Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-12-18
HUMAN SACRIFICE.
Three Working Girls Burned to Death.
Asccne OF Great Excitement.

A fearful calamity occurred in De-
troit on the evening of the 18th
inst. Ono of the stores in the estab-
lishment of Gray, Toynton & Fox,
on Woodbridge and Bates streets
was destroyed by fire, and
Annie Lynch, Frances Mesmore
and Ella Polglase were burned to death.
The fire was one of tho most exciting
that has occurred in the city for many
years. When the girls learned of the
ire they became alarmed aud
rushed frantically down stairs to make
their escape. Tho crowd which had
quickly gathered seemed frantic. The
scene vas almost understandable, and
tho excitement was intensified when
three young women appeared ut the
windows on the second floor unable u
make their escape. Wild cries arose
from all, telling the imprisoned girls 20
jump, but flames were ITO the front of
them, flames TO the left of them, and
flames all around them" The fire.
men got their ladders IN position az
quickly as possible. but their
efforts were too late. The un,
fortunate young women had
been stifed by the smoke, and were
dead, and their bodies were being con-
sumed by the relentless element when
the heroic iirenen reached them.
The other girls employed about the
building managed to get into the open
air the best way they could, and of the
60 or 20 girls employed, all were saved
with the exception of tho three whose
names we have given.
When the iremen entered the second
floor to attempt the rescue of the three
young women whom they had seen at
the window they found the three
bodies lying on tho floor
together. A rope was fastened around
the remains of each and they were low
cred to the ground.
The bodies presented a sickening
sight. TIE faces were burned beyond
recognition, and the look of awful hor-
ror depicted on each was one TO mako
the stoutest heart stand appalled,.
The tlre occurred about 5:l5 p. Rm.,
and a. $3.50 the remains of the girls
who were so suddenly and in such an
awful manner called away, were taken
TO the homes which they had left in tho
morning in tho enjoyment of health
and strong in the strength which be-
longs to youth.
The building in which the fire oc-
Cured is q tour.story one, anu belongs
to the estate CT the lato John j. Bagley.
The fire originated in the cellar in
which was stored quantity of ''excelsis
orr used for packing purposes.
The fire spread with fearful rapidly,
and shot up the elevator way, thus
communicating to tie rooms above.
There was no iire in the basement, and
how it originated was mystery on the
morning after the fire. The city fire
marshall will investigate.
Part of tho building was provided
with fire escapes, but there were
none on this part, although
the iron doors between the stores were
open, and according to the statement OF
a number OF employees and a represe alta
| tive of the estate, there were ample ia
cilities for escape.
The poor girls who Lost their lives
were working on the floor where
the fire ragea the tiercest, and as 1t was
impossible for them to reach the doors
they went to the windows as theiI
only means of escape.
In the excitement attendant upon
the loss of life it was impossible to as
| certain the loss sustained, out it Is
known TO be very heavy.