Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-22
Egress Of Inmates of the Burning Build
ing Gut OF.
A Panic Ensues and Serious Loss Of Life
Occurs.
Frightful Scenes in the Panic-Stricken
Crowd.
PROVIDENCE, Nov 81.

Fire occurred at 10 80, Tuesday morning.
in the Calender building, brick structure
between Sabina and Cove streets, which re-
suited in serious loss of life. The building
was four stories high and occupied mostly by
jewelry shops. The FIRE originated in the
work shop of Charles Melvin. dyer, situa-
ted in the middle of the building on the third
floor, and was caused by ignition of can of
naptha.
The room was filled with light. inflamma-
BILE cloths and woodwork which was dry as
finder. The room was next the stairway and
before word OF warning could be given es-
cape by the stairway was cut off bv the flames.
On the fourth floor is the workshop of VIM
ii. Robinson & Co., gold chain makers. The
firm employed about forty operatives equally
up through the floor, the employees made a
rush for the windows. There was no FIRE
escape on the building. A panic ensued.
Just across an alleyway, about fifteen feet
wide, at the end of the Calender building,
was two story wooden structure The help
rushed for the end of the building fronting
on this alley. There q panic ensued The
roof Of the wooden building was about twenty
feet below the window ellis, where the excit-
ed girls were congregated.
Excited persons in the rear crowded and
pushed those in the act of jumping, and many
fell. Others were injured by being jumped
upon after they had reached the roof The
dead are Emma Gassett and Bessie Cobb.
Both these girls struck the ground between
the buildings, and died in few minutes. The
injured are Mary McSorley, who jumped from
a widow and fell on picket fence. She was
terribly injured and cannot live Mary Harry,
Della Gassett, Emma Matthewson, and Mrs.
CnHd
all are probably fatally injured.
Some were carried to their homes and
others were taken to the hospital in the police
ambulance. Thomas Mann fell short of the
two story building. He bounded against it
and fell to the ground, breaking one arm and
one leg. man named Smith fell to the
ground and was hurt. Mary Davis jumped
from the roof and had a leg broken. Geo.
Grant, of the firm of Joseph Grant & Co.,
jewellers. on the fourth floor in the rear OF
Robinson's shop, and Immediately over the
dyehuuse where the fire originated, jumped
from the fourth floor window to the roof OF
wooden building and had leg broken g.
Clark, employed by j. Grant & Co., saw the
fire, and the proprietor tried in vain to extin-
guish the flames, but finally had to run for
his life. One man, name unknown, in the
employ of Grant & Co., hung from the tele-
A ladder was raised under him which proved
five feet to short.
A fireman mounted to the top and caught
the workman in his arms. The building
was about As by 80 feet on the ground and
four stories high.
The building belonged to Amos C. Bar
ret; loss on building S500O ms, ed for Sl0.-
600. VIM. II. Robinsons loss is SIS, 900 a;
everything in his shop was destroyed; he is
insured for $4,000. Joseph w. Grant & Co. s
is $4,000. The Providence Button Co.
loses $500, uninsured. The Providence
Cigar Works $4,000, and the Providence Saw
Works and other occupants of the lower
floor, unknown amounts by water damage.
The fire did not extend below the third floor.
At the Rhode Island Hospital, Thos. Mann,
foreman Of Grants jewelry, has both ankles
broken. and compound fracture of one Of
them. He is burned on the head and hands,
has his shoulder broken, is injured internally
and will die. Mary Codding, aged 20, has a
bad scalp wound and fracture of the skull !;
she is fatally hurt. Geo. Grant has COM
pound fracture of the left leg and several
bruises. Florence Redding is burned in the
face. Two are not seriously injured. Three
other women are at the hospital still uncon-
scious though not fatally hurt.
Up to midnight only three victims of the
disaster had died, two girls and Thomas
Mann, foreman of Robinson's jewelry shop
There is no hope for Mary McSoley. Mary
Cuddy and Dalia Gassett and sixteen others
are injured, three seriously. A jury of in
quest has been summoned for tomorrow.
Loss to tenants $4,000, to building $50, 900 !;
total insurance S35, 900.