The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-12-11
THE LURID GLARE.



Another Hsrrihle K1re
Pittsburgh. Dec. 10.-The nsws Of 9
terrible and shocking holocaust Whish
occurred at Rock Cut. seven miles
from this city thus morning about 3
o'clock BY which sixteen persons were
burned to death and . large number were
fatally burned, has been received hare.
The fire occurred In the boarding house
in which nearly fifty workmsn, employed
at Davis Island dam were boarding.
This mornings horror exoseds any
thing in this vicinity since the collision
on 28th street between I'd and Sd.
The frame boarding house located on
the line Of ths Pittsburgh and Lake
Erie railroad some seven miles below
this city was set on Ore by the explo-
sion Of lamp, and of forty persons
known to be sleeping, only twenty-four
escaped alive, and even they we're all
more or less burned ami not one of
them succeeded In securing their
clothes. So rapid was the progress Of
the flames. that others were literally
roasted to death without possibility Of
an effort being made to rescue them.
The building in which the fre occurred
- stated above, was located about sew
en- miles from this city, at Rock
Cut, ,andwas owned BY Martin Joyce. con-
tractor, but was under The manage
ment Of Mr.. KoWn known a. the
boarding house keeper. It was about
% feet wide and ffty feet In length
and constructed Of sixteen foot boards,
placed on end. 1t had . board . roof
with very steep pitch. and the loft.
formed BY . slopIng root,
was the place in which the laborers
we're huddled for the night. In the
ower story was the dining room and at |
he end Of the building was the kitch-
IA. The stairs leading to the loft were
but little better than ladder and
we're located just at the side Of the
ioor leading from the dining room to
he kitchen. In the loft hunks were
but the only light which pene-
rated as thro' two openings without
'lass but which were closed at night with
liding doors 20 Is to keep out the
'hilly night air. In this dark loft
ome forty-three men were supposed to
ave slept last night. At least that num-
yer were at supper last evening and mono
vere reported away whom the hour for
etiring came. The origin of tho
lanes which wrought such terrible
to human life and which
'aused such agony to those who e.
'aped from the death trap. was the up
citing and explosion Of q kerosene oil
amp.
.. The story as told by an eye witness
i the FIRE, was substantially as fol-
ows: Between two And three O'Clock
his morning Mr.. Kown the boarding
louse keeper arose and kindled the
iitchen DIRE, he left q lighted lamp ON q
able near the door leading to the din
ng room and went to arouse his wife
girls. While he was gone
he explosion occurred and in an in
tant the dining room was filed with
lames. Mr.. Kown succeeded in escap-
ng with his wife and girls, but could
lot do moro than call upon those uf-
tairs to escape for their lives. In
mother moment the flames had envel-
ped the stairway, thus cutting OF
means Of escape for the doomed men
bove, except through the small OPEN
ngs at either end, and from which the
liding doors had to be removed. The
1T was filed with straw and combus-
Ible material used in bedding, and It
'as only those who nearest to the
penings who could make their exit.
'wenty-three occupants In the rooms
. spite Of the stinine smoke succeeded
squeezing through the openings
ome way, with their under clothing or
ude. Others rushed franticalIy
bout the room, first to one aud then
be other. their location being known
, their cries. until the smoke suffo-
ated them and their voices were stifled.
q less time than 1t takes to tell 1t, the
uilding was wrapped in sheets Of FIRE
nd the survivors could only writhe in
ain and shiver In the frosty air of the
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