The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-01-08
HOW TEN PERSONS DIED.

A lew minutes before eight O'Clock in the
morning fire broke out in New York tene-
ment house-a fve-story brick building on
Madison street-and ten persuasive women
and eight children--were either suiocated
by the smoke or burned to death Several
other inmates OF the building were also in-
Iured by Jumping from the windows or roof.
Inc cause OF the fire was the explosion of a
gasoline machine on the first floor, which two
plumbers were using to thaw out some frozen
water pipes. They were working directly
under the stairway, and in some way the
gasoline in the machine caught fire and the
burning liquid was scattered in every Girec-
ton. The house is an old one, and the
wood WAS very dry and rotten. TIE flames
rushed up the narrow, steep stairway. and as
the iron ladder OF the fire-escape was placed
directly in front OF the windows opening on
the hallway every avenue of escape was cut
eff. The flames spread very rapidly, and the
first iniimation many OF the occupants had OF
any danger was when the thick volumes OF
smoke and flames poured in al the doorway
Of their rooms.
The scene WAS terrible one at the time of
the arrival OF the firemen, who were on the
pot eight minutes after the alarm sounded
AT Madison and James streets was collected
an eager crowd, who could only see the smoke
rising above the buildings. The window
castings were on fire, and from the windows
leaped hungrily curling tongues OF fame..
The floors and partitions were in a. blaze. A,
first it seemed to be an ordinary fire. But
suddenly the faces OF the lookers-on grew
pale. Agonizing shrieks and screams rans ort
from the upper stories, and thrill OF horror
ran through the spectators at the thought OF
the Cassidys on the fourth and the Sheridans
on tire fifth floor
Mary Sheridan, discovering the fire, had
called to her mother and sisters, and running
to the scuttle had pushed 1t open and had
sprung to the root of No. 81 Madison street
The fire followed her, cutting off the escapa
OF the others. 4 column OF fame and smoke
ten feet in height shot up through the scutt,e
Policemen Haly and Davis, of the Oak street
station, climbed TO the root from James street
aud saved some OF the inmates. But the
shTieks that rose above the roar OF the flames
the crackle of shiyering glass and shouts OF the
crowd told OF many human beings suffering
horrible death. The little court into which
the house opened was so intensely hot from
the fire that tie dremen could not enter it to
raise their ladders. At last, getting upon adj
joining buildings, they poured torrents of water
upon the fire. The means within grew
fainter. Those OF the victims who escaped
death by inhaling fame were smothered By
the black hot smoke.
In half an hour the house was Quilted ara
the flames were practically extinguished
Halt reluctantly firemen and policemen began
the search for the dead. There was an ex-
clanasion of horror as the first man who erent
up the blackened stairs reached the fourth
floor In the kitchen in the rear lay the BODY
of Mrs. Bridget Cassidy, burned almost to
crisp, while near her were her three children -
aged respectively SIX, eight and one years
evidently smothered by the smoke. On the
other side oil the hall were the bodies of Ellen
Egan, aged two years, and John Walsh. a how
OF thirteen years. The little girl, almost
baby, had quickly succumhed to the noxious
tunes and was found dead under the bed. On
the fifth floor were the bodies of Mrs. Sheridan
and three children, aged respectively fourteen.
five and three years. John Egan, four wears
old, Annie Egan seven years old, and Minnie
Egan, aged nine, were injured, but not seri-
ously.
William G. Patton, the plumber engaged in
thawing out the frozen pipes, and Timothy
Harrington, an assistant, were arrested the
former being PIT on $4,000 bail while the
latter, who received some slight burns, was
sent to the hospital as prisoner.