside could get in it was filed i'll every
part with the densest volumes of smoke,
and seems to have been almost instantly
on fire in every part. The flames, howev-
er, were first seen bursting from The roof
There are number of dwelling houses
within few rods of the establishment,
and the residents Immediately rallied TO
the scene of the oonflagrstion.
An alarm was sounded and the engines
sent for Soon after the fire started, the
persons on the north side of the burning
building saw woman's arm pushed
through one of the two windows, held
there moment bleeding from the wounds
of the glass, and as quickly withdrawn
In this end of the loft there was also a
large door opening outward and used for
the handling of the material. The work
men Immediately brought out ladders,
climbed to this door, and threw it open
and also broke in the windows, The
smoke came out in binding volumes, and
nothing could be seen inside. No mortal
could live for more tkan a few moments
in such place, and no doubt the women
were already suffocated. No other sign Of
life was seen and no cries were heard. The
FIRE seems to have originated right where
they were, and the only hypothesis of
the cause, that has any elements of proba-
bility, is that some of the six broke over
wellenforced regulation of the mill and
lighted pipe, some spark from which
proved the means of their destruction.
The fire burned with the utmost fierce
ness, and it was scarcely half AN hour be-
fore the entire establishment was in fl imes
and we'll nigh burned down. The GEN.
trail building was all destroy ed before the
arrival of the steam fire engines five OF
which came. Nothing at all was saved
by the efforts of the fremeu, and the ul-
innate result was scarcely delayed.
The women who met their dreadful fate
in the loft were all married, and the
mothers of families Of children. Twelve