The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1875-03-11
Vol ITME XIV

ewes btaAN sUshtUN fn mH HaHHs HN8
lbeU, iBa hslG ihssuslhle state, hsve
some rertoljcelisuof being dragged along
tbs aaor iuta the easligbt, aud lhen pull-
cd ami thrust abont ier few mameuu.
when there came the regular tbud.mu3
pt the l.t,le pgmp close bf, and / oould
feel myself moving upwards Bat al
seemed 80 calm, sud such a desire iot
sleep Wa. upon me, that lt was ilIl fear
fa sense Of oppression and lghtncu was
upon me lhat awnke 10 CONSEQUENCES
that the wretch had forced me totbe uav.
eler o. the hydraulic press, anl Nas uaW
forcing 10 the water beueaih thc RAM.
Tbud.thu1, tbud thud went lbt pump,
aud The pressure was awful while at lbe
same time. as I yainly writhcd and tried
20 press down the heavy plato that was
crushing me, WAS conscious 81 great
light light which shone around me, au1
which thought was tsused lr the dash.
Ing sensation 10 my eyss bat $50. for IL.
rectly there came The uoisr Of shouting,
louder oyoly moment, aud then / made
out, ringing mp from the ward, these tor.
rid words Fire drol" and then knew
that Wood must have fired the warehouse
Shouts, cries, aud the noise of hurryiug
feet and Wood stood IN the glare NJ the
light, looking first one way then another.
as II confused for be- had quilted the
pump on the tirst noise of shouting. An
al once lie darted away and hhll.piutug
and sufloeaied With the pressure, could
do nothing but groan teebly, alter srug.
I CLING a little, to find every effort vain,
and then with sharpcncd senses gaze az
the flames licking the root of the floor !
was on, aud escaping up the jdes Of the
wool bales, and The more intamabIc
goods that were In the warehouse Tho
smoke soon became binding aud the
heat sitting; aud for nae lhelc seemed no
I hope, ! was sure no one would be able TO
/ penetrate TO where was; when again
gave a struggle, aud stretched down nay
hand backwards to try aud reach The tap,
which would Iet of the water aud let me
al liberty, OF al least place me ia o posi-.
ton to try aud escape the horrible death
that seemed to await me.
But no, the handle was far ont Of my
reach; and ] groaned and wept meckly at
my helpless condition. The press held
me by the chest with awful power, bat
my hands and arms were ut liberty, my
head hanging down enabled me to see the
flames creeping along faster aud faster,
as saw them reversed, aud began 70 cal
eulate how long it would be before they
would reach me and end my misery.
All at once, when nearly faiutiug, my
hand came in contact with the iron bar
used TO lengtheu the handle OF the pump,
to force IN the water with more ease
when greater power is required; aud
then my heart gave a leap as thought
| might be able TO strike the handle Of
the tap aud let ont the water
TO grasp tho bar was the work Of
monlent. aud then began swinging it
about slowly, 20 try and strike the tap;
but In vain, for could do nothing with
II from only being able to swing II at ran
dom, for could not see. Nearer oqme
the flames, louder rose the shouts aud MS
| looked along the warehouse could see
that all escape was cut of by the stairs,
eyenif had been at liberty, and now,
completely overcome with the pressure
and the horror Of my position, groaucd
heavily, aud the bar fell from my grasp.
The last hope gone, thought, when at
the same moment familiar sound struck
my ear, for IN falling the bar had fallen
upon the tap, when there came the fierce
gueh Of the compressed water, the ram
began slowly TO descend I'm could
crawl out, 10 fall fainting on the floor.
Bat | was up again directly, tor there
was q fierce glow IN the place aud now /
could see Wood buily at work tearing
out wool TO feed the flame, and d1shIug
everything else he could lay his hands up.
on into the FIRE, which seemed at Times
to siugo him.
I looked round for he tool. 40 notice
Of me and 81 ! had before seen there
was no escape hy the door, SO, ruuun.
to the open door by tho crane caught
hold of the rope and began lowering IL
down az fast as possible, while The light
shining fun upon ne, aud the people be-
low either groaning With horror OF cheer
ts.ts Il
sent the crane handle spinning round nod
round
Could but get enough rope ont before
Woods attention was taken, lelt safe,
f0r knew that could slide down easily
enough, but, a. dreaded lie caught sight
Of me, aud leaving bis dery task, be- rush.
ed towards the door, when, wla yell
Of terror leapod from the flooring, cling.
ing tightly 20 the rope, which began 10
run swiftly out as swung to aud ff9 dll
II was ail out when Toe JERK nearly dash.
ed me off Bat after sliding down some
little wsy, recovered myself sud letting
> the rope glide SLOWLY through my hauds,
4, went Iower aud lower, With mg egss
iiEed 90 the blazing floor above mr
Al 90 ohee i.lt Che rops jsfaeI ald
swung snsui, apd . could lse Gzar
" WOOD tt b. aad faru again i a ss Heing
df.aH ug, aHd { A1ea uat be- a8s be
bH.s II he cfaBe handle. but tle ueEi
a.innte be must have ipo,sutd b- hold,
&hsn tbs handle dsw rgaad sud slrask
hiui from biz ieetr aud went swiftly
) iaRa There was a grlI from tise crowd,
.suethiHg dafa dashed Df me atsa 8