Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-03-23
FATAL FIRE TRAP.
A Succession of Horrors at
Springfield, Mass.
Six People Killed and Four More
Badly Injured.

The new Office of the Euening Union, at
Springfield, Mass, was burned out Wednes-
day afternoon. The blaze was attended with
the most sickening horror ever witnessed in
that city. Six of the employees met a terri
BILE death. Most of them jumped from the
fifth story and were crushed into a shape
less mass below. The fire was first
discovered in the mailing ROOM and clouds of
smoke were pouring out of the lower story
windows before the fifty souls on the upper
floor were aware of their danger The flames
shot up an old elevator in the rear, cut
ting off escape by the stairway, and most of
the employees who escaped found their way
20 the ground by way of the roof in the rear
The unfortunate men and women who
crowded into the editorial rooms met a hor-
rIble fate. Some were cut off in the
composing ROOM and the employees who ran
into the editorial room were cut off
from escape in the rear and had to face the
horrible alternative of burning to death or
jumping to the sidewalk below, with the
probability S Of receiving frightful in
to the fourth story, and the sight of rescue
so near seemed to madden the suffering per-
sons at the two windows, and, one by one,
they dropped to the sidewalk below. Six
forced off and some leaped madly while the
crowd groaned and turned their heads away
rs they whirled through the air.
There was no fire escape. Dense black
smoke issued from the windows in clouds.
and by the time the Fire Department ar
rived the top windows were filled with about
fifty despairing human beings, who did not
seem at first to realize their dreadful position
The crowd underneath cried to them to have
courage, and on no account to lump or try
20 climb down, and they at first seemed dis
posed TO obey, but SO slow were the ladders
IN being erected that panic seized the vic
Tins. The scene as they began to fall from
the blazing windo WIS was horrible Shrieks
broke from the crowd as each of the vic
Tins fell into the street below There
was great clapping of hands when a woman
was seen Ascending the ladder. A large |
canvas sheet was stretched over the side
walk, and three men jumped into this, but |
broke through and fell out on to the paw |
ment. A woman also fell through the can !
vas and landed on the sidewalk insensible.
with Editor Hill in the editorial room were
Dan Phillips, Timothy Dunn the galley bow,
compositor. Mr.. Hill opened the window and
shouted: For Gods sake, put up ladderp'
Mrs. Farley saw the ladder coming In
her anxiety she could not brook the slowness
OF It's coming and frantically jumped for it.
She seemed to roll down the plane and struck
on the walk in heap. The copy holder
started to follow, but Mr.. Hill caught her by
the waist and held her.
Don't jump, the ladder will reach us, ;" he
said, with as much composure as possible.
Forks of flames shot through the partitions.
Dan Phillips began to choke. He could only
Med OMr. Hall, I guess our last day has
come. don't care for myself, but for my
poor wife"
Il have wife, too" said Mr.. Hall.
That Is pretty hard, amt it?n said one
and then all prayed.
The woman still struggling to free her.
'elf from MIR. Hills grasp and throw herself
20 the ground to escape the flames The
smoke curled around them. One and then
another dropped to the sidewalk and the
igonIZed group at the windows could hardly
Keep back. The impulse that sometimes |
zones to man to throw himself down
teep place seemed irresistible and overcame
he fear of death.
Mr.. Hill was the last to leave He swung
himself under the ladder and made his de,
cent, with another man in front 1t was re-
ported that Mr.. Hill was killed. Luckily
he report was not true. Choking and
'lackened with smoke, he staggered on groD-
ng his way to the telephone office and told
lis wife that he was safe. .
The list of dead and injured is as follows: {
he killed-M. Brown, a compositor killed S
y falling from a window; Mrs. Fred
rick h. Farley, "a member of the editorial {
taft of the paper, killed by the fall: .
ienry Il. Gouldlng, foreman of the compos-
1g room, burned to death; w. E. Hovey. of +
'oston, killed by the fall; W. Lamzon Que 7
&c, killed by jumping to the ground: Miss :
T. thompson, proOf-reader, was killed by
he fall.
The injured-Thomas Donahue, compost
Or, left leg broken at the knee and bad cut
the head; Timothy Dunn compositor ! n
rm and leg broken; F. G.. Ellsworth, com / I
OsitOr, compound fracture of the Leo: JoseDh
V Witty, compositor, hand, neck and ears -
urneCi.