Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-09-25

help attempted TO CDecK IL with pallS 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 stair
case had been closed, i'll order to prevent a
panic and keep the help back, but it was
found the fire had gained such headway
that it was impossible to subdue the flames.
The retreat of the girl operatives being cut
off, the -shrieks fiom the frightened and
halfcrazed creatures at the blazing flames
were heartrending. They rushed together
in body for the fire escapes but Volumes
of smoke pOurs into the room, where, to
their horror, there were no means of es
cape; and quite a number in the meantime
had tainted away, while others jumped
from the windows and were picked up,
some with limbs mangled, others bleeding
profuseiy and dying.
HORRIFYING SCENES.
The excitement was terrible-men WO-
men and children running through the
streets in halfcrazed manner, many be-
ing not more than half-clad. Not until
after the flames had gained great Roadway
was the alarm sounded. At that time the
flames were pouring out of the lower win
dows. The attic or spool room contained
/ from fifty to seventy-tiye young girls, and
the first thing they knew of the presence OF
the approaching fire was dense, sufocat-
ing volume of smoke. Of course this pro-
duced a panic, and the girls were almost
paralyzed with fright. As the flames were
leaping up the staircase there was no possi-
BILE means of escape, and the crowd of
shrieking halfcrazed girls fled to the
together, and realizing that the flames
must soon reach them, some began pray
ing, others calling for help. One or two
heroic men, by means of 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 themselves 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
70 pieces on the ground, and were only
recognizable by their clothing.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED ESTIMATED.
1t is not too high to place the number
killed at forty, and the injured twice that
number.
The extent of the fire is not so great as
might, under the circumstances, have Eeen
expected. The fire was under control
shortly before half-past eight O'Clock Then
the entire roof had not fallen in, nor had
the walls crumbled much below the caves
Of the north side. The fire, as alluded to,
was kept almost wholly out Of that part of
the building south of the tower, and so Il
portion of the fourth and fifth floors vas
left. North of the tower the destruction
was greater. The roof in that section fell
in and took with it the tops of the gable end
wall, and carrying away portion Of the
fifth floor with it, crumbled some of the
side walls and crashed through to the third
story, thus leaving sound the carding and
the two weaving floors.
The Granite Mills have been for some
time running on full time, and turn out
five thousand pieces of print cloth per week,
and it is supposed that a considerable
amount of stock is ruined, either by fire or
water and smoke. A large amount of ma
chinery is also rendered useless, principally,
however, that in the two upper stories.
The most expensive is still good, and the
engine and boilers are uniniured The in
surance, it is therefore expected, will cover
all the loss to property.
When the fire was seen and understood
by the manager of the Merchants Mill
orders were issued to suspend work, and
the hands thus released were marshaIed by
the overseers and went to do what good
they could to the unfortunate girls in the
Granite Mills, and there services were -ap-
preciated.
1t is reported that the walls of mill No.
l will have to come down, as the heat was
so great that the granite, of which the
building was constructed, had cracked and
become soft.