The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-21
A Tenement Horror.
FIVE LIVES LOST THROUGH A FIRE.

\ special New York dispatchto the Phila-
delphia Times, dated Nov. I4th, says:
Half dozen or more families went to sleep in !
the tenement house at No. 50 Cannon street last /
night. One Of the families never left the house
alive. At two O'Clock this morning the house was
in flames. -Four people were sufocated and Jos
Botzkie, who jumped from a window, was killed
Mary Bablsky who also jumped, was severely II
not fatally Injured and fireman who bravery
went to the rescue OF the dying people in the TOP
of the tenement was terribly burned. The build
ing Itself was only partially destroyed No. 81
Cannon street is n sour- story brick building. An
upholstery store is on the ground floor. A flight
Of steps leads from it to the second floor, where
family named Cohen have lived in three rooms for
the past thirteen weeks. Cohen is n tailor aud
worked at No 2l5 Houston street. His family as
well as himself were Poles and could not speak
English. They had three children, and all Of
them were unpopular and were regarded witt sus-
picion by their netghbors. In the third story liv
ed Mary Babisky, with her child. She was a
widow. Sun further up, in under the roof, Joseph
Botzkle lived with his wife, Mena, his sons, Chas,
aged seven, and Frank, aged three. Here also
lived Mary Gounder, the mother-in-law OF Joseph
BotzKie, widow, seventy years of age.
JUMPING FROM THE WINDOW.
1t was John King, who runs the upholstery
store the ground floor, who discovered the fire.
He was asleep on the third floor when the smoke
awoke him. He gave the alarm and the engines
responded promptly. The flames were issuing
from the second floor, which had been occupied oy
the Cohen family, consisting Of the father, about
thirty hve years old, his wife, Lena, aged twenty
nine years, and their children, the youngest an
infant in arms. These people did not occupy their
rooms last night, and ighbors report that during
the afternoon they were seen carrying away their
clothing and other property N bundles. 1t Is
supposed tnat Cohen set fire to the premises, and
he and his wife are under arrest. The excitement
among the inmates of the tenement house was in
tense. Many OF them succeeded in getting out,
+ but when the Widow Babisky was aroused by the
/ cries Of fire she to the stairway, and was met
/ by the flames. Then quickly shutting the door,
/ she reached the window and called for help The
I walls in her room gave evidence that they must
I have been filed with smoke, but no IRE had
( reached them. The woman, terrified probably at
the roar Of the flames and the prospect of terri
bic death, jumped. She fell heavily, and was
. taken up and carried to the hospital, suffering
from internal injuries, which are likely to prove
fatal. Her little child was rescued by the fremen.
JOSEPH BoTzKIE's DEATH.
But IL was in the fourth story that the flames
did their greatest work Of death. In the front
room slept Joseph Botzkie and his wife, and in a
side room his two children. His aged mother-in-
law occupied a small bed in the room adjoining.
( The husband appears to be the only who was
reused In time 10 make a tight for his life. The
fire when discovered was blazing up the stairway
and had burned its way almost through his door,
preceded by the deadly smoke that stole upon the
I sleepers and dulIed their senses to the Danger
/ When the cries of the neig hbOrs brought the pO-
7 lice and hremen to the house BotZkie was seen
rushing wildly to the window Of his bed room AID
returning if endeavoring to drag something
with him. The smoke drove him back, but he
turned again. This time sheet OF flames shot
into his face, and with a despairfng cry he seized
the window frame and sprang out. The distance
was not great, but in his descent the man s
feet hit against the window below and he fell the
rest of the way head downward. He struck the
pavement with 8 sickening thud and was almost
Instantly killed. He had done his best TO save his
family, but the work of the flames too quick
Then Patrick Lynch, fireman attached TO In.
gine No. Il undertook to DO what the husband
had failed in doing. Thrco times he reached the
fourth floor and tried 10 rescue the woman and
children. Zach time he was driven back. II was
brave and daring attempt, and ths fireman
nearly lost his own life lie was driven at last tc
fire-escape, and while deccnding the flames
Ieaped out upon him. and he was borne away tc
the hospital suffering from the flames he had IN
AaIed.
FOUR DEAD BODIEs.
There was The greatest excitement in the neigh
borhood when was discovered that i've people had