The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-17
ANOTHER TENEMENT HOUSE HOR.
ROR IN NEW YORK.
A Woman, Five Girls, and Boy
SmOthered to Death-Five Other Per-
sons in the HOspital-SuppOsed Imcen-


Smothered to Death-Flve other Per-
sons in the HOspital-SuppOsed Imcen-
diarism.
From The Ne,o York Papers Of today.
Great disasters are, if not a consequence, a
concomitant of modern civtliz ,tion; but as
everything is noticeable only by comparison, a
succession of astounding events has so prepared
MS against surprise that matters of great im port
frequently pass our observation unnoJlced and
occasionally, however, something happens so
sudden in its nature and fearful In its effects
that the most callous Imagination is appalled,,
and the most hackneyed mind arrested in con-
temptation. OF such nature was disaster in
Second avenue yesterday morning. In q tene-
ment house not differing from the ordinary
plan of buildinps of that character, the various
families occupying apartments there retired at
the usual hour, in The full vtgor and strength
nS 3rom tne recreoon n0 e1 @
INDUCED in the previous day, and looking for
ward to a week of toll, slumber visited them
without much wooiug, and dulled their senses
to all outward perception.
The never. ceasing current OF departing time
rolled its Increasing moments into hours, aud
midnight found the occupants of this dwelling
wrapped In peaceful slumbers. Some three or
true spirit Of feminine coquetry adorned their
persons in the expectation of seeing, probably,
conscionsness signs OF the taste which had been
exercised in their toilette. One O'Clock struck,
but awaked no echo in the ears OF those VINO
slept here; two o'clock passed, but had not long
registered it's testimony of departing time upon
sharp and clear in the early morning air, Fire!
Firep' "Fire! fire 20 was repeated inside in
smothering accents, and forms were seen at the
windows IN frantic gesticulation, and fearful
efforts visible on the part OF the Inmates to
No flame was to be seen, no spark, no sign of
fire, but pouring from every O mix and crevlce
and loophole dense volumes 'smoke broke
forth thick and menactng, G. 1g narrowing
testimony to arriving witnesses of what was
being endured inside. la this house, and from
aged ffty; Eliza. aged nineteen; Mary Jane,
aged sixteen, and Catharine aged thirteen, her
Ma4y. aged % fourteen; and Thomas. aged ten
Besides these Cornelius O'Meara and RosauSa
Murphy are now in hospital In very critical
No. sos Second avenue, the scene of this Gala
nifty. was occupied as follows:-Basement and
first floor, bakery and residence of Maximillan
Miller and wife. Second floor rear front being
unoccupied), Jacob Campbell and wife, with
two boaIdeTs, Emma Eldrdge and Alice Davis.
Third floor front, John OMeara and wife, three
daughters, and one son; rear, Mr.. Thos. Kelly,
Lawrence Cunningham. wife, and four Gull,
dren; rear Patrick Murphy, wife, four children,
and Ellen Daffy, boarder.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
AS near as can be ascertained the fire broke
out very soon afier o'clock in the morning,
when all the inmates of the upper portion of
the house were wrapt in profound slumber.
At that time the attention of the police was
attracted to the vicinity by piercing shrieks,
and by cries OF aFlre" anu "Mnrder' Inc
Twenty. nrst precinct force fastened to the
corner of Second avenue and Thirty-third
to ascertain the precise locality OF the ire, The
strong northwest wind which was prevailing
at the time keeping the smoke from Issuing
into the street. AT length the frightened faces
and agonized voices OF persons in the house
directed them to the fated No. 596.
Bursting in the hall door, an effort was made
to extricate the endangered tenants; but the
Sitting smoke rendered all attempts at en-
! ceeded in subduing the flames in the basement.
! During this interval the occupants OF the back
room behind the store. as well as several OF the
| tenants up stairs, succeeded in making their
! way to the street. A portion OF the police
! force mounted to the roof of the adjoining
building, and by means of ropes extricated the
| family in the front room of the top floor by
bodily hosting eaeh person 10 the ro0t " Lhrongn
| have been lessened had IL not been tpr an I'M.
fortunate accident az this time, is matter OF
| surmise, One OF the occupants of the upper
! story procured the ladder leading TO the sky.
light, and placed 1t in position for an exit upon
| the roof. He had assembled only few steps
when IL broke in pieces beneath his weight aud
| precipitated him to the floor. subsequent
examination Of the ladder showed that II was
The wood forming the sides had been cut
| bias TO the grain, and 1t is wonder that IL MAJ
not heretofore proved its weakness. Asi was,
| the weight of the ascending man had snapped
IL across in two places. II did not break. The
wood spit owng 70 'ns gram ~ nu Of tbe
basement showed the woodwork charred TO
such an extent that one OF the girders had
| broken and fallen aslant TO the hoor. The nre,
| however, was entirely confined TO this porllon
| ofthe building 1t did not even make It's way
| above the RrOuuu' uOOTt eACoPO IL buO rtoinAoy
| of the staircase. where IL burned up the sur
| rounding woodwork. In the front OF tne base
| ment was the oven OF the bakery ana In the
rear was boarded off small apartment used by
The journeyman of the bakery as bedroom
dead light opened out into the yard, ,aloS anu
narrow stone stairway at the 'front.', covered
with wooden door, led Into the street,
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREMISES
The scene OF the fearful tragedy is four story
brick tenement house of what is known as the
second or third class. The ground noor Is 9
store, with sittingroom in the rear. The upper
three stories are cOntrived for tenement oeou'
pancY In the front, on each door. Is little
parloT, embracing two OF the windows, with z
| kitchen taking in the third, and two dark bed
rooms In the middle OF the house, occupying
the space between the wall and the haIl way
both opening into the parlOr. The width Of the
house enabled this very comfortable division o