FACTORY BURNED AT AYR— TWENTY-NINE LIVES LOST.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 1508, 28 August 1876, Page 4

FACTORY BURNED AT AYR— TWENTY-NINE LIVES LOST.

{Inverness Courier. June 22.) A terrible calamity occurred at Ayr 011 Friday. A woollen ami carpet manufac tory, one of the largest m Scotland, belonging to Messrs James Templeton and Son, was burned down, and twenty six lives were lost. Tho works consisted mainly of four large blocks of building, three of them four storey." m height, and the other three storeys high, together ■with adjacent buildings used for the storing of wool and other materials used m tho work. Altogether the mill contained seven weaving shops, and m these there were ]G7 carpet looms, most of which were full when the fire .occurred. About 400 people were at work at the time, of whom about 150 were weavers, and the majority of the remainder women and girls. The fire broke out between eleven and twelve o'clock m the cardin«-room, which was situated on the third floor of one of inside blocks of buildings. It is said to have occurred amongst a quantity of wool which was being put through the teaser, and was first noticed by a girl who was about, and who cried out to one of the men engaged on the flat, James Barr (whose father is amongst the dead), "Oh, Jamie, the teaser's on liro." The people m tho flat were at once m commotion. The machinery was as soon as possible brought to a stand, and while somo endeavoured to stamp out the flames, others ran for the small fire-engines or cxtincteurs kept on the premises. But every effort of this kind was unavailing. The material on which the fire had to work ■was of the most iuflatnmable nature ; the flames burst out with bewildering fury, and m almost as short a timo as we take to relate the fact, those who had so promptly exerted themselves for the safety of the premises were obliged to beat a hasty retreat. The cry of "fire, fire," now rang through the mill, and soon all was m a state of the wildest confusion and panic. Meantime, information of the outbreak had been conveyed to the police-office, and the fire brigade were called out with the utmost alacrity. But to the intense disappointment of those interested, as well as of the onlookers, the supply of water was found to be greatly deficient. With the hope of strengthening the pressure, the supply was shut off from part of. the town, but still the engines were unable to raise the stream to any height. In these circumstances, the fire raged comparatively unchecked, and made sad havoc. What added to the terrible suspense of these few minutes was the faetthat all theworkershadnotyetescaped from the burning mill. A number of girls clinging round a man, evidently. in the extremity of terror, had just been seen at one of the windows of the topmast flat, or rather the garret. They were making frantic efforts to attract attention, and calling piteously for help. Already the fire had all but reached the fourth storey, and was beat- 1 ing upwards fearfully fast. The position of tho helpless people was quite comprehended by the onlookers and their more fortunate fellows who had gained the ground ; but help seemed m vain, .so fiercely were the tongues of fire, shooting from every opening m the wall underneath. •

About this time, a young woman, named Catherine Maokinnon, apparently pressed by the flanies behind, and m a state of great excitement, appeared at one of the windows m the fourth storey. She crept hesitatingly out on the sill, and slung herself over, clutching the stone with both her hands. She remained suspended m this manner for a short time, as long evidently as her strength lasted, and the licit, which must have been great,allowed, and then dropped to the ground j receiving frightful injuries. She was at once picked up, and carried to the Aye Hospital, and she died m the course of two hours. Not long after the commencement of the fire, another young girl named Simpson, also believed to be a worker on the fourth floor; seems to have found her way down a stair as far as the third flat, but could get no further. An elder sister called to the girl, who was only 14 years of age, "to jump or she would be killed," and set herself to receive her as she dropped. The girl at once yielded to the entreaty/ and fell into her sister's outstretched arms; Both, of course, come heavily to the ground, but the elder girl received scarce any injury, although the other was more seriously hurt. '. One or two other girls are reported to have leaped from windows, and saved themselves, but of these no definite information could be obtained. As the flames rolled on, the fate of the man and the girls seen atthe garret window became more and more certain. Speedily tho firo gained its hold, cnyeloping the whole building, and ultimately 'tho junfortunate persons disappeared. Aftiongst the spectators, helpless to render aid, tlie excitement all this while was very great ; and women believing they had recognised a daughter, a sister, or a friend m some one of those who had just been seen m so sore a straight, wrung their hands m tho agony, of despair. Their shrieking, too, wa3 heart-rending. Before many minutes had elapsed, the roof gave way, and fell with a crash ; and with its fall vanished the last hope for the escape, of loved ones.

As soon as the persons emploj r ment m the mill could be collected, it was computed that twenty-six had perished. These consisted .of one man, James Barr, foreman spinner ; one woman of 44 ; and the rest, girls and young women varying m age from ten to twenty-four. It is. stated that on the alarm of lire .reaching Barr he .went down stairs to make inquiries. On seeing : the danger of the situation, he at" once returned to the flat m which he was employed, and ■where he had charge of a miniber'of girls. He did so, it is believed, to warn the girls of the state of affairs below ; but theflame3, as he retreated, burst up with such rapidity that ho was unable to make his way back. Of course the girls .were also hemmed m, and the general belief is that m this flat the majority of the deaths have occurred. Mr Barr leaves a widow jirid a grown up family, consisting of a son and two daughters. The son and daughters were all employed m the mill at the time of the disaster, but escaped. In: two hours the factory 'was a blackened ruin. The pecuniary loss is estimated at £50,000.

Bates. . '."..' 26au THOMPSON & BAENETT.