The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-08
The Buffalo Fire Horrvr-Many Lives
Lost.
BUFFALO. Decemherl

A MOST disastrous contlagrati0n occurred
here this evening the sad and ,lep!orable fea-
ture OF which is that it was attended by the
greatest loss Of life known upon similar occa-
sion in very many years. The building in
which the fire broke out was a five story brick
structure, 800 feet in depth and eighty feet
wide, owned by George W. Tilt, and occu-
pied by N. II. Dirge & Sons, manufacturers of
wall paper. About ten minutes before six
O'Clock one Of the men employed in the third
story reported to the foreman, Thomas Henry.
who was ON the floor below, that one of the
printing machines was on fire. He speedily
made his way upstairs, and saw the press ut
Inc rear ct the room cnve!opcd in flames,
which had, by this time, spread to the ada
cent woodwork, while the piac. was filled with
dense smoke. As temperature Of ninety
degrees is maintained continually throughout
the factory, to assist the drying process, and
US this had rendered everything as dry as tin
der, Mr. Henry realized that the spread of the
flames would be terribly rapid, and it was folly
to think that anything could be done to avert
1t. He turned and ordered the employees to
ny 1or their lives, Immediately wa ming as
pest he could those who were in the
fourth and fifth stories, they being prin.
cipaily boys. III the meantime an
alarm had been sounded. to which
portion Of the department responded, and a
second and general alarm brought the remain
der. The scene now presented was one that
would touch the stoutcst heart. The building
was wrapped in sccthing flames. Employees
jumped from the highest windows, while many
boys in the two upper stories, who had been
unsuccessful III their efforts to escape, or be-
came too bcwildered to follow the example of
their companions, appeared at the windows
with white and terrified faces, and frantically
shouted for help. But their torture was of
brief durBtiOn, for, almost simultaneously
with their cry for aid, they sank back, over.
come by sutfocation from the smoke, and.
within twenty minutes from the time the
alarm was sounded, the walls crumbled and
fell with crash. One small boy whose name
could not be learned, courageously jumped
from the fifth story. and, catching the tele.
graph wires, which then gave way, slid down
one Of them. and escaped with badly cut
hands. John Malone. aged fifteen years.
jumped from the fifth story. struck the
sidewalk, and WIS almost instantly
killed. John Fields, employed as oyerseer
among the boys, jumped from the fourth
story and was picked up dead. John T. Berry
jumped from one OF the upper stories and
sustained fracture Of the spine and OF both
arms. He will probably die. With the fall
ing Of the wallis the fircmen were required to
give their attention to the Union Malt House,
an extensive brick structure, also owned by
George ". Tiff, and occupied by John Il.
Manning: 1t was already ina fair way for
destruction, and, though every effort was
made, the best that could be done was in pre-.
venting the further spread of the fire.
Wild rumOrs were at1Oat in regard to the loss
Of life, and anxious parents crowded around
with blanched couIlterunces and weeping Bit
terIy. while they tremhlingly inquired for
their missing boys. When the excitement
had subsidized somewhat, an effort wa, made to
get some knowledge Of the wounded The lit,
rs far rs can be learned, in addition to those
before mentioned, is us follows: John Griffin,
the fourth story: arm broken and
injured internally. Moses Malone, iumpcd
from the fifth story; leg broken. Patrick
O'Dren, arm broken and badly burned about
tho head and back. Edward Mccormick,
jumped from the fifth story: cut abou, the
head. Moses Malone, jumped from the
nth story; leg and arm fractured
Michael Oi'rien, leg fr;,ctu,ci. Stephen
H"ckett, Martin Mct;ce, Peter scAwn,-
Ter, John and James stout. Jay Notz.
Thomas Mc'nc, Charles Chapman and Thomas
!n'nan, nll boys, are among tEoSe wac are re-
>orlCd missing. and, ii is III wight peri-hc in
he flames. Without a doubt there were MANY
more who met the SAME fate. and it is believed
nat twenty boys if not more wcse roasted
1--WE IN the lire. The employees numbered be-
wecn l') a2d lto. James Ryan nAd .Jonn Ken.
lcdy jumped ont OF tIth-story window but
sustained no material injury.