The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-17
1Srribllle Alferiia 1--we.

orr ~ sTHE FtBE ISTo THE RTyER-wo RKsA NJ
LgAprsa FaoH wIND0 WIS OF a Bl.A I'm
& snoDDY.M1LL III PATERSON.
/ HINT O'Clock last night an extensive
nfiagration occurred In Paterson. =. 81,
the nToDerty Destroyed being The extensive
hoddy.,und flock mills Of the Union Man u'
factnfinp Company, Situated on River street,
Eanfi srnnninp through to the Passaic rffer.
THE mjIls.bad been running day and night
for some time, and the day-gang had 1ust
left, their places Icing taken Dy the
nivht-ganp. when cry OF 81 Fire ~ re-
sounded through the building, and, 10 an
instant all was excitement. The hands wen
knew sthutaa fire among dry WOOL III y an
old frame building. whose timbers ID the
forty. years service they had seen nad oeen
well saturated with oil. meant DANGER anu
so d regular panic ensued, tue irisntensu
employees fleeing In oil directions from lne
place whence the cry OF hre had lssueu y,
The knowledge that there were stored ~
| the building a large quantity OF OH anu pen,
zine only served to increase tne Terror aun
nj once hetook themselves to the starcases
md main exits: but as these soon became
| crowded and blocked up, and as the names
were . spreading with terrible velocity,
LARGE number, together with those employed
| in the rear part OF the mill, were soon snuI
| off from anyiegress, and In their irlgnt nea
| to the rear part OF the mill, which races on
the river.
- a TERRIBLE ALTERNATIVE.
| Soon the windows were filled with terri
fed employees, hesitating between reap
into the dark current Of the Passa1c, Whlcn
lowered some twenty-five feet peneatu
tber, and fha.nossibility of tue flames be-
| ING S subdued In time to save them. The
latter alternative soon assumed LOOK OF
lmpossibilty. and nothing but leap into
the water was left Charles Graham, the
watchman of the mill, was the first to raise
the window and take the lead. with
splash his body fell into the water beneath,
disappeared for second, then rose to the
surface, and, to the delight OF the an&-
ious faces and throbbing hearts watcn
ing his fate from above, he dlscoYerea
that the water was not more than four feet
deep. He 1t once waded PARTNER lnto Tue
river, wberethe water grew snailoWer, until
he reached a ledge rock in the middle OF the
river, wbichpresented dry surface on ac-
count of theeXtreme lowness OF the water.
John Bcrdan one OF the Workmen, was the
next, and Ibis experience was the same as
that OF Graham. At this the rest took heart.
and one by one dropped into the stream.
One of the men remained near the shore to
assist the BOYS who could not swim, and in
4 little while IN anxious crowd with palpl-
tatiur hearts we're assembled on the rocky
island in the centre OF the river. But the
danger was not all over yet.
The mill which they had just left was
now an immense mass OF flames, the roof
caving in simultaneously with the fall OF
the last operative into the water. The
flames were approaching the foundations
OF the building the beat was becoming too
intense for endurance, and withal, the SIDE
OF the mill nearest to them was threaten
ing to fall, in which event they would GER
tainly become victims to the very death
they were congratulating themselves upon
escaping. Below them the river was
deeper, above Them was q dam fifteen feet
high, and the other shore was some fifty
Yards distant, channel Of water OF consld-
cradle depth intervening. The bravest at
once took to The water, and through the
rapid current soon gained the shore and
safety, but it was some time before boat
could be brought from u distance down the
river to rescue the rest. The crowd when
bad assembled in the mean time on the
shore and the Main and Arch-street orldges
drew a Sigh Of relief as the last Of the ope-
| ChLlNcS Was luDuCus
In the mean time the Fire Department had
been battling with the fiery element from
River street, and putting forth their utmost
endeavors to prevent q spread or the con1la-
grafton. In this they were successful, and
soon the immense columns OF light, yellow
smoke, which had been issuing from the
burning wool, and rising heaven ward, like
giant eolonnades, became smaller. The
sides Of the building fell, and in thirty min
utes from the time the fire was first discov-
cred only the tall chimney and heap OF
smouldering ruins marked the place which
had been metamorphosed from a scene OF
industry and thrift to one Of ruin and desc
laion.
The main building, which was $50 by 200
ieet in extent, was used principally for the
manufacture Of shoddy and substance
known as seXtract," the latter being OBJ
tanned by destroying the cotton in fabrics
and leaving the wool. The owner OF the
building was Mr.. Benjamin Bailey, who
was not insured. The building was not Of
great value. The Union Manufacturing
| Company consists OF Pierpont Edwards
johnson and John B. Austin, o. 3. Chase
being general superintendent. Their loss
is estimated at between $4,000 and $50, 900,
| principally on machinery and stock. The
| insurance, which is between $4,000 and
So, 900, is principally IN Canadian and
western companies. -Phitadetphid Bulletin.
The Prince ImpcrinI's VIII.
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