Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-09-21
THE FALL RIVER DISASTER.

The telegraphlc dispatches 10 the uaLe'se VI
cave an account of the heart rending
that occurred at Fall River, Mas
sachusetts, on Saturday, when "A large cotton
factory. ''called ''Grauitc Mil, No. - took
f re from the friction of the machinery IN one OF
the upper rooms, and owing to the cumbus-
tible nature of the oiled floor the tanes were
communicated to the main stairway III an IN
stant, rendering it impossible for the operatives
on the upper floors 10 pass down. opne OF them
rushed to the elevator, but It would lot work.
Those that had sufficient preseuce OF MUD then
ran 10 the iru-eScape ladders, aud deceuded 10
safety; bur mauy Of the glris and children threw
themselves trom the upper windows and We're
dashed to pieces By the fall. oome We're let
down by ropes, others jumped on mattresses
hastily COLLECTED from the dwellings Dear tic
mill and were savcl. When the hremeu ar.
rived and put up their ladders. a great many
clambered down and thus escaped a terrible
death. 1t has not been definitely asccrtalued
how many pclished, SOME accounts placing IN"
number as high as scveuty-fve. While the iac-
tory was only partially destroyed, the loss Is
estimated at S5uO,OOU,
The fire caught in the mule splnnln2-room,
in the north end of the mil, AID 1t Is stated,
from q ~trlctiuu 10 d mule head, at uuce lgnltlng
the oil waste about it, aud spreading BY neaGs
of oil on the floor aud about each piece OF Ma.
chiuery directly aud with great qu'ckness TO-
ward the cculrc tower, the only source OF es-
cape for those IN the fourth aud NTH stories,
besides the four fire escapes, twv on the sides
of e4ch gable eud.
While the flames were making terrific head
way the operatives became fairly Wild. Children
ran about without any knowledge OF what they
we're doing, crying aud begging pltcously 10
be saved, yet wreuchlug themselves away When
taken torcibly aud carried to the tower, while
yet there was solue chance, or 10 the iron iad
der to the two scu;lle windows vi the south
end. 1t was impossible to get the great una
iority to take even this method 10 save their
lives. Somc wanted c~lOiilug, and some this
or that thing, they knew not what.
As the fire frightened them away from their
deliberation at the foot of the root ddcrs,t they
rushed to the windows at the south gable eud,
but they We're nearly sky feet from the ground
and dared not Jump down. Cotton ropes were
put out for them to slide down by, aud somc
took this meaus, but in the effort several met
with their death or injury; for 90 soouer would
the rope be lowered before there Was 4 rush tor
il from the story below; 100 NJ my would take
hold of the rope, which would part, and all
~cliugiDg to it would come dowu together.
While such scenes were going GU IN the mule
spinning room the fsucS had assembled with
the quirkuess of thought to the eutrauce OF the
tower on the fourth floor, thereby cutting of
this means If escape, but the operatives had
the two ladders of the south gable directly be-
fore them, and were urged by the overSeers
and "citiz.ns below to take them. Sume did;
but others, as if they were mad, rushed upon
the balcony aud dropped or threw themselves
from the guards, hardly looking at the iron
ladders.
The SUPERINTENDENT, as soon "a the alarm wa
given, rushed to the uppeE hJurs, aud, with
the overseerS, did all that Was possible to save
life, aud When the means provided tor escape
in the construction of the mill were rendered
unavailable by the heat, flames and smoke, the
people on the ground procured beds and mat
tresses for the poor ulfOrtunatcs TO jump upon,
and many did throw them selves from the win
dows, and in almost every case received fatal
Injuries, tor the distance was nearly fifty feet.
The Granite Mills have been some time run
ping full time, aud turned out five Thousand
pieces of print cloth per week, and it il sup
posed that a considerable amount of stock Is
ruined, either by fire, water or smoke.
4 large amount of machinery has also been
rendered useless, principally, however, that In
the Two upper stories. The most expensive Is
still good, aud the engines aud boilers arc un-
injured. The Insurance, it Is therefore expect.
ed, will cover all loss 10 property.
The loss Of life SO far as heard from is %.
The loss on property amounts to s5Q0,OOU.
The walls OF the mill were standing at noon.
The engines were playing and clouds Of smoke
rising. ,
Some very brave acts were performed, and
it is said that several tiremen gave their lives
in their humane eDdesvors.