The New York herald., 1879-09-19
THE SOUTH BOSTON CALAMITY.

MEANS OF EGREss FROM THE UPPER FLOORS
CUT OFF BY THE FLAMES ACTION OF THE
TERRIFIED INMATEs-THE DEAD AND IN
JURED.
Bosros. Mass. Sept. Is. 1879.
The occupants of the tenement house No. 12s Gold
street, South Boston. which burned last
night. were as follows:-First floor, an aged
couple, whom no in the vicinity seems
to have known. and Mr. Gillespie and
wife; second floor. German family, consist
ing of father. mother and three children named
Pfeifer; third floor. Ferdinand Meroth. wife and
two children. ana George Holdred. wife and two
children. making seventeen persons asleep in the
building when the flames were kindled.
AND INJURED.
The following persons known positively to be
dead. but it is stated that others are missing and
that more bodies have been found:-
ROSE PFElFFER. % years old. found dead in the
entry.
FERDINAND MERoTH. killed by jumping from
window.
Mrs. HOLDRED, burned to death.
ROSE NEROTA. IL years. suYocated.
The following is list of those who are known to
be seriously lpjured:-
Mary Gillespie. so years old. horribly burned and
likely to die.
Charles Meroth. IA years. arm broken.
Mrs. Meroth. both legs and one arm fractured and
badly bruised.
George Holdred. burned probably fatally.
Among those believed to be saved the old
couple who lived the first floor, Mr.. Gillespie and
Mrs. Pfeifer and two children. the three last
toned persons being reported as slightly injured.
ESCAPE OFF.
When the fire was discovered by policeman. at
fifteen minutes to twelve P NJ. the flames were
breaking out OF the front door, having burned
through the stairs and rendered them impassable.
Smoke rolling up the narrow staircases and the
awakened inmates. before the fremen could arrive
with their ladders. had either leaped from the
windows. gone to the roof IN hope of safety or
dropped sutfocated in the halls
SUPPOSED ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The theory OF the police and Fire Marshal In
gard to the cause Of tho fire is that resulted from
lespie and the explosion which followed. The
woman was, it is stated. drunk last evening. and is
said to have left the house and cried Fire
about the time the fire discovered. and
then to have gone back into the house.
She was the first person found when the tiremen
tered the building and was in such position that
she might have escaped by walking about six feet,
was taken to Station No. with the other victims of
the fire. where at O'Clock this morning priest
rendered her the last consultations of the Church.
Her injuries terrible. She is burned externally
and internally, and her recovery it is thought, is
hardly possible. She was believed to bo in dying
BRREAvED FAMILIES.
OF the Pfeffers, who occupied the second floor,
Rose, niece. young woman of twenty y-three.
found at late hour lying in the entry Of the foor
on which they lived. Mrs Pfeffor and two chill
dren jumped from the window and were
but slightly hurt but :, Mr. pfeiffer shared the
fate of his niece. The inhabitants of tho
upper floor had the least chance of escape.
Mr.. Meroth occupied the tenement which
fronted the street. and as he his peril
took energetic measures to save himself and many
OF his family as was possible. He lifted his son
Charles, boy of fourteen out of the window, and
allowed him to drop to the ground a distance Of
forty feet. The boy badly hurt by the fall
that he had to be taken to the hospital where 1t
found that his arm was broken. Meroth next in
it was at first supposed they did Later. however.
it stated that another body was found in the
building and identified that OF Rose. neice of
Meroth, girl OF sixteen years. 1t was found in
Of the upper rooms. She died, it is said from
suffocatiou. Meroth himself the last OF all to
| jump to the ground. In doing so he met with in
injured but her life Is not despaired Of She is
at City Hospital with fractures OF both legs
one arm, and her face bruised beyond all recogni-
| ton.
| THE ROOF.
Mr.. Holdreid and his wifo fed to the roof for
safety. He returned down stairs. where he was
| caught by the flames and burned very severely
| about the arms and head. His injuries will prob
ably result III doath. Mrs. Holdreids body, charred
beyond recognition. found ON the roof. Charles
Holdred,s the son. is at the hospital internally In
jured from jumping to tho ground
Mrs MerotS are renorted to be doing we'll II was
rumored during the evening that three other bodies
have been found in the ruins but it stated def
initely at late hour that only five persons perished
INQUEST.
Medical Examiner Draper will hold an inquest, but
the time is yet settled. 1t was reported ut tho
had a sum of money and many valuable papers be-
longing to u German society OF which he was treas
urer in some trunks in his room. Search was i'm
medately made for them. and they wore found in-
tact and removed to the station.