Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-20
FIRE AT FALL RIVER.
Great Destruction of Property
and Loss of Life.
Terrible scenes = The Operatives
Boosted Alive or LeaPins from the
Windows TO Almost Certain Death


FALL RIVER, MASS, Sept. 19.-The
Granite mills No. /, in this place, burned
this morning just after the operatives began
work.
NEW YORK. Sept. ia dispatch from
FAN River, timed 1885 A. NJ, says the fire IS
principally confined TO Granite mill, which
is total loss. The property is insured for
$400,00o. The fire is still burning, but is
under control. The hands went to work
as usual, when shortly afterwards fire burst
forth with lightning quickness, cutting on
the fire alarm and all egress from the build
ing, which contained some 700 men, wo-
men and children. Many persisted in the
flames; others jumped from the upper win
dows and were killed instantly. The cries
of women and children are heartrending.
Boston, Sept. 1e.-Special despatch TO
the Trdueler from Fall River, dated 7:45
A. NJ, says. At seven this morning fire
broke out in the Granite mill No. / in
this city, and spread with great rapidity.
The operatives bad just commenced work,
and there was great panic amongst them.
Many persons escaped by jumping FROM
windows; others were killed or injured in
their attempts to escape in this manner.
Others were burned in the building, being
unable to escape by any means. Many
lives were lost by attempting to jump from
the roofs of burning houses.
FALL RIVER, Sept. 19.-The loss by the
burning of the Granite Mill No. 1, is
100000. All the operatives in the SPOOL
ing room were lost. In the fifth story they
were panic-striken, and jumped from the
windows or were Suifocated. About thirty
persons were killed and injured, and the
dying number as many more.
NEW YORK, Sept. ia dispatch from
Fall River, timed 1890 P. NJ. says eighteen
charred bodies of the killed ana number
of the wounded have been recovered tlus
far. A part Of the machinery in the lower
stories will be saved in 4 damaged coli
ditiOn.
PROVIDENCE, II. l., Sept. 19.-The Jour
nal has dispatch from Fall River saying
ONE twenty-five blackened and charred
dead bodies thus far have been recovered
from the ruins of Granite Mill, many Of
them are unrecOgnizable.
BOSTON, Sept. 19.-The Herald has the
following special dispatch from Fall River:
About Z o'clock A. NJ. the alarm of fire
was sounded, but the locality cOul d not be
properly understood, consequently the fire
NTH hlh noL lFstlll AIE MIL 4Nh I
until the flames had made fearful headway
Finding themselves unable TO cope with
the flames, a second alarm was struck, and
the remainder Of the department was
brought 10 the spot In the meantime, the
results had been heartrending in the eX-
IRENE. As far as can be learned, under the
present excitement and turmoil, the fire
originated at the tower in the fourth story,
and an attempt was made TO eXtinguish it
with rails of water, hut Intellectually.
During this endeayOr, the door leading 10
the spool room; which OPENS south ON
The tower staircase, had TO be closed.
to help keep back the operatives and pre-
vent a panic, but when the flames had
gained such strength that it was found i'm
possible to quench them, the escape of the
girls had been cut of. The frightenedand
terrified creatures. with the roaring flames
On the lower staircase, rushed in a
body Tor the fire escape, but the dense
volumes of smoke thai poured in the room
and biting flames forced them to the north
east end of the apartment at which
end, unfortunately, there were no means
OF escape. Many in the meantime had
sutfOcated, and Others, prefeTTing
death by falling to the ground,
spIang recklessly from the windows, and
were picked Tap mangled, bleeding, dead
and dying. The excitement was terrible,
every mill nearly emptying its contents to
swell the sympathizing crowd. All the
medical men IN the city were promptly on
hand. Mattresses, wagons, stretchers, and
all the paraPhernalia of the hospital were
promptly furnished, and the dead and dying
and suffering were attended to. 1t is GER
tain thirty or forty lives, nearly all girls,
have been lost, while the list of wounded
is probably great.
Later investigation seems 10 prove that
the fire originated in the mule room, having
Started in from unusedmule-headsi in charge
of boy named Samuel Young. As soon
as the flames were discovered by the lad,
he shTieked out ''fire." and made his eS-
cape. The spinners in the room tried to
check the spread Of the flames with boxes
and sticks, which broke all the threads at
tsched to the machine. Efforts were made
TO subdue the fire, but Intellectually, and
when it was at last found necessary TO
sound the alarm, the flames had gathered
such strength that they were dart
ing from the lower windows. The
upper story or attic used as
a spool room, ard was at the time occupied
by sixty persons. The first intimatiOn
they received of the danger was a cloud Of
dense, binding and sufiocating smoke,
that swept up the staircase and forced
them to seek safety in the northern section
of the building. A young girl, named
Katie Smith, states that her first announce
ment of the danger was received by the
girls from the other end of the room rush
l.. Il. -
many OF them so teTor-stricken that their
limbs became almost useless. Some of the
girls were praying and lamenting their
situation, while others were so possessed
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 completely cut off, made
his exit from the rooms by means of the
scuttle, and with rope lowered himself
over the roof and to the ground in safety.
He stated that a companion who was just
behind him had fallen suiiocated. Many
of the girls became unconscious from fright
ere the flames reached them, and though
the number Ut lost at this writing is nm
known, it cannot but tie great. Some
Ieaped from windows preferring 10 he
crushed and MANNED TO being burned. The
shocking. heartrending sight that met the
eye on ali sides was agonizing. The wall
ing Of mothers and sisters over their dead
was terrible 10 hear.
THE STORY OF An ALBUM.
When Jefferson Davis was confined in
Fort t,acc M,nrna nua N = Mora an