Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-21
A Shocking Catastrophe
at Fall River!
DESTRUCTION OF THE
GRANITE MILL
BY FIRE.
About Sixty Persons Killed
and Wounded.
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
Fall River, Mass, Sept. 10.

Granite Mill, No. l, was burned this morn
ing; loss, 100000. Nearly all the opera
tives in the spooling room, fifth story, were
panic stricken and jumped FROM the windows
or were suffocated The number killed is
about thirty. The wounded are as many
more. The property is insured for $4,000
The hands went to work as usual, when short
ly afterwards fire burst forth with lightning
quickness, cutting off the fire alarm and all
egress from the mill for men, women and
children. Many persisted in the flames, 9TH
ers jumped from the upper window and were
killed instantly. The cries of the women and
children were heartrending.
Twenty-Five blackened and charred dead
bodies have thus far been recovered from the
ruins at the Granite Mill. Many are unrec-
equitable. James Turner was killed. Ellen
Jane Hunter was recognized by fragment of
dress. Her head was burned off,
The alarm of fire was sounded, but from
some cause the location could not be proper
y understood; consequently the firemen did
not reach the fire until the flames had made a
fearful Roadway. Finding themselves unable
to cope with the flames, second alarm was
struck and the balance of the department
brought to the spot, but in the meantime the
results had been heart-rending in the extreme.
As far as can be learned, under the excitement
the fire originated in tower in the fourth
story, and an attempt was made to extiuguish
it with pals of water, but Intellectually. Du-
ring this endeavor the door leading to the
spooliog room, which opens south on the tow
err staircase, had been closed to keep the help
back and proven. panic, but when the flames
had gained such strength that il was found
impossible to quench them, the escape of the
girls had been cut off. The frightened crea
lures with the roaring flames on the staircase
rushed in body for the fire escapes, but the
dense volume OF smoke that poured into e
room and the flames forced them to the north
east end of the apartment, at which end, un-
fortunately, there were no means of escape.
Many in the meantime had become suff
ed, and Others, preferring death by falling to
the ground, rsprang carelessly from the win.
dows and were picked up mangled and bleed
ing, dead and dying.
The flames soon worked their way upwards
and at this writing there is scarcely posi-
bility OF saving stone of the late beautiful
structure
The excitement in the city was terrible,
every mill nearly emptyng its contents to
swell the sympathzing crowds. All the med
zeal men in the city were on hand. Mattrass-
es, wagons, stretchers and all the parapher-
MALTA OF hospital were promptly furnished.
and the dead, dying aid suffering attended
to. 1t is certain that at least thirty or forty
lives. pearly all girls, have been lost while
the list of wounded is probably as great.
A LATER ACCOUNT.
Later investigation seems to prove that the
origin of the fire was in the mule room, hav-
ing started from an unoiled mule-head 10
charge Of young lad named Samuel Young.
As soon as the flames were discovered by
him, he shrieked "Flre!" and made his es-
cape, and the spinners in the room tried to
check the spreading Of flames with boxes and
ticks which broke all the threads attached to
the machine.
When it was at last found necessary to
sound an alarm, flames were darting from the
tower and windows. The upper story or at
tic, used as spool room, was occupied by
sixty persons and the first intimation they re-
ceived of danger was cloud of dense, suffo
eating smoke that swept up the stair case and
forced them to seek safety in the northern
section of the building.
A young girl named Katie Smith says her
first announcement of danger was received by
the girls from the other end of the room rush
ing towards her, shrieking and crying, many
of them so terror stricken that their limbs be-
came almost useless. Some were praying
and others wildly lamenting; others were so
possessed with fear that they stood in mute
agony, watching the heroic conduct of one
man who, utterly regardless of his own safe
ty, worked with brave ardor and by means of
rope landed number of the girls on the
ground in safety.
One man, being completely cut off, made
his exit to the roof by means of a scuttle, and
with rope lowered himself over the roo! and
to the ground in safety. He stated that a
companion just behind him had fallen back,
sutfocated.
Many girls became unconscious ere the
flames reached them; and though the number
of the lost is unknown, it cannot but be great.
The wailing of parents, brothers and sisters
over their dead was terrible to hear.
STILL ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Boston, 10. The fire took in the spooling
room, fifth story. A panic seized the opera