The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-16

Twelve Mem Burned To Death I'm q
ROardiug- House.

Aterrible accident occurred on the line or the
Lake Erie railroad, seven miles from Pittsburgh.
A laborers' clearinghouse was set on fire by
the explosion of lamp. and of forty persons
known TO be sleeping. only twenty-eight escaped
alive, and even they were more or less burned
Not one OF them succeeded in securing his
clothes, so rapid was the progress OF the
flames. The others were literally roasted
to death, without the possibility OF an
effort being made to rescue them. The
victims were railroad laborers, and were work.
ing at the place Indicated. The building was
one-story frame structure, with an attic or loft
The lower part was used for dining room
and kitchen. Into this loft forty-three stall
wart men retired to sleep after nnish-
ing the days work. II was reached
by flight of stairs which started from
near the kitchen door. There were no
windows, but, in lieu of them, there were two
small holes in the roof to admit light and air.
These were closed at night by sliding door, TO
keep out the cold.
In the morning the keeper of the board
ing-house, Hugh McCune, got up to build
fire in the kitchen stove carrying with him an
ordinary kerosene lamp, which he placed upon
table while he went for kindlng-wood. 1t is
supposed that, during his absence, the lamp
chimney burst and by some means threw the
lamp upon the floor, allowing the oil to run out
The stairway was composed of light, dry pine
boards, and they were soon ablaze.
The flames quickly spread to the loft,
where the unfortunate men were sleep
ing, all unconscious Of the terrible fate
which awaited them. The floor of the loft was
covered with straw-beds and bedding. The
flames made rapid progress, and soon reached
this mass of infammable material. Aboutth
time the sleepers were aroused by the cries OF
the females employed about the place, and
they at once made rush for the stairs, but
they were confronted by wall of fire which
forced them back in dismay. rush
was then made for the OPEN
ings in the roof by the half-crazed
men, and struggle for life took place. each
irving to crowd the other out of the way "a
only one at time could be forced through the
apertures on account Of their small size. Some
OF the poor fellows, seeing that all could not
escape in this way, caught at any shadow of
hope that offered, and tried to dash down the
stairs and through the flames, only TO meet a
horrible death. The men had not time to clothe
themselves, so sudden was the alarm, and so
quickly did the fire make Roadway. Those who
made their escape, however, seemed 80 bewil-
dered by the sudden outburst of the flames,
and the cries of their companions, that they
rushed back into the burning building, at
tempting to save their little property At
this moment the crash came. The frail
walls weakened by the attacks of the
flames, crushed in upon the uniortunates, and
their cries for help were drowned in the roar
Of the flames. The scene at this moment cam
not be described. Shreks and groans went up
on every side from the poor unfortunates, who
had been burned and scorched in a sickening
manner. Strong men, with great patches OF
skin and flesh peeled from their bodies by the
touch OF the fire, rolled upon the ground in
their agony.