The daily gazette., 1880-12-18
An Appalling Disaster.
DESTRUCTION OF ALARGE FAC
TORY FILLED WITH WORKMEN
SEVERAL LIVES LOST.

BUFFALO, N. =, Dec. ~, looV'
A serious fire, ATTENDED by heavy loss
of hfe, occurred here this evening.
About six o'clock flames we're discovered
in the third story of the five story build
ing owned by Mr.. George W. Tifft, on
Perry street, and, and oceupie by BiTge
& Sons, wall paper manufacturers. The
building is eighty feet front by about
three hundred feet in depth, and about
one hundred and fifty men and boys
were employed at the time, the business
demanding extra help. ALI Of the NUN.
ber were at work; and In less than twen-
ty minutes af the alarm was given the
building was mass of flames. The walls
crumbled and fell and probably buried
from twenty to thirty OF the empolyss.
DEATH TRAP.
The doors to the different rooms were
hung to swing in, and each had heavy
spring closing it, thereby retardlEg tho
egress of the occupants. The building
was without fire escapes Of any kind.
The terrified workmen took to the win
dows, and many of them escaped with
broken bones aud bruised bodies. Those
| in the upper stories, unable to escape,
appeared for moment at the windows
and then sank back suffocatsd In the
smoke and flames.
| THE VICTIMS.
The following is list of those
known to be killed -
One of the foremen in the fifth story
was badly burned and jumped to the
ground. The body is unrecognizable,
being smashed to a jelly, but it is sup
posed to be that of Thomas Fields.
John Malone, aged fifteen years,
jumped from the fifth story and was
killed.
William Berry was fatally injured in
the head and spine and inwardly. He
jumped from the fourth story.
The injured are the following -
John Griffin, who jumped from the
fourth floor. He had his right arm
broken and was badly injured internal
ly.
Patrick O. Brien, badly burned about
the head and back and had an arm
broken.
Edward Mccormick jumped from
the fifth aoor and was badly cut on the
head.
Moses Malone, brother of John Ma
lone, who was killed, jumped from the
fifth floor and fractured his leg and
broke his arm.
Mike O'Brien broke his right leg.
The following are known to be miss
ing and supposed to be in the ruins =
Stephen Hockett, Martin McGee,
Peter Swander, John, Stout, James
Stout, brother Of John, Jay Voltz.
The flames next communicated to the
Union Malt House, adjoining, also the
property of George w. Tiff, which was
destroyed. The building was three
stories in height, sixty feet wide aud
200 feet long, containing 1000 worth
of grain, the property Of John b. Mann
ing.
The losses can only be estimated at
present and are placed at the following
figures:-George w. Tiff, on buildings,
100000; Birge & Sons, on machinery
and paper stock, $150,000; John B.
Manning, on gran, $25, 200 City Engine
house, by falling walls, $4,000.
The insurance is estimated as follows
Loss ON buildings covered; Birge's one
half insured.
James Ryan and John Kennedy, en-
ployed on the fourth floor of the Birge
buildings, both jumped to the ground,
escaping with slig ght bruises. A small
boy, name unknown, was seen to Jump
from the fifth floor, catch hold of the
telegraph wire, which broke, and, slid
ing down the wire, escaped with only q
badly cut hand. The buildings are now
a mass of sm oking ruins. The parents
and friends of the dead and missing ones
surround the ruins. The streets are full
of rumors, and probably the list Of those
known to be killed will be more than
doubled when the smoking bricks and
ruins can be removed.