The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-08-09
Shocking Accident.

The terrible accident that occurred late
Tuesday afternoon, by which the lives OF
three children of George Hill were crushed
out came so near the hour when the DAILY
JOURNAL goes to press, it necessitated
hurried and abbreviated story Of the affair.
The cause OF the accident will never be
known By many it is attributed to blast
ing in the sewer forty rods or more away.
AT all events, without q moments warning,
huge slice OF the solid ledge fell, burying
the Hill children under tons of rock. The
open air service held last Sunday by the
Young Mems Christian Association was
near this place, and several who attended
sat in the very place where these children
were killed.
1t seems that the Hill children, Eula
Wedge, granddaughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Hiram Il. Wedge, and the two children OF
Mrs. Mary Mason were playing at keeping
house The Mason children and the Wedge
girl had been sent to the spring for water
| which they called medicine. Had it not
been for this providential action three
| homes would undoubtedly be in mourning
| and six instead Of three dead bodies would
be lying in darkened rooms.
Tessie, aged eight years, the oldest Hill
child, was instantly killed. Her body was
| literally cut in twain by the jagged rocks
Sarah, aged three years, was alive when
| taken out, but died ten minutes after the
ambulance reached the hospital George,
aged seven, was conscious, and before he
was taken to the hospital called for his
father and grandfather. He had two pen
MES in his hand when a huge rock hit him,
and to these he held on until he was placed
in the ambulance, He imagined the am
bulance was hearse and asked il they
were going to bury him. At the hospital in
the evening he begged piteously for his
mother. She was taken to him aud tn 9
father and mother were with him when he
| died at half past ten Tuesday evening.
| N da N "a
knew full well that his injuries were fatal,
and attempted no operation, simply doing
all in their power to ease his suffering.
The mother with their infant child was at
| the accident occurred. She is Frustrated
and has not seen the dead bodies of
her children. The father is bearing up un-
der the terrible strain and tres hard to be
calm His shopmates at the works of the
Cotton Manufacturing Company raised
| twenty-eight dollars which they gave to
him last evening. Alderman Wheelock al
so sent in six dollars in cash.
Farrar Brothers have headed a subscrp-
ton paper with one dollar, and have left it
at the JOURNAL office, Any further sub.
scriptions left at this Office will be acknowl-
edged in these columns and the money will
| be turned over to the stricken parents.
| They are in humble circumstances and the
father works for small pay. This is an OPP
portunity for practical charity which it is
believed will not be overlooked
| The faces of the dead children, as they
lay Wednesday in darkened room of Mr..
| Hills home near the gas house, gave little
evidence OF the force that had snuffed out
their young lives. With the exception of a
few cnts and bruises the features are not
marred.
A. q. Felt of the Cotton Manufacturing
Company started out on Wednesday anon
the business men with subscription paper
Tor Mr.. Hills benefit. Up to noon he had
| secured over $50
Funeral services for the three children OF
George Hill, killed in the Langdon quarry
| Monday afternoon, were held on Thursday
| from Mr.. HIPS home on Berlin street, Rev.
Father w. j. O'Sullivan officiating. The
house was entirely inadequate to accommo.
date the large number OF friends who gath
cred, and the larger number remained out
of doors
Friends and strangers alike sent beauti
ful flowers that were placed around and on
the three little white caskets. Among
these floral offerings was q beautiful pillow
from Ernest Jacobsen.
Twelve young lads acted az bearers. The
caskets were taken to the cemetery in two
hearses and a barouche followed by long
line OF carriages. Several parties sent Their
private carriages. These were supplement
ed by free carriages from several of the
livery stables, 80 that all who desired could
go TO the cemetery The three bodies
were tenderly laid TO rest in one grave in
the Catholic cemetery.
A. C.. Felt raised $685. on the sub
scription paper he circulated for the assis.
lance of the stricken parents. The sub.
scription headed by Farrar Brothers with
one dollar. left at the Journal office, has
grown to $40 Five dollars of this amour,
was from one generous individual who did
| not wigl hia mama mead