The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-12
PERISHED IN THE FLAMES.
Seventeen Persons Burned to Death Satur-
day.

MANCHESTER. n. H.. August S.-A growing
volume of dense black smoke, lighted at
first by long flashes of light and then by a
flaming glare gave warming at 10;40 asst
night that Webster Block was ablaze. Five
hundred tenants were sleeping in the build
ing at the time. The block was a great
brick structure on Elm and Hollis streets,
100 feet square and five stories high, with
mansard roof. The first floor was used for
stores and the four upper stories were di-
vided into small rooms, nearly every one of
which was crowded Before the fremen
came the whole upper story was in flames,
and the fire roared up a stairway
shaft at the back like flames in great CHM
Rey. The startled inmates ran shrieking in
their night clothes from their rooms. Joseph
Blanchard penetrated the sitting smoke TO
the third floor and saved score OF lives
long ladder was placed against the upper
story. and at least 100 persons escaped by it,
clad in their night robes. Many OF the women
and girls were delirious from terror when res
cued. The first person taken out, supposed
to be dead, was Lizzie Burns She was found
on the fourth floor but when restorativeS
were applied she manifested signs of life.
She was conveyed to the police station, where
physicians attended her, and to-day she was
removed to the hospital. Sue may recover.
Soon afterward Mary Ann o Brien and her
child. eighteen months old, were found in
dying condition on the first floor in Perkins
restaurant, smoke being the cause of their
insensibility. The child died within a few
minutes, and the chances for the mothers
recovery are considered doubtful.
In the meantime the firemen We're having
fierce fight with the flames, which swept
the entire front of the top of the building,
and scared up the stairway in the rear of the
block, the western wall being one solid mass
of fire. A second alarm was pulled in, and
it was not until twelve streams of water
were playing upon the burning mass that
the flames were got under control. The fire
men would gain an inch, and then, occupy
ing the vantage ground, press forward,
and they literally fought their way from
window to window, until after three
hours of endeavor the flames
were extinguished. hasty examination
was made of the rooms at o'clock, but no
bodies were found, and it was believed that
the worst fears which had been entertained
in regard to several persons periShing would
not be realized. At 6 o'clock some of the in
mates who had been rescued made their APP
peaTance and persisted that the members of
two families were missing. Their place OF
abode was pointed out, which was in the fifth
story, near the stairway which had con-
veyed the flames to the upper stories. and
which afforded the only means of escape
from the block.
Their rooms were entered and no remains
found, but on removing closet door, which
had fallen inward. q wOman's head was dis
closed. She was removed. and then a search
began for the others. The charred embers
were quickly removed, and in few mo-
ments there came 10 view the dead body of
another woman clasping in her arms an in
FAINT 1t was a terrible sight. Both bodies
were taken out and the search continued.
lxo1.-
embrace that it was difficult to loosen the
mothers hold. Beyond them were found
the bodies of three children, one OF young
girl one year and six months old. and the
other OF boy nine years and girl eleven
years old. No more could be found. From
the little closet six dead bodies had been
taken All of the people were French, their
names being as follows:
Mrs Eugene Parent, Miss Elsie Parent
Lenore Parent Infant" Mrs. Benjamin
Campeau, Miss Obeline Campeau, Master
frOspere Campeau,
These, with the body of the child. Thomas
o Brien. found earlier in the morAing, max
ing seven. The remains were removed to
Councilman CheIette's undertaking rooms
where thousands of people have passed
through in single file viewing the remains
The fire exeites endless discussion. There
was nothing between the four walls of the
Webster block but thin partitions, and the
DuiluilS was not ploNlueu Win IIe ESCAPES
or a Waterman. 1t seemed to invite the
catastrophe which has taken place. There
was an insurance of $751; 600 on the property,
which will about meet the damage to the
block. Its furnishings in the score of rooms
were ruined, and the loss in this direction
will amount TO thousands of dollars. As
sistant Engineer o. L. Kimball, who had
charge OF the fire department. said it was the
worst fire to fight in all his experience, and
he has been here fighting fires for forty
years. Webster Block was erectedin 1913 at
cost of $50 900, its dimensions being 100 feet
on Elm street, 100 on Hollis, and 40 on the
back street.