The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-04
Description. by Eye Witnesses.

John Darby ot 525 Ihirty-sixth street, op-
positc the piano factory. says " WAS standing
on the sidewalk before my house when | saw
smoke pouring out Of the factory windows
from the fourth story first and then very
quickly from those above 1t. Then | saw seven
men at the seventh and eighth story windows,
screaming for "A ladder. told them 10 run
back and Jump on the platform OF tho drying
department that ran out from the other part OF
the building tapping over ne slxteen-io"t alley
until in one place il WASH, moro than four feet
off and VIA up as high liz the sixth floor. Three
did run back there and try getting of that way.
Two succeeded and one fe. in making the at
tempt He dropped into the alley. We chopped
down thciront fence and got him out hut he
was fcariully mashed up and as ye heard died
soon after. One got safely down 10y thc Ealynn-
tied iron water leader, climbed all tho way
down from the seventh noor thirk'
Joseph QuigS. a lad, rcmtrdi was on the
coa sh,si. rast Of tho a.tory. and happened to
bo looking into the window when | saw the llrs
break out don't know how II started. hut in
less than minute il was all through the fourth
story where 1t broke out There were great
lot of men nalde who seemed to b" So infused
and scared that they didn't know whit to do.
Some ran down stairs, and others up. one
fellow came down tho iron lro escape
until ten feet or ~ from tho bottom. and
then frl. Henry Woodseller ana myself picked
him up from the next yard 10 US, ana helped
him up a ladder to the roof OF the coal shcd-a
ladder thnt we put up down there for the pur.
pnfb-dni 30 ne kOt lnIhukH 10 lHt alItel ana
away. There were "A good many came down
thnt way into the yard and up oyer the shed.
One chap brought his box of tools along Just
one. There was one fellow swung himself
down from the sixth floor height, tho toy ono
OF the drying platforms. on to the platform OF
fourth. and from there he had to drop, because
tho platforms wore not any lower down. HIS
ball enough to die"
Mary Eckstein was in the top story OF sol
West Thirty sixth street. opposite the factory.
and she saw distinctly u large number OF men
at the windows. They held out their hands.
waved their coAts. and cried for help. They
shouted. Can, you run up "A addrrY' a burst
OF smoke ana flame concealed them. When Il
cleared away they were still there but exhaust
ed and faint and several fell backward. ono
climbed out on the window sill and jumped.
Mrs. Eekstein tainted,
LOUIS Sirgman. ass istant foreman OF engine
alarm. and WAS stationed IN Thirty SIKH
street lie SAW several men Jump from the
windows. Some climbed half out others held
their hands IN the attitude Of prayer. md tho
story of the now building, on Thlrly-siNth
street were filed with men Two attempted to
climb down tie leader huI fell oir thrir bands
being burned III saw other men tall hncS into
the flames. The head ~ water only reached to
the sixth story. ami the hydrAnt soon gave out.
Christina llHmlIn of i2S West Ihlry seventh
street wis in the top story Oi her house, Sho
says she saw men struggling Ht cach of the siA
windows of thOelgllth story OF the now building.
Others were in the windows below They fought
to crawl down tho leader, an !, IN the contest.
several were hurled tOthr yard below ana some
pushed Aack into the flames Those VITO DID
got on tho loader ;ell oil belOro thcy could do
scend.
John Kearns OF 557 West Forty -second street.
wlls near the faftOry when the alarm WIS gwen.
Flames wore then bursting from tho front fourth