The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-02-24
LETTER FROM DOVER.

VI GOCh tuG 1lbblS
steamer Mystic for a short visit to Kittery
haven, quiet, sleepy little town situated
some three miles, and across the bay, from
the first named place Kittery. with its
H. rrnw, winding thoroughfares, remaining
for the most part just as nature fashioned
them, rough and uneven; with granite ledges
cropping out here and there, has been, in
days gone by. a place Of no little import.
ance. 1t dates its existence from these
good old colony times spoken of in my last
epistle, and its streets have echoed to the
mauly tread of our good old revolutionary
fathers, as they went to and from their
daily labors in the navy yard just east of
the town, from whose ways many noble
vessel has taken her first plunge into the
briny deep. Here my ancestors have lived
and labored, and it was here that my faith
er lost his life when was but child.
When last visited the Kittery navy yard,
| in the spring of '62, it was througed by a
multitude of busy artisans each intent on
| accomplishing his allotted task id the short.
est possible time. The sound of the work
mans hammer, the whir and hum of ma
chinery-the echo, seemingly, of the roar
of artillery and the crash of musketry that
told of the terrible conflict going on at the
| 'front.'
But the echoes have died away, the mul-
titude is dispersed, the noise of the machin-
cry is hushed, the sound of the hammer
subdued and nothing remains to remind the
visitor of that once busy scene save hand
full OF dull-browed men, idling away their
time while pretending to be busying them.
selves at some necessary repairs, or the few
government vessels lying at the docks.
A FRIGHTEUL HOLOCAUST,
The Strafford county lunatic asylum, a
two-story frame building l35 feet IN length
by 35 in width, situated some four miles,
and in westerly direction from DoYer, N.
H., was entirely consumed by fire on the
night of February 9th, and 43 out of the Al
inmates confined therein were burned tt
death. The watchman, Wilbur Chesiey
while makingbis rounds at 10 o'clock On the
evening of that day, discovered a small
blaze in one of the cells opening out of tn.
corridor-on the upper floor. He immedi
ately notified the keeper, MIR. Z. Driscoll
who with his family occupied rooms in tn,
north end Of the building. Mr.. Driscoll
who had retired for the night, sprang from
his bed and, running through the hall
opened the door of the burning cell. Thi
cell was occupied by Mrs. LaFountain,
large, powerful woman who as soon as tn
door was opened rushed forth and grapplet
with the keeper in the corridor. 1t wa
several minutes before MIR. Dliscoll coult
free himself from the clutches of this dan
gerous woman. In the meantime the fir
had gained such headway that it was onl.
by the utmost exertious that he-Mr. Dris
coll managed to save the lives of himsol
AMI family, who barely escaped III thei
night clothes.
During sthe interval thus described th
watchman had been busy opening the door
J of the cells on the lower corridor, thereby
saving the lives of three persons. All tn
other inmates met their death while locke
III those blazing cells.
I drove to the scene of the confagratio
on the morning of the lO5b. Ill the celia
Of the burned buildings lay the bodies G
the victims, many of them entirely expose
to view, the heads aud limbs had bee
wholly consumed, nothing remained but tn
charred and biackened bodies shriyeled t
an unacceptable mass, such a sight wis
never to look upon again.
The origin of the fire is not known thoug
it is supposed to have caught from de
fective fue. The Dover fire companies re
sponded to the call, but owing to the con.
dition Of the roads it was after midnigh
when they arrived, too late to render an
assistance SO far as the asylum was concern
ed though they did good service in savin
the aims house, large brick building ad
joining the asylum. Twelve years ago tn
aims house at this place was entirely coI
sunled by fire and thirteen of the inmate
were burned. w. E. P,
|