The sun., 1879-02-22
A WILD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
FLAMES AND SMOKE IN THE ATLANTIC
KNITTING MILL IN COHOES.


way-Desperase struggle TO Reach the sky
nght-Four Girls said TO Have PerIshed.
CoHoEs, Feb. 21.-At 10 o'clock this morn
ing fire. started in the picker room OF the At
lantio Mill on Mohawk street. Cohoes: but tho
employees In that department quickly extin-
guished the flames. and supposed that the
danger was over. spark from the picker
room had communicated however. to tho
card room on the next floor above. and
before any one realized the situation
confederation had been started which threat
ened the destruction OF the entire block
bounded by Courtland. Mohawk. Factory. and
Oneida streets. An alarm was sounded. but
the Fire Department did not reach the scene
until about half an hour nfterward. All hope
OF saving the building had then passed. and the
efforts Of the department were directed solely
to the saving Of adjoining property. About 100
employees. mostly women. were in the mill
when the fire was discovered. and their efforts
TO escape resulted in panic which for time
threatened a serious loss OF life. The hands in
the picker room. which is in the basement OF
the mill. escaped by rear door. but those In
the upper departments we're unable. on account
OF the flames and smoke. to descend by the
main stairway, and were obliged to seek
safety by way Of the roof The frightened crowd
cambsred up the stairs In a desperate ef1Ort to
reach the skylight. On reaching II the opening
proved 10 be so small MS TO allow only one per-
son to pass through at time. Those waiting
below, TO whom minutes seemed heightened
into hours. shouted for help their cries thrilling
the thousands OF people in the street OF whom
many were nnxiously inquiring for relatives
and friends known TO be In the burning build
ing. The struggle on the estnirs was \ mad iRht
Tor NE; The ,n women; almost sulIoentedd ,S Sy
flames below, madly pushed and struggled at
the, contracted opening. Somo fell in swoons
and others put their heads out OF windows and
gesticulated imploringly to the crowd in the
street below. At length all reached the roof, the
ast half dozen climbing the stairs through the
flames. One boy was fatally burned. and
another. who jumped from third-story
window after yninly trying to reach the root.
reached the roof they made their way 10 other
buildings and passed down to the street. where
such as had relatives % i9 the the city were ,! weP,!!
II was aiterward reported that four girls en-
ployed In the card room were unable to leave
the apartment on account OF the dense smoke
and perlshed in the flames. As many OF the
operatives live In edjacent villages. II cannot DO
ascsriained To- night whether the report. which
Is widely credited, is true.
The escape was none too soon. for a moment
aiterward the flames were shooting upward
from the top Of the building TO n heiRht Of ffty
feet. and sending dense volumes Of smoke over
the southeastern portion OF the city; The
flames poured out OF the windows on the west
side and gained headway every moment. de-
spite the efforts OF the ffremen who were at this
time sending eighteen streams upon the fire.
| The iremen were encased In ice and almost be-
numbed with cold. while the flames steadily
gained ground. At II O'Clock tbs. outer
wall OF the mill fronting on Mohawk
street was seen to totter, and "A shout OF warning
arose from the street A moment later the en-
| tire facade fell outward with a terrific crash.
| Through tho breach thus made the hosemen
| directed their streams with such good effect
| that fifteen minutes later II was believed they
| had the names under control; but this opinion
| was quickly reversed by the discovery that
| Norths Block. adjoining the Atlantic Mil on
the south. was also on fire, The tired fremen
responded gallantly to this new call, and di-
| rected their energies TO save the endangered
block. Al I'm o'clock the rear brick wall fell
| outward with y crash and number OF iiremen
barely escaped being buried In the ruins. A
moment later the roof went down into the sea
of fire. and the flames leaped high above the
surrounding buildings.
At l o'clock the fire had enveloped the upper
| stories Of the North Block. and were steadily
making headTay. To add TO the danger OF the
| drawn owing to break in tho machinery.
| This incident. in connection with the owedge
| that the firemen were nearly exhausted. de-
| termineJ the Chief OF the Fire Department TO
telegraph 10 Troy for assistance, and despatch
was accordingly sent 10 Chiet ingram. asking
| for engines and men. which were promptly
| furnished.
The loss Of property will be great. the struc-
| ture having been occupied by nine firms. en-
gagged in various kinds OF commercial aud
| manufacturing business. The building. with
the machinery In the Atlantic Mill and stock IN
| process OF manufacture. wus worth $4,000, on
| which there is an insurance OF tlS 900 IL had
frontage Of 25 feet on Mohawk street, extend
ing back 100 feet TO Couriland street. The seven
| sets OF machinery therein produced annually
about 26. 600 dozens OF shirts aud drawers,
worth 100000 The insurance Is distributed
| rs follows North British. 81 00O Hamburg,
| 5000; Commercial Union, 5000; Farmers
| IN. ". $4,000; Continental. e.. 500; Imperial
| and North American. So 500.
Late In tho afternoon the fire was got under
| control. aid from Troy accomplishing IT,.
| NOrth's block which was four stories high and
| covered an area Of 75Xl00 feet. was consumed.
| The total loss will reach 800 900.
The Offices Of the Daily Courier and Weekly
Democrat are burned.
Midni0ht-The fire in North's block is not yet
| extlngushed. but no further danger is ap-
pretended OF liz spreading. Warhurst * Co =
building tthe Atlantic Mills. when WAS the first
burned was valued altogether. with stock nj
| s25.0OO. and was insured IN the following COM
| panies: North British. 81 900; Hamburg. SO 900
| Commercial Union. $1,000; Farmers OF New
York. 81 900; Continental. e. 500; Imperial and
| North American. 81 500 each.
Charles T. NUrth's building was occupied by
Tabor X Bro. clothicrs: insurance. a. 600
| Charles +. North. manufacturers supplies. in
surancc ON stock S6.5On: Jacob Rum. iewrlrr
| insurance. 81 500; p.J VI Ellora n undertaken
FrRpcls Brown. Jr attorney j. lliller attorney
Charles j. Dnyln attorney. library insured.
| 81 100: Geo. III. Fiiih attorney: office of thr
| Coho"s D7HOcdt insured for : / 500 the Cuhons
Dduy Courier. insured ~ II uOJ; JuAn G.. San
ford, uhprr box factory. stock insured ior
t2 200; and W. North. shirt manufacturer.
| Norths building was IN sured for sl650 A
potion OF the goods in some 81 the siOrr, WIS
removed. Charles f. Doyle saved his aw j.
| brAry. The total lOh5 is estimated at 500 UJO.