The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-09-25
killed. Others suffocated, fell back and
perished in the flames.

young girl named Kate Smith, EN- =
ployed in the spool room, states her first
announcement Of danger was received by
the girls from the other end of the room
rushing toward her, shrieking and CRYING
Many of them were so terror stricken tina
their limbs became almost useless. Some
of the girls were praying and lamenting
their situation, while others were so pos
sessed with fear that they stood in mute
agony, watching the brave conduct of one
man, who, regardless of his own safety,
worked with heroic ardor, and by means
of rope landed on the ground a number
OF girls In safety. One man being COM
pletely cut off, made his exit to the roof
by means OF a scutte, and with rope low
cred himself over the roof and to the
ground in safety. He stated that a COM
panion who was just behind him had fall
en- back and was suffocated. Many of
the girls become unconscious from flight
ere the flames reached them.
1elegrans have been received from Gov
ernor Talbot and the Mayors of Boston,
Lawrence and other points, Offering assist
aDce.
The Coroner's jury has been summoned
90 thoroughly investigate the sad catastro-
phe. They will meet ON Monday. The
Granite Mills were incorporated in 1863
with a capital of 81, 000 900, and employed
about 400 males and females in this "No.
II mill The insurance is $3.50, 900, dis
tribute among Boston, Providence and
other eastern companies. Insurance agents
estimate the loss at sixty Der cent. of the
amount, and that the value of that portion
of the mill not burnt is $157, 900.
CHAPTER OF THRILLING INCIDENTS.
Tue story, AS told by those who were in
the room, is to the effect that the fire ori-
cinated from heat, occasioned by the fric-
tion of some machinery which was not
properly oiled. 1t caught in the fourth
story, near large tower, in the center of
the mammoth building. When fist seen
some of the help attempted to check it with
pals of water, but the folly of this was early
apparent for in less than three minutes the
whole end ef 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 III order
to prevent panicand keep the help back,
but 1t was found the fire had gained such
head.ay that it was impossible to subdue
the flames. The retreat of the girl opera
tives being cut off. the shrieks from the
frightened and half crazed creatures at the
blazing flames were heartrerding. They
rushed together in body for the fire
escapes, 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 mp, some with limbs mangled. 9TH
ers bleeding profusly and dying.
About one hour after the fire had envel-
oped the entire story below the attic and
had worked its way, preceded by immense
volumes of smoke, to the spool ROOM a
young girl was seen to present herself at a
window of the fifth story, in the south end
and, throwing up her arms in pitifui az
onlZlng way, herliDs moving apparently in
prayer, fell back in the burning room and
disappeared. In other windows the same
heartrendlng scenes were enacted. and the
people far beneath, unable to aid the poor
suffering creatures, looked on in horror.
The men anG boys were the first to com
mence jumping from the windows In the
fourth and fifth stories, but soon after the
girls employed in the different rooms began
to leap to the ground. Every window was
crowded with excited persons, all eager to
jump out, but upon stepping on the window
sill they would hesitate a moment about the
distance, ard then with wild shout spring
as far possible out into tho air only TO
fall to the ground frishtfully crushed.
The cries of little girls i'll some of the
rooms for assistance were awful. One girl
apparently about nine years of age. was
observed TO crawl into an unoccup:ed win.
dow III the third story, lay heI little hands
on the windows sill and then with a weak
cry she fell back exhausted. Another girl
endeavered to descend on a rope, but as she
was noticed three or four others attempted
to lower themselves at the same time. the
rope was broken and the young women
fell to the ground.
One woman was observed running about
among the killed and wounded, exclaimino
In pltlful tones, ''Oh, where's my Nora ?''
She hao found one of hor daughters who
had been almost instantly killed by jump
ing from the building. and at last accounts
had noe found the other, who is supposed
to have shared the same fate. 4 boy ap-
pareptly about twelve years old jumped
from the building and was caught in a
mattress, being uninjured. He immedi-
ately ran into the street and started in the
direction of the City Hall as fast as possible.
Only one person out of all who leaped
from the windows escaped without being
killed or terribly bruised. This was a
lad about sixteen years old and, incred-
lbe as it may seem, he jumped from the
upper story and landed on his feet aud
was only somewhat Jared by his terrible
leap. Besides those who were killed by
Jumping from the windows some were
burned TO death, but exactly how many
is not yet known, as it is impossible to ex-
anime the interior of the ruins at this
writing. There were, indeed, numerous
scenes Of the most narrowing description.
-hobhSis, idthefS, DfOtberS ana sisters were
running hither and tliither in wild despair
seeking to learn the fate OF .heir kindred,
and the ground around was covered with
the dead and wounded. Nearly all were
children of tender years, and the piteous
moans of the manned that filled the air
were truly agonizing.
Johanna Heaey corroborates the story
ana narrates with thrilling effect the ter
ror of the women. She sprang from the
window, and her sister, who did the same
thing, had her brains dashed out. Isa-
bella Moorhead, who escaped with few
bruises, gives the same account, adding
that the overseer reached the ground long
before many of the women. Thomas o.
BrieD, of Providence, saw the breaking
out of the flames and the help jumping
from the windows and a crowd of men at
tempting to save cloth. On his orders
they turned their labors to the saving of
life. Before his eyes six women, one boy