The Portland daily press., 1881-01-08
HORRIBLE.
BURNING OF A POOR HOUSE
NEAR DOVER, N. H.
Thirteen Paupers and Lunatics Per-
ish in the Flames.
NO WATER AND THE FIRE ESCAPES
LOCKED UP.
Criminal Negligence Which Should be
Punished.

DOVER, N. H., Jan. Fire was discovered
in the main building on the Stratford county
farm about 4.30 o'clock this morning When
discovered it had made considerable headway,
and many rooms were filled with smoke. One
hundred and sixty-nine persons were IN the
building and great difficulty was found In get
ting them out, some of them having 20 pe
dragged out. Thirteen are missing and PROB
Asa uHall, Peter Sargent, Burnham Mute,
jeff Holland, Thomas McDermott, Ivory
Hanscom, Joseph Cook Charles Riley, Sadie
Abbott, Martha Jewell, Lizzie Wilson, CARA
Scales. The building burned was built four:
teen years ago at cost of SAC, Several
additions have since been made, which with
the contents will make the loss $4,000; insur-
ance on all property, $25, 900. The insane asy-
lum near by and several barns were saved,
the roofs being covered with snow. Ii the
weather had not been unusually warm the loss
of life must have been much heavier, as the
inmates escaped with only their night clothes
on. They are now all clothed and sheltered
through the generosity of neighbors and
er, four miles away, was unable to reach there
on account of snow. The safe containing all
the records burst and the contents were
burned. The fire caught from the furnace.
Up to this time nothing has been done to-
ward the recovery of the bodies What seem
to be the remains of several can be seen in the
cellar, but they are completely burned up. 1t
is hardly probable that all the bodies can be
found, for there is still considerable fire
among the debris. One of the inmates report
ed as lost has been found alive and an addi-
tional one is reported missing.
The scene at the fire was terrible. The mag
nifcent brick building was all in flames, anS
sparks filled the air for half a mile in all di
rections. Thei inmates, almost wild with
fright, were seen running about, some of them
woman escaped from the building, again re-
turned, and has no. since been seen. A visit
to,the farm this morning revealed the escaped
inmates crowded into neighboring houses.
They go about with frightened faces, and it is
almost impossible to get information from one
of them. Manager G. E. Caswell and his fam
lily escaped in their night clothes and lost
everything.
Some of the women exhibited great presence
of mind and aided in saving the others. One
Irishwoman stood barefooted in the snow,
catching in her arms children as they were
thrown from the windows. Everything possi-
BILE was done by Mr.. Caswell the superintend-
ent, and others to save the lives of the in
mates, but without water or the means of ap
plying IL little could be done. Nothing re-
mains of the building but the walls, within
which, amid the mass of embers, may be seen
two human bodies still burning
LATER.
1t is now ialmost certain that twelve, and
perhaps thirteen, lsves were lost by the fire
this smorning. The county commissioners
nave Doon on Gno ground all Qay ana MADE ar
rangements for the protection and shelter of
the inmates The water works were rendered
useless by the extreme drouth and no water
could be obtained. Many of the inmates were
locked in their rooms and there was no one to
let them out. All the sick were saved and of
others rescued nearly all were able to 90 about
There was no watchman on the premises and
the fire had made great headway before it twas
discovered.
Tho loss on the county building is estimated
ward recovering bodies until the mass of de-
bris cools. No water can be applied There
were two fire escapes on the building, but the
doors leading to them were locked.