Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-03-25
THE NORWICH ALMSHOUSE FIRE.
A Graphic Narrative OF the Disasters.
Scenes Of Horror 10 the Attempts NJ Res.
cae Of che Iusanc and the Iaarm.

A Graphic Narrative or the Disaster.
Scenes Of Horror 10 tho Attempts At Re
oae OF che Iuranc and the Iaarm.
The detailed particulars Of the burr
ing OF the town almshouse in Norwicl
Conn, arc Of q very heartrending cha
acter. The fire was discovered abor
eleven o'clock at night by one OF the i,
mates, who was awakened by the smok.
and who, looking for its source, foun
that it proceeded from the cellar, wher
the heating apparatus was situated. H
at once aroused the superintendent, MI
G. NJ. Mills, and the two attempted {
enter the cellar, but were driven bac
by the smoke. Dispatching the paupe
to the city to give the alarm, Mr.. Mill
proceeded to arouse the occupants OF til
house. There were ffty.one OF these
distributed through o large three stor
house with several wings, and it wa
with the greatest difficulty that this wa
done. When help arrived flames wer
pouring from the ground floor OF tn
main building, and in places had worke'
through to the floor above. Egress from
the upper stories had been cut off, an,
the horrible fact that number of poo
creatures were still in the building wa
shown by the appearance of one and an
other at the windows.
At one of the dormer windows in th'
roof, quite thirty feet from the ground
Nancy Raymond, colored woman
weighing $50 pounds. appeared ant
shouted and gesticulated wildly. It wal
terrible jump to the ground below
but the fierce flames were in the rear
and gathering courage at last she crowd
ed through the narrow window and
dropped. Both of her legs were broker
by the fall, the bones being fairly pull
vorized. This was only one Of the agon
izing sights. There were no ladders
about the place of sufficient length tc
reach the higher windows, and though
the wretched beings within could be
plainly seen, nothing could be done to
save them.
A woman appeared at window in the
second story. An old rickety ladder
found on the ground was quickly raised,
and a plucky young Irishman ran up it.,
broke through the easement and
dragged the woman out. She was half
stifled with smoke and nearly dead
from nervous excitement, but revived
on being removed to place of safety.
In the wing, in the second story, was
Shugrue, a lunatic eighty
years old. A party went to his rescue;
but heavy iron grating, too hot to
touch with the naked hands, prevented
them from entering the window. A lad
der was hastily converted into a ram,
and by repeated blows the grating was
knocked away. Shugrue seemed stupe-
aed at first and made no outcry; but
when the grating was partly displaced
be caught hold of it with his hands and
bent it back with unnatural strength,
himself seriously. A man ran
Up the ladder and helped him out, and
ust in time, for as the ladder was thrown
sside after their descent the fire burst
nto the room. Eight other persons
we're helped from the windows by men
whose clothes were scorched by the in
ense heat.
One unfortunate who was brought
rom the house and left in q place of
afety On the ground had hardly been
aid there when she gave birth to q
'hild. She was attended by a number
# women and was finally removed, with
Ter infant, to a place where she could
,e properly treated.
At first it Was thought that only four
# the inmates had been burned, but the
irst careful inspection and comparison
# the rolls with those saved revealed the
lorrible fact that no less than fifteen
'ersons were unaccounted for. During
he day one of these was found alive and
7ell, and it is possible that others may
ave left the building and wandered
way; but of this there is not much
ope. The search for the dead was
egun as early as possible. Before day
ght, while the fire companies were still
laying upon the burning debris be-
veen the walls, two bodies could be
cen, lying as they had fallen when the
oors above gave way, but burned be-
ond the possibility of recognition.
bout nine o'clock a gang of men was
ut to work to remove the debris and
scover the dead.
One corpse was believed by its size to
Q MIb. hdIy ALL TuIItll, WOuldu
xty years old, who weighed three hun
red pounds. She was almost wholly
aralyzed, so helpless in fact that she
as unable to feed herself. Her hus-
and, Patrick Farrell, jumped from a
indow, breaking his right arm but es.
ping without further injury. Another
ody, from the position in which it lay,
rs believed to be that of Mrs. Bill, who
as insane, and was in that part of the
Hiding used as an asylum. She was
xty years of age, and had been of un-
und mind for thirty years. Her hus-
md deserted her unwarrantably and
q shock of his cruelty unsettled her
ason.
The only other body which could be
entitled was that of Mary Jane Nc
onald, girl about eleven years old.
ef mother, Mary Mcdonald, a woman
thirty-fve, was one Of those who
mped from the fourth story. Her col
: bone was broken and she sustained
we're internal injuries. She was car
I'd to the police station, and as she re-
ved somewhat her first inquiry was
+ this child. The poor woman was
ing with consumption, and her inju-
rs, which are fatal, can only hasten her
ath. She was told that her daughter
s safe, and was satisfied, bat since
en- she asks piteously why she does
t come to her.