The New York herald., 1870-03-04

TIE DISASTER In NEPONSET.
Six Women Burned to Death In 1scBride's
Cotton Drying Works In tse sixteenth
Wnrd-Particunrs Of the Fire.

From the Boston Post March 81
Yesterday Witnessed a Catasro nle tnat deprived
slx poor women OF their lives and rendered six ami
lies desoiate OF moher. IL occurred In the SIX
teenth ward or what was formerly known as Granite
Bridge, Neponset. AZ this place was situated u num-
Der OF buildings known AZ Mcbride's Drying WORKS,
owned ana occupied as cotton drying works
seven Ia number connected together In
such manner as TO facilitare tho work.
Ine section DESTROYED was ~ Inc form Of a
room, III which the cotton was first taken from the
bales the good sorted from the Dad &C. The body
OF Ihe represents the drying building, SOX30, IN
which the cotton was placed on RACKS 10 dry. The
heat necessary for drying was furnished by 10000
feet OF onench steam pipes LAID between the floors.
These buildings were Of wood, story ana one half
high. The others consisted Of q one story store
honse, small engine honse, &c. The number Of
operatives varied according to the amount Of work.
At times there have Deen as many as thirty or
forty employed, bur yesterday tue number was
The men were at work In the lower story and the
women in the upper story or tine sorting room
before described. The origin or the fire Is unknown.
and probably VIII forever remain mystery. The
men were nrst aware Of its presence about ten
O'Clock by the smoke which flied their apartment,
and INSTANTLY seekin its canse discovered the 6re
breaking out from corner OF the arm OF the +,
tne sorting room. or course I'll the eiiOlts which
could possibly be made were instantly put forward
TO rescue the women but the majority Of them must
have been suf0cated before the fire was discovered.
only was visible after that tInc ana she quickly
disappeared as tho devourlnI flames, 1inding the
best Of Iue in the well dried wood, swept through
the windows encrced tine ROOF anu passed on TO the
drying house, which fell an easy prey 10 the stf0ng
body OF blaze behind 1t. Nothing could be done f0r
the unfortunate wOmen the heat repeiled all ad
vanccs and small need was there OF al attempt, for
there was not single chance Of nndng lie IN the
building after the flames appeared at the win
dows half hOur mad elapsed ann the
burning pile was mostly consumed before the fire
engines made an appearance. Heavy streams
deuged the runs ana subdued the heat 50 as
to render search for the bodies practicable. one
couId hardly imagine, on viewing the spot thar The
cnarred space OF ground, eighty by fy feet had 30
lately been covered with structures ana busy life.
Nothing would indicate It, unless except the mul.
titude OF steam pipes which once laid between the
floors but now are entirely exposed. The relatives
or the persons known to have been IN the flames en-.
crced the RUNS, with what feelings can be imagined
better than described. This nnding OF the remains
occupied but few moments. SIX charred stuMpS,
with nothing to Indicate the one from the other,
were oil that remained OF tho female operatives.
They were not In the shape OF human bodies,
but On examination gave evidence that such
was the lact The names Of tho parties
are:-Mrs. Robert Martin Chelsea; Mrs. Peter
Martin, Mrs. Thomas Hurley, MrB. p. Kennedy,
NIL OF Neponset, and Mrs. Commit, OF GlOver's Cor.
Dcr. All Of them leave husbands living, and all OF
them have families cf either one or Two Children
Tue deceased were mostly middle aged women.
The bodies were finally placed IN the receiving tomb
IN the Garden Cemetery. Immediately adjoining the
premises. Here they viii remain until turned over
TO the charge Of their relatives.
Robsrr Vsss actsspg ~ cogo4sE. TestWepl wy Msa