The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-07
A FAMILY GONE.
D eadf1l Scene at New York
Tenement Fire.
A Whole Family of Five Persons
Lose Their lives.

Details of the carly morning fire in a New
York tenement house in Stanton street, by
which the Van Ripper family of five persons
lost their lives, are as follows: Men who had
gathered in the street heard cry from one
of the upper windows. Mrs. Van Ripper had
opened the middle window, and was leaning
out. She was clad only in her night dress.
The smoke rolled out thiclsly around her as she
waved her arms and shouted for help a
faint voice was heard inside crying, "Save
mel save me!' Mrs. Van Ripper placed
her knee on the window sill Mrs. Presley,
who stood below, cred, Don't jump. 1t
will kill you.n Mrs Van Riper answered,
" must, i and, hat turning her head,
she fell to the stone walk below. Her head
struck upon the tagging, and her body was
pitched violently over against a coal box,
She was carried into James Corrs liquor
store on the corner, where she died two min
utes later.
just before the policeman saw the smoke
curling from the windows, Frank Weaver,
on tho top floor, was aroused, and ran into
the hall. There he met Mr.. Van Ripper, who
had just come out of his own door The two
passed few words, and Van Riper hurried
back into his own room, shutting the door,
and shouting to awaken his wife. 81 thought
there was time enough" Weaver said, 'and
went back to get my clothing, but
burst through tie side of the
hallway and clear across the stairs. The
smoke poured into my rooms so fast that |
just managed to break open my window and
get my heal out When | had caught my
breath | crawled through and reached up to
the caves Being ships painter | am used
TO climbing, and | had little difficulty then
ran over the roof to the brick house The
engines were coming when got down to the
street and policeman was carrying Mrs
Van Ripper across to the saloon"
Engine II, from Houston street, was the
first due on the alarm. Foreman Fisher says
he got the alarm at 3:37, and at $3.50 he ha |
the water from the hydrant. As they brought
up at the hvdrant tn flames burst from the
upper middle window. In front of the barn
ing building were grouped nearly a dozen
women and children, scantily clothed.
A hose was led up the stairway. As the
nozzle men worked their way they had to
turn six times and play behind them to put
out the fire that kept breaking through the
wall aud cutting them off. 1t was fifteen
minutes before the fire was sufficiently con-
troled to allow the men to reach the third
floor. Even then it was eating through the
floors and ceilings.
While most of the men tore OF pla ,tering
and flooring in the hall and the rear rooms,
two Of them with lanterns entered the front
rooms. just beyond sofa bed, and under
the window, lay what seemel to be a sing d
bundle of clothing. Closer examination
SllOW6l luttJ IL was Jclllle II l lNlIleT, IulI-
teen years old. She had on only her night
dress She lay on hr side, with he baby
brother claspel in her arms. Her limbs and
one side of her face and neck We're shock
ingly burned, but the little one, shiede by
his sister, hal not been touched 10y the
flames. Both were deal.
Through the partly oren door Of a be l.
room a mans arm prOtrude When the
door was opened the boiy of Van Ripper was
found lying on the floor beside the ID face
down. Ga the lie |, near the wall, his feet
drawn up, and his ans bent up as if to
shield his fa"e, lay the boy A b rt, child of
nine. His body wa burned more than those
of the rest, and rartic i!arlv on the limb, and
back. 1t wouli seem TINT the father ha l
carried the girl and the baby to the window
and had tn y retuine to tn, lie lroom for
the boy, when he wa; overcome by the
smoke.
The whole family had persisted. The bodies
were lifted into a market wagon ami carried
to the police station. There they were laid
on the floor and covered with a coarse cloth.
Cornelius Van Ripper was forty years old
He was a cracker baker HIS wife was
thirtytwo years old. The olles chilli Jen-
ME, was thirteen, Albert was nine n nd the
baby, also named Corneliu' wai between
two and three.