The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-28

The dead are:
MRS. MARY DUNN, aged IS.
MRS. ELIZA GREENLEAF, aged "a.
MRS. SCHULTZ, aged IS.
Probably Fatally Burned.
MRS. THERESA FORBES, aged IS.
THOMAS DANIELS, aged 81.
Many Others among the 23s inmates,
who were mostly aged men and women,
suffered severely from fright and expo
sure, and several were Overcome by
smoke. The police, tiremen and nurses
assisted them down the stairways, fire
escapes and ladders, and while the build
ing was burning they were cared for by
nearby residents. Later a majority of
the inmates were taken to two city
buildings which had been provided with
mattresses.
The theory that the fire started from
spontaneous combustion was upset to-
day when an investigation proved that
the origin was in meat storage com
partment in the basement. Shooting up
the dumbwaiter shaft, the flames left the
first and second floors practically un
scathed and spread out through the third
floor containing the principal sleeping
quarters. One portion of this floor was
divided by wooden partitions into small
each occupied by two or
three women.
The three women killed were in two
OF these tiny rooms close TO the top OF
the shaft. Two OF them were burned in
their beds. The third managed to reach
the corridor. where she was caught by
the flames. Daniels was too feeble TO
leave his bed when the fire spread to the
mems division and he was overcome by
smoke Mrs Forbes was also unable to
get up and was badly burned before be-
ing rescued.
In one room were l6 bed ridden won
en- All of them were uninjured and were
,arried out Among Others saved was a
woman and her baby one week old. The I
nurses and the more able bodied inmates 1
helped in the rescues. The stairways |
sere not reached by the flames but the /
occupants of many OF the rooms were un-
,ble to reach them and were carried I
Town ladders and fire escapes.
Miss Marion Johnson. one of the four I
nurses in charge OF the women's wards, I
aid 1T was terrible scene. Most OF /
he old ladies were screaming for help.
The smoke was SO dense could hardly
zee my way about. Some policemen
anne up fire escape and we began TO
'et the women down to the ground All
his while other nurses were working
Ike beavers in their wards"
Mayor Good was active in the rescue
nd in providing shelter Il hope" said
be MAYOR. that every city in the coun-
~ viii learn the lesson OF this deplor-
hle affair. The death Of those poor.
ged homeless women should be a warn.
ag 10 municipalities TO guard against
uch a horror Almshouses as rule are
ntiqliatcd piaccs They should be Of
MODERN. freproof construction. There
hould be- elevators" IA
when the excitement was All over
,any OF the rescued old men wished 20 !
mokc before going to the temporary .
eds. The city provided cigars which I
lev smoked before the Christmas tree ,
lat they had used AZ the celebration I
st week.
Sergeant Canney and Edward Fitzpat 4
ck a customs oficpr who lives IN the Z
hsd great difficulty in res q
ling from the third floor an aged won. $
/ who weighed about 25n pounds They \
soovered her having ont Of q window 4 .
aiding 90 fre escape They managed :
, help hcr part way down the escape ID
hen Canney slipped and feIl % the . &
.ound He was not hadlv hurt and n =
moment be vas ~ her eide arain. The 4
vn mon frnEN zurreefnd iu getting the :.