The Republican journal., 1874-10-08
The Fall River Disaster.

Mill disaster, Fall River Mass, was rem
dered on the Sd inst 1t is as follows:
we the undersigned. having been
summoned as jurors at an inquest before
| Andrew NJ W. White, a coroner in and
for the county of Bristol, did assemble on
the Dist day of September, 1874, to act on
the dead bodies of the victims of the bur
ming OF the Granite Mill No. /, in said Fall
Biver, on the morning of the 10Th Of said
September, and having proceeded to view
the body of one James Turner, then living
at his house in said Fall River, did proceed
to make examination as to the causes
which led to his DEATH which examination
thus begun was continued by an adjourn
ment from day to day, until October Sd,
1871. At the time we were summoned,
the number Of dead and wounded was con-
siderable, and for some days thereafter
the death-rate increased, but at the time
OF making this report the jury believe
that all those now living are likely to re-
cover.
The number Of witnesses examined
during the inquest was 40 and two We're
recalled and their testimony is voluminous
and full Aware of the magnitude of the
disaster, APPALLING not only in its immediate
vicinity, but sending a thrill of horror
throughout the country, the jury have left
no avenue OF inquiry umsearched that
might throw light on the inquest The
testimony SO taken having been fully pub
lished in the local papers and extensively
by the press generally, we do not deem it
necessary to recapitulate here the general
outlines of the evidence In the narrative
now following salient points will appear
many witnesses giving testimony. 1t was
in evidence that the first alarm of fire on
the morning Of September 18th, was struck
from box u corner Of Sixth and Pleasant
streets, the fire being first discovered in
the mule room in the fourth story, ut the
pair OF mules number -. at ten minutes
to A. NJ From the time the alarm was
struck all the fire department with all their
apparatus were as promptly on hand rs
could be expected from the confusion OF
the alarm caused by the striking of four
different boxes at about the same time.
and We further say that il was in evidence
that the hooks and ladders included in
this department We're insufficient in an
emergency Of this Kind and poorly handled
on this occasion After deliberate exam
nation we now say, and as an act Of Justice
are glad to say. that the many reports CON
corning the other branches OF the fire de
partment are unfounded and upon further
consideration, the said truth becomes APP
parent that due precaution was not used
III civ ing the alarm to persons at work in
the 4th story Had such an alarm been
given and the care indicated taken the
lives of all persons in that story might
have been saved notwithstanding that
there was but one escape theretrom viz
the tower stairs. am, we should he remiss
in duty, did we not say IN our Judgment
that ii is remarkable thai the tire being
discovered III the mule room in the 4th
story that among all the men employed
there, rs we'll as those in the fifth story,
to whom there can be no doubt the alarm
was general and ample, they did not have
presence of mind enough to warn their
fellow operatives in the sixth story to flee
from their fiery tate and had even the
male operatives in the sixth story not
become panic stricken at the first alarm of
fire that reached them, they might have
led all the women and children in their
charge down the tower stairs in safety
There has been criticism and structure
as to the means used by the corporations
to extinguish and prevent fires in their
mills, and we now pass to consider the |
means used in this connection, and then |
to the construction of the mill as regards |
its style OF architecture in atfording means |
OF escape in cases like the present. The evil |
dence fully shows that all appliances tor ca
tingushing fires in all the stories, such as
tanks pumps and pipes and horizontal |
pipes and hose in the various room We're |
in this mill apparently ready for use on
the morning of the fire, but apparently the
water was wanting in them, and the hose
and pumps We're useless in the fourth story
at this time The construction of the mill
OF which so much has been said, was also
in the evidence. and we now say and be-
lieye If to have been the aim Of the corpo
ration to furnish every facility that money
could purchase and the lessons OF the past
furnish, for the escape of help from their
mill IN case of fire, but this great disaster
has she'd 4 far-searching thought on the
subject OF mill architecture in this partic
ular Ii was found concluSiyely that there
We're not ample means OF escape from the
attic story had there been, the loss of
lite would have been avoided and we now
suggest as an additional means of safety and
escape that in case OF fire an alarm should
be so placed on the different floors that an
alarm struck in any story should reach all
others in the mill
The report further speaks Of the INSULT
cent fire escapes and urges that lesson
be drawn from this terrible disaster which
will lead to the better protection OF oper-
atiyes in factories in case OF fire
The verdict concludes the report and is
to the effect that James Turner and TWEEN
ty two others came to their deaths either
by leapng from the windows of the mill
OF from the effects Of the flame and smoke,