New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-18
HEAVY LOSS OF LIE.

TIFF FACTORY OF BIEGE & SONS, or BUFFNo
BURNED-A LAHGE NUMBER OF wORkPEoPLs
BURIED IN THE RUINS.
BUFFALO. Dec. IA serious fire. attended by
heavy loss OF life occurred here this evening.
About O'clock fire was discovered in the third
story of the immense fye-story building, owned by
George W. Tiff on Perry-st. and occupied By Birge
* Sons, wallpaper manufacturers. The building
50 feet by 800 feet in deDih and about 80
men aud boys were employed at the time. the bus-
ness demanding extra help.
All of the number were at work and in less than
twenty minutes after the alarm was gwen the
buildng was a mass OF flames Tho walls crumbed
and fell. and probably buried from twenty TO thirty
of the employees. The doors the diff rent rooms
were hing TO swing in, and each had heavy spring
closing it, thereby Tetarding the ogress OF the occu
pants. The building was without tire escapes Of
any kind.
The terrified workmen took TO the windows and
many of them escaped with broken bones and
bruised bodies. Those in the upper stories, un-
able to escape, appeared for a moment at the
windows, ard then sank back sulfocated IN tho
smoke aud flames.
CASUALTIES ~ DYTAu~
One OF the foreneu in the fifth story was badly
burned. and jumped to tine ground the body Is un-
recognizable, but it Is supposed to be that OF Thos
Fields.
JoHN MAHONr, age fifteen years jumped from the
fifth story. and was killed
WILLIAM berry was fatally injured in the head,
spine ana lnwardy; he Jumped from the fourth
story.
J6HN GRuPIN. who jumped from the fourth floor,
haO ms right arm broken aud was badly injured IN
ternaliy.
PArEIcK CBniEN was badly buraed about tho
head aud back, and had an arm broken. ~
EDWARD CNOBMlCK jumped from toe hith moor
aud was badly cnt on the head
Mos $ MALONE. brother Of John Malone, who was
killed Jumped from tho itth Goor and fractured hi3
The following are known to be missing. and sup
posed to be- IN the rdns stephen HlcNeii, Martin
NcGee, Peter Swaud"r, John and james stout
(Drothersi and JAY VOlZ.
Ihe flames next communicated 20 the Union Malt
House adjoining. also the properly oi George W.
Tiff which was destroyed The building was t4ree-
stories hcignt. SIXTY Ieet wide aud 200 ieet long:
containing $25, 600 worth of gram, the property or
John Il. Manning.
ESTIMATES OF THE LOSSES.
The losses can only be estimated at present ano
are placed at the following figures:
George w. Tiff, buildings. 100000; Birge
& Sons on machinery and paper--'tock Slo0,oo0;
John B. Manning on grain, $4,000; city engine
house by falling walls, $1,000.
The loss buildings Is covered by insurance;
BiTge's loss Is OnC-half insured.
THREE NARROW ESCAPES.
James RYAN and john Kennedy, employed on tho
fourth door of the Brge building, both jumped 10
the ground, escaping with only slight bruises.
A small boy, name unknown, was seen to Jump
from the fifth floor. catch hold Of the telegraph
wire which broke, and, sliding down the wire.
capped with only II badly cut hand
The buildings are now 4 mass o; smoking ruins.
The parents and friends of the dead and missing
ones surround the RUNS. 1he streets are full OF
rumors and probably the list of those known IL bo
killed will be more than doubled when the smoking
bricks and ruins can be removed.