The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-12-30
The Terrible Fire Disaster In Buffalo.

A MOST disastrous cofiiiagfation occurreA
here this evening, the sad and deplOrable feaT
ture OF which is that it was attended by the
greatest loss Of life known upon a similar occa-
sion in very many years. The building in
which the fire broke out was five story brick
structure, 800 feet in depth and eighty feet
wide, owned BY George W. Tiff, and occu-
pied by NJ. H. Birge & Sons, manufacturers of
wall paper. About ten minutes before six
O'Clock one of the men employed in the third
story reported to the foreman, Thomas Henry,
who was ON the floor below, that one Of the
printing machines was on fire. He speedily
made his way upstairs, and saw the press at
the rear Of the room enve!oped in flames,
which had, by this time, spread to the ada
cent woodwork, while the place was filled with
dense smoke. As a temperature of ninety
degrees is maintained continually throughout
the factory, to assist the drying process, and
as this had rendered everything as dry as tin
der, Mr.. Henry realized that the spread Of the
flames would be terribly rapid, and it was folly
to think that anything could be done to avert
it. He turned and ordered the employees to
hy for their lives, Immediately warning as
best he could those who were in the
fourth and fifth stories, they being prin-
cipally boys. In the meantime an
alarm had been sounded, to which
portion of the department responded, and q
second and general alarm brought the remain.
der. The scene now presented was one that
would touch the stOutest heart. The building
was wrapped in seething flames. Employees
jumped from the highest windows, while many
boys in the two upper stories, who had been
unsuccessful in their efforts to escape, or be-
came too bewildered to follow the example Of
their companions, appeared at the windows
nvhi ind nd ll,,
shouted for help. But thek torture was Of
brief duration, for, almost simultaneously
with their cry for aid, they sank back, over
come by suffOcation from the smoke, and,
within twenty minutes from the time the
alarm was sounded, the walls crumbled and
fell with crash. One small boy whose name
could not be learned, cOurageousiy jumped
from the fifth story. and, catching the tele-
graph wires, which then gave way, slid down
one OF them, and escaped with badly cut
hands. John Malone, aged fifteen years,
jumped from the fifth story, struck the
sidewalk, and was almost instantly
killed. John Fields, employed as overseer
among the boys, jumped from the fourth
story and was picked up dead. John T. Berry
sustained fracture of the spine and of both
arms. He will probably die. With the fall.
ing of the walls the firemen were required to
give their attention to the Union Malt House,
an extensive brick structure, also owned by
George W. lift, and occupied by John b,
Manning. 1t was already in fair way for
destruction, and, though every effort was
made, the best that could be done was in pre-.
venting the further spread of the fire,
Wild rumors were atoat in regard to the loss
of life, and anxious parents crowded around
with blanched countenances and weeping hit.
terly, while they trenablingly inquired for
their missing boys. When the excitement
had subsidized somewhat, an effort was made to
get some knowledge of the wounded. The list.
as far rs can be learned, in addition to those
before mentioned, is as follows: John Griffin.
jumped from the fourth story; arm broken and
injured internally. Moses Malone, jumped
from the fifth story; leg broken. Patrick
OBrlen, arm broken and badly burned about
the head and back. Edward Mccormick
jumped from the fifth story; cut about the
head. Moses Malone, jumped from the
NTH story; leg and arm fractured.
Michael OBrien, leg fractured. Stephen
Hackett, Martin MCGEE, Peter Schwan.
der, John and James Stout, Jay voltz.
Thomas McCue, Charles Chapman and Thomas
Quinlan, all boys, are among those who are re-
ported missing. and, it is thought, persisted in
the flames. Without q doubt there were many
more who met the same fate, and II IL believed
that twenty boys II not more were roasted
alive In the fire. The employees numbered be.
tween l5O and l6O. James Kyan and John Ken.
ncdy jumped out of a fifth-story window, but
sustained no material injury.