The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-25

Granlteyille, May 25.-Two lives were
lost, several persons were injured and
more than two score lives were endanger-
ed BY ERE which destroyed the Langdon
boarding house, the house occupied BY
John g. Mcleod and two barns at this
place early today. The property loss viii
reach $4,000
The dead are
Odeua Morrisette aged 10.
Peter Martin. aged Y.
The Injured are:
Annie Nicholson, who jumped from the
third story window and was severely hurt.
Roland Allen, badly burned about the
face and hands
g. q. McCaffrey, burned on the head
Others we're more or less severely burn
Ia 6I the two who were burned to death
only the charred remains Of the girl have
been discovered, and It is probable that
the mans body was burned to ashes
The ire was perfect holocaust, and
the wonder is that more lives we're not
lost. as the houses burned ike tinder. cut
ting OH the avenues Of escape so rapidly
that the inmates OF the boarding house
were compelled to jump for their lives, clad
only in their night clothing. So fierce was
the FIRE that within half hour after the
fire as discovered the Iangd0n boarding
house. the largest on the Hin, was nothing
but mass Of fiery ruins.
~ 1ta
third floor in the room OF the unfortunate
man who lost bis life In the flames. The
occupant Of the next room, Edward Dona-
hue, was awakened by the suifoeating
smoke aud the flames which burst into his
room, at about 8 O'Clock Without wait
Ing to put on his clothes, Donahue rushed
out to arouse the ~ other occupants Of
the house.
Immediately there was a scene Of the
greatest confusion. One after another as
the people were aroused they made rush
for means Of escape. The prospect Of saw
Ing any property was simply out Of the
question, and those who we're ar0using the
inmates realized that they would do well
II they succeeded in getting out all of the
people. The first floor was easily cleared
as the fire was confined at first to the up
per floors.
There, however, the rescue was at
tended with the greatest difficulty. Final
ly ali the people were gotten out with the
exception Of two table girls who roomed
together on the third floor just across the
building from where the fire started
The girls were Miss Morisette, the one
who lost her life, and Miss Annie Nichol-
son. Both rushed to the window Of their
room and then began frantically calling to
the people below to get ladders, but there
was none which was long enough to reach
to the third story.
Meanwhile frantic efforts were being
made to get at the imprisoned girls from
the stairway Among those who attempt
ed 70 reach the girls from this way was
the father OF the Nicholson girl, Charles
Nicholson, who with Frank Sweeney, got
as far as the first floor but was forced back
by the rush Of the flames which made fur
ther progress impossible
As the flames approached nearer the
two girls, blanket was brought and the
girls were told TO jump. Miss Nicholson
climbed out on the window sill, closely
followed by her companion The former
Jumped and struck the blanket but owing
10 the fact that the blanket was not held
securely her fall was not broken much.
she struck the ground heavily and may be
injured internally.
Ihe Morisette girl gave look at the
distance and fell back swooning onto the
bed ID the room. A few charred bones
were all that was found Of her body, it
having been entirely impossible to rescue
the girl from the veritable furnace.
Whlle the crowd was watching this
agonlzlng scene on the west side Of the
house the flames had run through the
building and communicated to the house
few feet away occupied by John G. Nc.
Leod. Soon this was burning fiercely and
tne flames proceeded to eat up two barns
which were connected with this house.