Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-23
Terrible Gas Explosion and
Fire ut Bennington.
KNITTING WILL. BURNED.
NINE WOMEN KILLED AND MANY
PERSONS INJURED.
loss one Hundred Thousand
Dollars.
TN NEW CHIEF JUSTICE


Special to the Free Pres. and Times
BENNINGTON. Vt, Jan. 2O.-The knitting
mill of Ii. +. Bradford was burned, thi.
afternoon. The fire was caused BY the
leakage of a gasoline pipe. The gas ignited
from the boiler fire and an explosion demol-
ishel the adjoining sewing room. Nine
woman at work there were instantly killed
or were burned to death in the fire which
followed. and many others were injured.
The card and sorting rooms We're saved.
Loss 100000 partially insured
SECOND DESPATCH.
| RUTLAND, Vt. Jan. 20.-The citizens of
! Bennington were startled about : 30 O'Clock
| this afternoon by a terrific explosion. which
was heard for twenty miles away. 1t
proved to be an explosion of the gas works
on the premises OF II. f. Bradford 4 Cos
knitting mills The gas. it seems. had
leaked from the pipes until the air
WIS - charged that it took fire
from the boiler, communicating with the gas
holder. emil is one-story brick build
ing. The explosion lifted the roof and
burst out the walls of the building 50 that
the roof fell back, crushing many Of the
employees. The fire spread instantly all over
the building, and it was half consumed
before the fire could be got Under control
by the ire department. 1t was fearful
scene Many of the women were screaming
terribly inside the building and it vas not
in the power Of any one to help them.
Besides the nine or ten known positively to
have been killed good many were badly
injured. Among those injured are Uoratio
Fields, VIM. Morse, Ada Morse, II. Morse
Ella Bis>ell and Herbert Man, and many
others not seriously injured The Injured
were attended by Doctors Morgan. Bennett
and GOoGall, and everything was done to
alleviate their suiferingS. The remains of
some of the unfortunate victims were re-
duced to mere handful of charred bones.
and there was nothing To indicate who
they were except the position in which
they were found. This is one Of the most
appalling things that has happened in this
section for years. Business in Bennington
is almost entirely suspended and this
calamity has east a shadow over all.
BENNINGTON, VT, Jan. 2I.-The cause of
the explosion in Bradford's knitting mill
was unquestionably the defective gas pines
leading from the patent underground gas
works, which furnished illumination for
the mill and several buildings adjoining.
The defect, however, had not been diseoy- !
cred or disclosed to the proprietors. two of |
whom were present in the building at the |
time of the explosion. An employe STRIKING
a light in the basement room fired tie cs.
capped gas. and the terrific explosion oc-
CURED
Mrs. John Vaughn, who was killed w,s
the widow Of Sergeant John Vaughn of
Manchester, Vt, who was killed in the
hattie of Gettysburg. Mrs Cunningham
also killed, was the widow OF T. CUNNING
ham. who was killed by powder mill ex-
plosion in this village. She leaves family
of seven children. the eldest fifteen wears If
age. Mrs. Clarity leaves a husband and
four children.