The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1874-09-27
OF THE GRANITE " "wooLEN 1" MILL
AT FALL RIVER, MASS.
FOUR HUNDRED GIRLS AND MEN SHUT IN
BY FLAMES
Forty Operatives Crushed and Burned to Death.
EIGHTY SERIOUSLY AND FATALLY INJURED.
New York Herald ]

New York Herald
FALL RIVER, Sept. 10, 1874.
One of those fearful calamities which
shocks and saddens a community beyond
the power of expression, has visited the
industrial city of Fall River o-day. Be-
| sides fire of colossal proportions, involv-
ing heavy loss of valuable property, there
is added the terrible record of forty or
more human lives among the sacrifices
| many have been manned and injured be-
| yonf recovery, others hopelessly crippled
| for life. The story of the fire and its con-
| sequences is a brief and simple one, but
| the event has cast mantle of glosm and
| sorrow over the community which no brief
| time will obliterate. 1t was about seven
O'Clock this morning when the fire alarm
| bells indicated that there was a confagra-
tion in the manufacturing section of the
city, and, of course, there was moro than
ordinary excitement among the citizens. 1t
was soon. learned that the large Granite
Mill, No. l, was in flames, aud the wild and
painful rumors followed that nearly all of
the four hundred operatives employed there
were being literally roasted alive. Every
where there was the widest terror and ex-
citement, and it seemed as if the whole
community was paralyzed with grief and
insanity.
AT THE BURNING MILL
! 1t was but a few moments before the
wild stories were circulated in the other
mill, and almost simultaneously work was
| suspended and the frepZied operatives
gathered around the fated factory 1t was
soon enveloped in flames from one end to
| the other, and it's almost entire and speedy
destruction was at once foregone conclu
| sion.
The story, as told by those who were in
the room, is to the effect that the fire origi-
mated from heat, occasiened by the friction
lnF \,
oiled. 1t caught in the fourth story, near
a large tower, in the centre of the nam
moth building. When first seen some of
the help attempted to check it with pals Of
water but the folly of this was early ap-
parent, for in less than three minutes the
whole end of the building was burning,
and forks of flame and clouds of smoke
were forcing their way through the doors
and windows. The door leading out on the
tower staircase had been closed, in order to
prevent panic and keep the help back !;
but it was found the fire had gained such
Roadway that it was impossible to subdue
the flames. The retreat of the girl opera
tves being cut off, the shrieks from the
frightened and half-crazed creatures at the
blazing flames were heartrending. They
rushed together in body for the fire es-
capes but volumes of smoke poured into
the room, where, to their horror, there
were no means of escape and quite a
number in the meantime had tainted away,
while others jumped from the windows,
and were picked up, some with limbs man
gled, Others bleeding profusely and dying.
HoRRIFYING SCENES.
The excitement was terrible-men, wo-
men and children running through the
streets in q halt. crazed manner, many be-
ing rot more than half clad. Not until after
the flames had gained great headway was
the alarm sounded. AT that time the flames
were pouring out of the lower windows.
The attic, or spool room, contained from
fifty to seventy five young girls, and the
first thing they knew of the presence of the
approaching fire was dense, suffocating
| volume of smoke. Ofcourse this prod uced
panic and the girls were almost paralyzed
with fright AS the flames were Ieaping up
the staircase there was now no possible
means of escape, and the crowd of Shrek
ing, half crazed girls fled to the northern
section of the building, huddled together,
and realizing that the flames must soon
reach them some began praying, others
calling for help. One or two heroic men
by means of q rope landed several of them
safely on the ground others jumped from
the windows to the ground, preferring
death in such a manner rather than by
burning Most of those who threw them
selves from the windows were in the sixth
upper story, and, of course, were nearly
all instantly killed or so badly Injured as
to live but a short time. The bodies of
some were literally dashed to pieces on the
ground, and were only recognizable by their
clothing.
MARVELLOUS LEAF.
Only one person out of all who leaped
from the windows escaped without being
killed or terribly bruised. This was n lad
about sixteen years old; and, incredible as
it may seem, he jumped from the uuper
story aud landed on his feet and was ONLY