Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-01-28
Watohman s. Journal.
~s-~~~~--~-~~-~---~-~>~
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY %, 1874
The bennington Explosion.

/
in the rear. This pump was situated 10
the rear Of the steam boiler and directly
underneath one end Of the scanning room.
There had been some gas escaping and 30
had probably filed the rooms, and as it bee
came ignited it exploded, ike hfe-damp in
coal mine
The explosion was very loud, and the
effect upon everything 10 the vicinity was
terrific. The building TOOK fire immoli'
ately, and rendered escape FOR some of the
inmates impossible. When the explosion
occurred the girls were all at work, 30 that
the disaster must have taken thom by SUR
prise About forty girls were iu the room,
and 1t is almost miracle that no more
were killed. Scarcely moment elapsed
after the explosion before the whole scam.
ing room was in seolhing mass OF ilamest
presenting an insurmouniab.e barrier 90 al
aid from the outside.
The following is a llsi OF The killed 4:
Mrs. Cunningham, whose husband was siIled
in powder mill explosion some seven years
ago. a iamily OF seven children are lcIt
alone by the disaster.
Mrs Vaughn the iorowoman Of Che seg-
ing room, was Immediately killed, 40 The
moment OF the explosion, by o falling tim
Der She was o widow lady, and leaves
child about 10 years old and an aged mother.
Augusta Bass, about II years at age
Minnie Hurley - years OF age, Mrs. WI
liam Gould, Miss Mary budd, daughter Of
Daniel kudd, Miss Fanny Wood, Mis-
Serlna Moon, Mrs. Martin Clarity Mis-
Addle Morse, terribly INJURED hut w.ii
probably live.
Mr.. jesse H. Fields, who was 10 the
boiler room, was burned ana mang.ed ter
ribly The reporter VINO went INTO the
boiler room Immediately ailer' saw the
boards and walls spattered with bis blood.
lie Is not expected to 1--we.
Mrs Rhodes was quite seriously Injured
about the head, but will probably recover.
Miss Nettie Wood was badly burned and
injured. Lived about ten hours. About
twelve others were injured more or lcas sc-
riously but it is thought they Will recover.
Miss Northup, who sat between Miss
Moon aud Miss Wood, both Of whom were
instantly killed, says that ,he Hoor seemed
10 ltll lIOu uuueI hct anu flt uIuIIt4 llIN
the cellar, while the two girls by her side
we're blown into the flames and pcrished
She can hardly remember how She man-
aged to get out Of the burning wreck, but
somehow she did, and got home some way.
She dropped inseusibc as She entered her
home Her clothes wore perfectly sa'ura-
ted with the blood of her shopmatcs She
is lying quite low now, but will probably
recover. The three bodies of Mary Rudj
Augusta Bass and Serina Moon We're found
close together, as if in the death struggle
they bad clung close to each other. They all
appeared to be making their way towards
a door, or we're stricken down in theirplaces.
Some Of the bodies burned were roeov-
cred soon after the nre' and the Icmaindcr
on "Wednesday morning Inc ideniinea-
ton was made by various articles upon The
person and found near them, Others by
means Of some peculiarlty oi the frame all
traces oil humanity beng burned except the
skeleton. The remains OF the burned VIC
TINS, as soon as they were recovered, were
taken to the mansion Of II. f. Bradford,
Esq IN coihns Immediately ordered by the
company for their reception
There are incidents OF terrible ati.ction
accompanying 1t that are extremely sorrow
iul lnone family seven orphans are berclt
oil their only parent 10 another Mrs aughn
leaves a lovely and lonely daughter an1
IN others deprivation, not So severe, per-
haps' but terrible can be mentioned.
The splendid mil OF Messrs ID. ]. Brad
ford 4 Go. is temporarily wreck, aud the
manufacturing interests oil the village see
yerely crippled. Their mill being buut
ire-prooi, as they supposed, aud as d,
would have proved IN ordinary exposure
was only insured for $4,000 which will.
not cover near quarter OF their loss.
An inquest was held over The bodies aud
the results arrived at by the committee arc
as follows Aiter careful examination
We have arrived at the conclusion that the
main explosion was IN the basement and
that said explosion was caused by the es-
capement OF gas into this part OF thc
building Whether the leakage was from
burners or defective pipes, your committee
are unable to determine. In addition they
gave very minute description OF the
different sizes OF the gas pipes which went
through the building and also Of the
machinery used IN the construction OF The
gas. The committee come to the conclusion
that there were two explosions about sim
ultaneously-one in the basement and one
IN the scanning room--but that the heaviest
part OF the explosion was in the basement
and lind from investigation and talk with
those who had escaped, that the floor in the
west end OF the scanning room was com
pletely torn to pieces.
The theory advanced by the chairman ol
the committee is that the gas escaped il
the basement, aud then as the wash room
was lower still, the gas being heavier thar
air, it passed down into the wash room and
into the boiler-room, and coming in con
tact with fire, the explosion was the result
The reason given for coming at this con
clusion, was on account Of the fact that the
walls OF the boiler room were completely
demclished-no two bricks being found to-
gether.
The uninjured, with remarkable prompt
tude, and in many cases with heroic de-
termination, attempted to assist, and, il
p DOssible save their more unfortunate com