Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-13
BURNING MILLS.
OPERATORS LEAPISa FROM WINDOWS

DU UOlNllNU M1LlACs
OPERATORS LEAPING FROM WINDOWS
The Enterprise Cotton Mills Al Mapayupk
DestrOyed-Ths Inmates Compelled
to Slide Down u Rope for Safedy.
Phladelphia Times.
The Enterprise cotton and wooden mills
at Msnayunk were totally destroyed by
fire Tuesday afternoon. Owing to the
absence of fire escapes sixteen persons
were injured, at least three of whom arc
expected to die. The total loss is esti-
mated at e75, 900, upon which there is
about SO, 600 insurance. The origin of
the fire is unknown.
The Enterprise mills were on the main
street, between Shur's land and Wissa-
hickoD, and were built in 1878. They
were of stone and brick, very substantially
built, and were owned by Samuel S.
Kelley, whose loss is placed at S12, ZOO,
fully covered by insurance. The mills
were two in number. the larger one being
1870 feet long, 40 feet wide and stories
high. The other was 40 feet square. with
an addition 20 by 40 and a dye house, 20
by 90, story, attached. The two mills
were connected by light bridge, built of
wood, and there was but one staircase in
each mill. These staircases were built of
wood and ran from the fifth floor to the
ground, very close to the bridge which
connected the two mills. The picker
room, where the fire originated, was in
the smaller mill.
The first floor Of both mills were occu-
pied by Joseph Adams, woolen and cotton
yarn spinner. lie employed about thirty
hands and his loss is estimated at $12, 600,
with 81, 500 insurance. The second and
third floors were occupied b9 Wilhere &
Kelly, cotton s.;nners, who employed
twenty-four hards and who a.-o uses the
dye. house. Their loss is placed at $751;
600, with S12, 900 insurance. Lord s. Con
ner, carpet yarn manufacturers, occupied
the fourth floor. They employed sixteen
persons and their loss is placed at from
$40, 600 to s12, 900, with but So, 900 insur-
ance. The upper floor was tenanted by
John Wild s. Brother, carpet yarn spin
ners, who employed twenty eight bands.
John Wild estimates the loss of his firm,
including stock On hand, at $20, ,000 with
SO, 500 insurance only. There were ninety
eight persons employed in both the mills.
Tho fire broke out at five minutes of 2
o'clock and it was fifteen minutes before
the alarm was sounded. Within five
minutes of the time when tho first alarm
was struck the fire companies were on the
spot. The peculiar location of the mill,
against the side Of steep hill, made it
dOubly hard for the firemen to get the
streams of water directed upon the
flames.
Only o Kope as {, Means OF Escape.
ho Eroc ckor Tod In
the fourth story of the mill, occupied by
is believed to have been the origin of the
flames. In an instant after the fire blazed
up in the picker room tho wooden bridge
and all egress by means of the staircases
the mill opposite to that where the fire
second story, which was used to hoist
bales of goods to the upper floors. Upon
the eEd Of this rope was big iron hook.
As soon as tho cry of fire was heard in the
mill general rush was made for the
wooden stairs, the only means of egress,
but all were driven back by the rapid ad-
vance of the flames. AS soon as it dawned
upon the panic stricked inmates that
their only means of escape was cut off
several jumped from the windows and
others, with moro self-posscssion, slid
down the hosting rope and dropped to
the ground from the second story, sustain
ing but slight injuries comparatively.
Sixteen persons in all were injured,
three Of whom, Maggie Conner, Robert
Marsh and Walter Trout, are expectey, 20
die.
Sliding, LeaPlog and Falling.
William Dempsey tried to escape by the
stairway, but, driven back by tho flames,
he slid down the rope and go: away with
ing been singed off. Robert Marsh, who
attempted to slide down the rope. met
with poorer success. His arm caught
iron hook 1T the end of the rope and it
gercus and ugly wound. Mary Hoffman
tried to catch the hois:ing rope from a
fourth story window, and did succeed in
catching it, but when about twenty feet
from the ground she had to let 20 her hold
and fell to tho earth, breaking one
OF her ankles. Susan Hoffman slid
down the rope in safety and escap. ID with
a few burns. Mary Conner, bright
little girl of fourteen, jumped excitedly
from the window and struck on the side.
walk SIS feet below, breaking her back and
sustaining injuries that tho physicians
say will probably be fatal. William Ev-
erman and his son. William, escaped down
tho rope, tho former spraining his ankle
and sustaining other slight injuries, be-
sides severe burns. Walter Trout. Of
Scott's lane, jumped from the fourth
story window and was picked up with a
broken hip. James Wiley, of the same
place, jumped to catch the rope, but his
grasp was so light tha, he slid to the
ground as rapidly as if he were falling
without hold OF the rope, tearing the
flesh from the palms of his hands. He
was also burned. Yesterday was the first
day that he had worked in the mill, having
been taken on as new hand in the morn.
ing. William Kane and James Conner
slid nearly to tho ground without sustain.
ing any serious injuries, as did also Thomas
POwnell.
Neglect to Erect Fire Escapes
Tho absence of fire escapes is claimed
to have been the cause of most of the in
juries. Lieut.. Allison, of the Thirteenth
police district, says that Samuel Keeley,
owner of the building, was notified by
LILO pOiACo l'tab sprung " cToCt Suitable ur0
escapes, but that he had failed to comply
with the notice. The only means of egress
from the upper story was by passing across
a small plank bridge to the top of high
directly in tho rear of the
bridge. This plank "bridge'' only ex-
tended from tho upper story and left the
second, third and fourth floors entirely
with fire escapes.
The firemen worked until five o'clock