Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-17

srvorai Operatives scorched nut No
Dine Dangerously injured The
RESCUE OF N Hundred Girls


Dash shoot from one OF the pulleysI atthe
e head of her mule, With electric qulcknesS
e xhe FIRE darted over the cotton on her mule,
and flew from spindle TO spindle through
the large apartment as II a quick fuse had
< Been laid over the building. Every one in
y the room at once directed their efforts to
s axtinguish the flames, as slight fires are of
|5sfrequent occurrence, and the employees are
drilled to fight them with the aid OF some
fire Appliances OF various kinds. 1t was
4 instantly apparentthat there We're not suiii-
n Client means at hand to successfully battle
with the fire, and the city department was
summoned. Two boxes, Nos. 81 and 2,were
\ xNng OF simultaneously, which resulted In
II Confusion that soon adjusted itself, how
Il over, and in a few minutes the entire force
xf the FIRE department WINS on the ground.
f The material In the building was mostly
8 cotton aud other infiammable material, and
the floors beneath the machinery were fairly
aaturated with oil. These combined fed the
lames to point Of ferocifyan they spread
rapidly to every part OF the building. The
engines were promptly put to work, and
heavy streams went pouring into the flames
with but little effect. Within few minutes
the interior of the building was completely
Quilted and three-quarters OF an hour after
the first flash Of IRE was seen the south
Z wall OF the mill had toppled over
and fell crashing to the ground. Eff
forts Of the flremen to keep
the flames within the confines Of the walls
where 1t broke out were entirely successful,
though to accomplish this 1t required much
hard work. Several houses just across
Lamott street were bliatered by the intense
heat and the sparks drifted across on the
wind alighting ON their roofs and In few
minutes caught with the shingles, but were
promptly extinguished. Adjoining the
building and surrounding 1t on three sides
Is u continuous one-storied mill building.
The roof of this caught on lire several
times, but the flames were extinguished by
well-directed streams from the hose.
By 1890 O'Clock the large three-story mill
was in ruins the fire having fairly spent
itself, consuming all infammable material.
All but two of the engines were ordered
back to their headquarters, those remain
ing playing upon the smouldering ruins.
The work OF destruction by the fire was
complete and oil the contents and the mill
structure itself are total loss. But little
of the walls remain standing and these are
cracked and swaying to and fro threatening
to fall at every burst Of wind.
The mill building burned this morning
faces on Twenty-second street; it Is new
structure, having been erected about i've
years ago. 1t was OF brick three stories in
hight, the only building OF the plant oil
more than one story. In 1t were three pairs
of mules operating $4,000 spindles, "a spin
ming frames, with about 5000 spindles, four
twiSters and large number OF reels. Be-
side this valuable machinery there was a
considerable stock of material on the first
and second floors which wasalso destroyed.
Manager Gambrill, who is i'll, was not at the
mill at the time OF the fire but was taken
over later in the morning. He estimates
his loss at between $4,000 and 800 900,
which Is covered by insurancein a combina-
tion of New England mutual companies.
GIRLS JUMPING FOR THEIR LIVES.
When the fire broke out there were about
100 girls and young boys in the second and
third stories. The cry OF fire rang through
the building and struck them almost dumb
with terror. A bevy of bright girls who
had Just escaped from the building give a
thrilling account of their deliverance. On
the second floor where the flames originated
the girls dashed out through the Windows
to the roof Of an adjoining building and
were assisted to the ground by othel
employees OF the company. They say the
doors were all barred or locked and theii
escape cut off through these channels. Inc
overseer did all in his power to quiet INT
excited girls and rendered them all the as
slstanee possible to aid them in escaping.
