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Conference hydra::dejavu

Title:Psychic Phenomena
Notice:Please read note 1.0-1.* before writing
Moderator:JARETH::PAINTER
Created:Wed Jan 22 1986
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2143
Total number of notes:41773

314.0. "Ghosts in the Mill?" by EDEN::KLAES (Fleeing the Cylon Tyranny.) Mon Feb 23 1987 20:01

    	I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of or witnessed any 
    paranormal phenomenon in DEC's Maynard, Massachusetts headquarters, 
    correctly known as the Mill (MLO).
    
    	Based on what is the usual locale for "specters, presences,
    etc.", I would think that the Mill would be a perfect place, as
    it served as a wool mill for about a century - one of those pre-child
    labor laws sweat factories of the Industrial Revolution.  Did any
    accidents or other events happen during those years (c.1840-1950),
    which might have created some "unusual" phenomenon?
                                                                      
    	Larry
    
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314.1Adding to the Mill's qualifications.PBSVAX::COOPERTopher CooperMon Feb 23 1987 23:3911
    My ex-wife was an historian of textiles and textile-crafts.  Once
    I was talking about my work (this was after we broke up) and mentioned
    that the Assabet River was the "Mill stream".  She got quite excited,
    "You mean you're working at the *Assabet* Woolens Mill."  It seems
    that there was a bloody confrontation between striking workers and
    hired thugs (Pinkerton's I think, but no matter).  Several workers
    were shot.  Needless to say, this is *not* something that is mentioned
    as part of the "DEC History Project" (It's also possible that the
    event took place further up or down river).
    
    				Topher
314.2The Man in GreyREGENT::BROOMHEADDon't panic -- yet.Tue Feb 24 1987 20:588
    I have heard -- once -- of a ghost associated with the Mill.
    
    The claim was that, sometimes, on little used floors (clearly an
    old story), you could see a man at the other end of the building.
    He was the ghost of one of the people who would inspect the
    fabric for quality, and he was still doing it.
    
    							Ann B.
314.3Of course...PBSVAX::COOPERTopher CooperTue Feb 24 1987 21:382
    ... we should keep in mind that it is also a great location for
    people to set *stories* about ghosts in.
314.4ZKO3 on Indian Burial Ground?ORION::HERBERTThinking is the best way to travel.Wed Feb 25 1987 01:017
    Do you think there's any truth to the rumor that the new ZKO3
    building is being built on top of an ancient indian burial
    ground?  I've heard people say that they've seen tee-pees floating
    on the metal scaffolding, and there has also been tales of smoke
    signals rising forth from the top of the building. Some people even
    reported hearing tribal drums, but that was attributed to some
    engineers in a design review.
314.5booooMASTER::EPETERSONWed Feb 25 1987 12:465
    
    
    Strange sightings at The Mill?  
    
    Probably "The Ghost of Products Past"!
314.6Move over, Peter Straub!ERASER::KALLISHallowe'en should be legal holidayWed Feb 25 1987 13:4113
    Re .5:
    
    Well, Tracy Kidder wrote _The Soul of a New Machine_. :-)
    
    I hear that there was a "tough dog" PDP-8/I system that, once it
    had been expensed and the PDP-8/E production started, was dummped
    into the mill pond by frustrated engineers/technicians.  Probably
    just a rumor, but if machines do have souls, there should be an
    orange-and-brown image floating somewhere around building 1 on
    appropriate nights. ... ;-)
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    
314.7Machines, souls, and millpondsSSDEVO::YOUNGERSure. Will that be cash or charge?Thu Feb 26 1987 18:097
    RE: .6  (Steve)
    
    If machines have souls, there should be *lots* of strange things
    happening in and around the millpond.
    
    Elizabeth
    
314.9Not Seriously, Folks ...INK::KALLISHallowe'en should be legal holidayFri Feb 27 1987 11:525
    Re .8:
    
    The same can be asked of a baby. :-)
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
314.10Lost Souls - For Real!NATASH::BUTCHARTWed Mar 04 1987 15:068
    One *truly* plausible cause of strange sightings in the Mill is
    that they are people who are still looking for a way out.  (I used
    to have to tie string to various points myself . . . still don't
    do very well there.)
    
    Marcia
    
    PS.  Oh yes, I'm back
314.11SERIOUSLY NOW...EDEN::KLAESFleeing the Cylon Tyranny.Wed Mar 04 1987 16:205
    	All joking aside (please!), have there been any reliable reports
    of REAL sightings of paranormal events in the Mill?
    
    	Larry
    
314.12Funny you should ask...HARBOR::VENTOLAThat's all she wrote...Thu Jul 02 1987 15:547
    Wow...I was just talking to some friends about the possibility of
    the Mill being haunted.  I've never seen or heard anything out of
    the ordinary, and neither have my friends (who incidently pull quite
    a few allnighters here), but it would seem like the ideal spot.
    
    
314.13"loom ghosts"SKETCH::HORRIGANWed Mar 20 1991 22:0720
    Hello - It's been a while since anyone wrote in here, but being at the
    Mill, a resident of Maynard, and someone that pulls a lot of 
    "all-nighters" here, I want to start this note up again to see if there
    are any new noters (since 1987) that may have heard about any ghosts in 
    the Mill.
    
    While working late on quite a few occasions here, I have felt a
    "presence" at more than one time in a few places. 
    It seems that with the history of the Mill, there would be some 
    presences that may find this their place to be. When kidding around
    with a coworker late one night, we called them "loom ghosts", 
    presumably some one that got caught inside a loom while trying to fix
    it back in some ancient day. 
    
    I am working on a history of workers at the Mill, so this is also 
    a topic that should be a part of that history. So if anyone has heard
    or knows someone that has heard of any tales, please enter them here
    or to me off-line.
    
    edh.