Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-08
IMPRISONED IN FLAME Els,
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WHICH BEFEL
COACHING PARTY.
The Tally-ho Overturned and Lantern
Upset The Occupants the Victims of
Burning Oil and Broken Glass One
woman Dangerously Burned.

One of the most distressing accidents
which it has been our duty to chronicle in
this vicinity for some time occurred Fri
day night about nine o'clock the victims
being II coaching party of twenty persons
all residents of this city who were going
out to South Burlington for II family
gathering The party was made no of
Mrs. Miller and her daughters with
their husbands and children and several
gentleman friends, there being ten male
representatives III all. 1t was decided that
the trip should be made in rs grand style
as possible and accordingly Lane & Sons
tally-ho coach was hired in which to
make the trip, the party furnishing team
and driver, the latter in the person of
Alexander Miller, who is an experienced
driver. The ladies and children occupied
the interior of the coach and the gentle
men sat outside. The night was exceed
ingly dark, but instead of lighting the
coach lamps one of the gentlemen who sat
in front carried IL lantern. And to enliven
the interior of the coach, Mrs. Miller
carried Il Kerosene hand lantern in
her lap. The party was merry one
and everything went as smoothly as
could be desired until the Baxter
farm OIL lDt TOtU TO W llllSIgl
was reached. Here the team was al
lowed to 90 too near one side of the
road and the wheels ran down the en-
| bankment, OVerturning the coach in the
| ditch and browning those outside into the
| mud and water The most serious part of
| the mishap was TO those who were inside
| The coach lay upon one side and It's Occu-
| pants were literally imprisoned. The ac-
cident naturally caused great COnsterna-
| ton and confusion, but their intensity was
greatly increased by the igniting of the
oil which spilled from the lantern carried
| by Mrs. Miller Tie clothing of the
ladies and children took fire and the
flames rapidly spread to the trimmings
of the coach. Meanwhile the unavailing
efforts OF the unfortunate prisoners to es-
cape from the burning vehicle rendered
the scene il terrible one. The screams OF
the panic stricken party within added to
the Wild uncertainty of those without,
some of whom in their frantic efforts AT
rescue increased the danger to the inmates
of the coach by breaking and showering
upon them the glass in the upturned viii
dows instead OF opening the door. One
more beside himself than the rest seized
Il rail and using it for Il battering-r ram en-
deavored to break in the rear part of the
coach. Others of the party secured some
snow and dashed it into the coach upon
the terrified and struggling sufferers
This all occurred, of course, in much less
IL
course of time the fire was eXtinkuished
by hard work and the women and children
were rescued, but not before Mrs Miller
had been 50 badly burned that the skin
fell from the entire left side of her body
It seems that when the coach was over
turned she fell upon that side with the
lamp in under her, which fact undoubted
ly prevented the more rapid spread of the
flames and consequently, more serious i'll
jury to the other occupants. The rest o
the party who occupied the interior Wer,
badly bruised and suffered from the brok
en- glass, and several in addition wer,
slightly burned, but Mrs. Miller suffered
the only serious injury One of the part.
Immediately set out for assistance anc
Drs. \. =. Grinnell and J. b. Wheee
responded to the summons. They founC
Mrs. Miller suffering untold agony an,
they thought at first that her injuries
We're so serious that she could not possibl.
recover They dressed her burns, now
, ever, and she was taken home. The un
fortunate woman was alive yesterday ant
the physicians thought 1t possible that sh
might recover, but to-day will be the mos
critical period for her to pass through an'
, if she lives until night the physicians vii
be greatly encouraged to look for her ulti
mate recovery. The unfortunate woman
5 has the entire sympathy of the com
munity.
1t is unnecessary to say that the part,
was broken up and through the kindnes
of neighborS its members returned to thi
} city Sadder and it is to be hoped wiser
and the next time they 90 out coachn!
they will undoubtedly carry all lanterns
outside. The coach came out of the acci
dent with lighter damages than Nigh
have been expected under the crcum
,, stances. one of the rear panels was stow
! in and one of the window castings wa
broken out. The lamp and step on tn,
right side We're knocked out of shape ant
the trimming was badly bu rned, but fit
dollars will undoubtedly put 1t in as goo'
condition a. it was before the accident.