Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-03-14
VICTIMS or A FIRE.

Six Lives Lo<t by the Burning Of D
Springfield (Mass.) Newspaper Once
As Many More Injured -Hsmmed In by
tho Flames the Unfortunatcs Leap
from a Fifth-story Window.
SPRINGFIELD. Mass, March 8-The new
office OF the EVeniMg Union at the corner
Of Main and Worthington streets was
burned about O'Clock yesterday afternoon,
AMI the blaze was attended with the most
slckening horror, six of the employees meet
ing terrible death, most OF them jumping
from the fifth story and being crushed
into shapeless mass below. Six
others were badly injured The fire was
dlst 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 dan
ger
The unfortunate men and women ~va.
crowded into the editorial-rooms met q
horrible fate Some were out off in the
composing-room and more are believed to
have persisted, as several fell back into the
flames The employees who rushed into
the ed1torial-rooms were cut off from the
escape in the rear and had to face the hor-
rible alternative of burning to death or
jumping to the sidewalk below.
The fire department responded promptly,
but it seemed an age before it reached the
windows on the fifth floor: A ladder was
put to the fourth story, and the sight of
rescue so near seemed to madden the suf-
fering group at the two windows, who
cropped in succession to the sidewalk be-
low Six fell in this way, some of them
being forced out and some madly leapdng
The crowd groaned and turned their heads
away as the victims Whirled through the
air. The killed are:
Henry L Goulding, foreman Of the Union
composing-room, burned to death; Miss G..
Thompson proof-reader; Mrs. Frederick E.
Farley, editorial department., fell from the win
dow; Mr.. Lamzor, OF Quebec, jumped to the
sidewalk; w. E. Hovey, of Boston, fell to the
sidewalk and was crushed; Mr.. Brown, q COM
positor.
Joseph Landlord was standing on the
sidewalk at the end of the building far
thest from the corner when Mrs Farley
fell He stood his ground and reached out
his arms to catch her: She fell on his neck,
throwing him to the ground senselesa
Mrs Farley Was killed instantly Mr.
Landlord was soon restored to
consciousness and is not seriously hurt
The terrible experience of those in the
window is told by Mr. Hill, the managing
editor. He was in the news-room when he
heard the news of the fire. Hill ran out and
told the men and women to start for the
roof in the rear, and many Of them cid so
He felt perfectly safe for few minutes, as
he saw the men climbing over the roof, near
the old quarters Of the Office. Fifteen OF the
employees, however, rushed to the front
SIX OF them going into the room OF News
iitor Shipley, on the corner: Fill opened
The window and shouted: For Gods sake
put up ladder The crowd below looked
dazed He took off his coat and threw it
He picked up books and files Of the paper
and hurled tken out to attract attention
The smoke became dense and he could moi
breath
The ladder started and seemed to creep
up the side of the building Mrs Farley
saw the ladder and frantioally jumped for
it. She seemed to roll down the plane and
struck on the walk in heap The copy
holder started to follow Mr.. Hill caught
her by the waist and held her fast,
The crowd tried to shout words of en-
couragement The ladder seemed frozen
to the post A wave of fame shot through
the window. singing Hills hair and clothes
The ladder had come at last, and the copy
holder, who had struggled In his arms,
caught it The crowd was breathlesa The
hiss of the first stream Of water was the
only sound She grasped the rounds firmly
and went down safely
Go ahead, Hill said; can wait. The
rest Of the group went down, sliding and
tumbling over the rounds, but reached the
ground safely. Hill finally swung himself
under the ladder and made his descent.
with another man in front
The building belonged to z Wight The
Union editorial and composing-rooms &C.
cupled the entire fifth floor The counting
room was on the first floor The press
room and ma1!ing-r rooms were In the base
ment The total loss is about $40. OOQ