, 1874-01-22
A Knitting-hIfll Filled with Opera.
tiTes the Scene OF the
Disaster.
Part Of the Building Shattered
and Set on Fire.
Nine Women Burned to Death, and
Many Injured.
led and Wounded.
4 Incidents,


buENE THE DISASTER.
BENNINGTON, Vt: an. 21.-Tho terrible oxp1o.
sion OF yesterday = !! 1!ongrosBcs the attention of
all, aud hundrcda' ,spersonn have visited the
town To-day our Sheer curiosity, to sYitnoss
tic gcono Of the kstropho.
The Groom NO. ain Knitting Mills. which
proved tho aeputchre Of nlno human beings, ara
of brck, ono story III height. The main part Of
tie mill was C0x60 feet. On tho wost side was a
wing las feet doop. On the east sido wos
ono 100 foot deop, both of briol,
and 30 feet wide. Tic total
cost Of tho mill, including machinery waa s70..
600. It was q full 4-aot MILL md employed
aeyonty-dvo hands. There wns large L in the
rear III which was the boiler used to heat tho
building aud to supply steam for an engine when
sufficient power could not bo obtained from tho
wator-wheol. Tho company has used
PORTABLE GAS APPARATUS,
known as tho Springfield machine, in which gaso,
line was used to make gas by evaporation for
lighting tho mill. Tho pipes holding the
gasoline wero loaklng in tho boiler
repairing them. Dnling this operation tho o.
room, as well ns tho apartments adjoining. As
SOON as the gas camo near tho boilers terrific
explosion was heard, aud in an instant the wholo
building was filled with flames.
THE EXPLOSION
lifted the roof from the sido walls, which fol-
out, and it dropped down upon the hoadb of tie
employees In Tint part Of tho building, crush.
ing them, and imprisouing them boneath tic
ruins The mass Of timber and brick falling
ployed caused instant donth to q number.
Tho explosion WAS leard distance Of eighteen
mlos. and was plainly discernablc ~ Arlington,
some sixtoon miles away. Coincident with til Q
explosion the entire building was
EY,
tho al-porVadlng gasoline ,vapor. ignting like
powder, and spreading through tho whole,
Most of the doors wore blown from their liugeu,
and in monnout the whole building was wrap
ped in 1ame Tho fromon were powerlcss
TO holp the women imprisoned there, who vera
rapidly burned to death.
THE SCREAMS WE'VE HORRIBLE
to boar, aud their esonized cries for help wore
cnbuGh 10 put enorKy and courage into the
norves Of every mau, out all efforts were fruit.
| less, and tho unfortunate woman persisted mis-
| eEably., After considerable time Ind bcen spont
IN n'a.t aana'lng g;a tue namea, soarch was mada
| oHAnRED REMA1SB OF NINE BODIES
] wero recovMed. In ovory inBtauco tbero was no
possibility Of recognition directly, aud tho only
guide to tho names OF the killed was the fact
those Of the PERSONS who worked At the benches
| where tlcae 1ema4ns we're found.
| THE sxorTEMENT IN THE TOWN
was Intense. and nearly ovory abic- bodied map
ahu notAAu "lsb I'LL tuo EEuuQu G9HfCllOE tor
their friondB. Ill tho atoros were closed. and
! employers and employed were alike busy. The
| Inhabitants who hAve escaped without having
relative or FREUD injured or killed. are con-
sollng those who M have suffered, and there is no
failure from lack of attendance. Many
| BAD AND TOUCHING sroH1Es
IRE told mo Of husbands seeking fpr their wives
parouts their children, aud brothers their sis.
! tors. Ono young man, who was shortly to have
| boon mnrrie1 finds Ills iutonned In tle rt,ius,
! and othor Incidents aa harro wing arc heard. The
following isa
LIST OF THE DEAD:
Mr. John Vaughn, torewoman, widow Of
was killed III the battle Of Gettysburg.
Mrs. ". Gould.
Miss Minnie Hurley.
l1ias Fannie Wood.
Miss Augusta Bass.
Miss GnInn Moon.
Mrs. Cunningham. widow OF T. Cunningham
who was killed by po"der,mill explosion in tllie
tho olaeBt l5 years Of age.
Mrs. Garrity, who leaves husband and four
children
Added to tho killed. tlero is painful
LIST or WOUNDED.
AIr. j. H. Fields, master builder, WAS 80.
/ riously wounded about tue head and faco, and il
in q dangerous condition. Mrs. Rhodes il badl,
injured. Miss Nettio Wood, eiater Of Fannie
Woou WHO Is iulled, lB badly hurt, but. not dun
| gerouB. Mrs. Bissell. daughter Of e. Stsatton.
had her head and face cut Miss Lizzie Granger
suffered concusaion Of tho head. Mary Hurley
was wounded. ". Moore, hurt, not sorious
tIonry Godfrey, injured while assisting to Of
tlnguiah tho tla!nes
t1o 10 Assocsated Pytss.]
BENNINGTON. IT., Jan. M.-Tho Investigation
to-day before Justice Aikon, into the cause q!
the explosion last night in q knitting mill here.
does not show carelessnoss All tho wounded
but one will recover. Nine dead bodies have
| been identified.