One of the girls employed ON thetop hoo
tells of the narrow escape OF herself int
corepanions. The first they knew OF thei
danger was the heavy volumes OF bhacl
smoke which came pouring into tine room
and the flames bursting through the hoor
ing. They could not reach the fire escape
for the smoke and the doors resisted oil at
tempts made to open them. Their casei
seemed hopeless, as the fire was spreading
with terrifying rapidity through the build
ing. A freight elevator In one corne
of the room seemed the only avenue
left open for their escape and the.
crowded toward this. One desperate ant
daring girl OF IA caught the main rope
rhe lift, down which she had hoped to slid'
by her hands. Just as she was about u
swing down the well 1t was discovered tina
the rope below was burning, and the Draw
all ad bty har
in an instant after the cable parted Wher
tho fire had caught and it dropped into
kissing mass of fiames-just where II Woul'
have landed the child had she not beef
arrested in her daring slide. rush wa
made for the windows, but the overseer
with presence of mind shouted angril
al the terror-striekep women and for
hade them to take the leap, whic
would have killed them. There was Shrek
ing and cries Of despair from the girls. an
few overcome by the excitement and lea
swooned away. The situation was CROWN
more desperate and dangerous each me
ment and the excitement of the girl
reached stage of intense frenzy. At tn
rear of the building another structure Join
with its roof within five feet OF the window
of tho third floor OF the burning pulldine
The oyerseers had endeavored to get tl
girls to this point of the room, but to reac
this meant retreat over floor hone,
eombed by the flames on tho under sid'
Through heavy cloud OF dens
smoke with a tongue of fire here and thei
invading the apartment, When the eseaI
seemed hopeless one child lead the retre'
through the smoke and fire to the rei
window and the others fled in terror in i
wake. From the windows the men droppe
them to the roof of the tho mill ADJOINING
and after the girls and boys had bee
retreat across the slippery roof took the
out OF the fires heat. From the roof u
employees were gotten to the ground
barrels and boxes, which had been arrange
step like. Everything possible was done
the workmen TO assist In the rescue, b
their efforts could avail nothing until Il
terrified girls and women were gotten GU
side Of the flame wrapped building.
When the alarm Of fire was given throut
&. the building the first thought OF every o.
was TO escape, and the eiothing OF
rescued people which was hanging abo
the closets and dressing-r ON was co
IA sumed by fire. Many Of the people up
arriving at the mill lay aside their sire
dresses for more worn, and these, wi
their heavy coats, shawis, &C., We're burnt
Acquaintances living in the vicinity, no
ever, supplied the loss and furn shed the
with warm clothes to wear home. In Sol
Instances this loss is very severely folt,
asmuch as the losers have no others, a
probably little money to replace them WI
fr About the mill are rows of houses, viii
are occupied by families of operativ
There was the greatest alarm spread throu
fhe community, and in short time
fences which enclosed the pill
were swarmed with anxious people
the widest state of excitement. A run
was current that one of the girls in
epinning room was missing and the !,
aumptton that she had been burned
death gave rise to n report TO this effect.
Is can be imagined this added to the fntens
Of the anxiety of the crowd, which, hi
ever, was relieved when the rescued &
and boys made their appearance on
roof of the building. At places along
fence the pnling was torn off by mother
l eagerness to embrace their children '
i had Just been delivered from the fiery
ment. :,
Several of the girls were burned in u
" retreat across the MILL but none of u
Sustained serious injuries. The worstsutf'
Is Annie Quigley, who was badly bur
pbout the head and neck, the flesh hang
in heavy angry blisters from her cheek
b chin. Jane McMaster was scorched al
fhe face and neck, though only sligl
& & Annie and Mary Jordan who fell In a !
in the building were slightly scorcl
4 Another young girl had finger mas
M while cropping among the machinery tn,
.k to find nm avenue OF escape.
The hundred operatives who so Mario
escaped with their lives discuss theti
liyerance chattily, but confess that they
that they had no hope OF being rescued
Manager Gambrill states TINT the
will start at once, except the wea
room, which will be put in operation
3 day or two He also contradtets the
N want that fha doors leading from the rt