Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-24

THE NORWICH. CoNN., CATASTROPHE.
The following are the particulars Of the
destruction OF the almshOuse at Norwich.
Conn, on Sunday night, by which It now
appears fourteen persons lost their lives
The fire was discovered by one of the in
mates, who was awakened by the smoke,
and looking iOr IL source found that II
came from one Of the heaters on the first
floor He at once wakened Mr.. e. VI Mills.
the Superintendent. who sent the man TO
give the alarm IN the city, and at once pro-
ceeded ID arouse TIE occupants OF the house.
There were fiity-fye Of these. and DIS
tributcd as they were IN all parts OF large
three-stoIy house with several wings, was
with great d lticul:v that this was done.
Many of them were inyalids and 1t was ne
cessaTy to cary them out, and the MAORI
ty ot them beng women the work OF clear
ing the building was materially retarded.
The fremen turned out promptly. but
owing to the distance Of the ire from the
nearest hose house. il was beyond control
before they reached it. When the first per-
sons from the city arrived the flames were
pouring from the windows on the ground
floor OF the main building, and IN places
had worked through TO the hoOr above.
Egress from the upper stories had already
been cut of, and the horrible TACT that a
number of poor creatures were still IN the
building was shown by the appearance OF
one and another at the windows. At one
Of the dormer windows in the root. quite
thirty feet from the ground. colorec wo-
man looked out, shouting and gestlculatlng
wildly. 1t was terrible jump to the ground
below, hat she gathered courage At last.
crowded through the window and dropped
She was a very large and heavy woman, but
l ID hrR boz,
ankle. A momen. later, another woman
jumped from the roof, breaking both legs.
and third from one OF the second story
rooms who was injured slightly. These
were all carried into a shed adjoining and
made for the time as comfortable as was
possible.
While these poor women were taking
these desperate chances, another woman
was seen at window on the second story.
An old ladder was found on the ground and
was raised by few gentlemen. \ plucky
Young irishman ran up tand broke through
the easement and dragged the woman out.
half stifed with smoke. By this time the
second story was burning fiercely, and the
fire had extended into the northern wing,
used as an asylum. In the first room IN
this was Bartholomew Shugrue, e lunatic
eighty years old the same party went to
Z
hot to touch with the naked hands, pre-
vented hun from entering the room. The
ladder was hastily converted into ram,
and by repeated blows the grating was
knocked away. Shugrue had seemed Stupe-
fed at first and made no outcIy, but when
the grating was partly down he caught il
with his hands and bent il back with un-
natural strength, bruising himself serious
/ w. A man ran up the ladder and helped
| HIM out, and Just in time. for as the ladder
| was thrown aside after their descent, the
| fire broke through into the room. At one
\ of the third story windows, meanwhile, q
| cloth had been waving, but no one could be
/ seen there, and the ladders were too short
! to reach it. Before assistance came it was
too late, for the fire had penetrated to that
! floor and the flames were shooting from the
1 windows.
The unfortunate inmates of the place had
escaped in their night clothes and were
scattered about the grounds wrapped in
blankets and old robes. \ large portion Of
then were very old people and invalids
and most of these were huddled together in
a smail shed so near the burning building
that one OF the hose companies was play
ing stream upon it to prevent its taking
| fire. Three poor women with broken limbs
lay, one in COW SHE'D and two Others be-
hind wall. and another unfortunate, who
was brought from the house and left in a
place Of safety on the ground. had hardly
been laid there when she gave birth to a
| child She was attended by a number of
women and was finally removed with her
infant to place where she could be pro-
perly treated.