Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-05
SCENES or AGONY.

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SCENES or AGONY.
How the Men, Women, and Children
were Roasted I'm the Flames.
The New York Herqid gives the following
details OF the fatal tire IN that city Friday
A kcrosene.oil stove was blsZng In the
apartments OF Mr.. lrma Stevenson, on the
first floor Of the factory building in the rear
Of No. 1917 BOwery. yesterday afternoon,
when suddenly an explosion took place and
stove and Yictuals were blown % pieces.
Mrs. Stevenson was in the cellar drawing a
pail OF water. and hearing the noise ran up
stairs IN time u see The lighted oil spreading
over her apartments and ienlting everything
that came before 1t. The terrified woman I
could scarcely reach a point % give the |
alarm before the flames reached the hosting |
elevator aud shot up Ills ready hue with !
lightning rapidly. over a hundred men /
and women were busy at work IN the upper |
floors and the first indication OF danger they
received was the volumes OF smoke that
fed the apartments on every floor. All
hands dropped their work and made q rush
for the tre-escapes in the front Of the build
ing. A few more YeuturesOme went back
for clothing and yaluabes and returned
laden with merchandise which they hoped
to save. Their labors only hampered the
others. who were anxious to get out at sny
cost, and as I result the Wcrkmen and women
were massed soidly on the frall wire siruc- /
ture, from which only one at time could ts-
cape $40 gly,
Meanwhile the cries OF Mrs. Stevenson,
who is the jlnitress OF the building, aroused /
number Of stige.Carpenters and others Mo /
were az work in the Peoples Theatre, ID /
joining the factory, and the Waterman sent /
out the special building signal that an /
nounces a fire IN the Aleatre. This much F.
done, the employees got out on the low rooi |
OF the theatre, and With CHEEKY words re- /
straiuoi many OF the imperiled inmates OF
the burning building from leaping to their I
death. BY securing ladder the theatre /
folks managed to get within six feet OF The !
third floor Of the factory, and then landed /
several persons in safety 20 the theatre roof. /
Others could have made their escape in the |
same manner, but they were too panic /
stricken, and could not be made 10 under' /
stand that it vas their only chance for lie.
DANGEROUS LEAPS.
Heartrendiug screams and cries for help |
we've now heard everywhere. The flames 1
had made such rapid progress that every /
fre-escares. and these could not be used, /
because the fire was raging underneath. /
some few now jumped TO the root OF tue |
White House, the saloon in the front build |
ing facing on the BowerY, aud IN doing so |
sustained either broken limbs or severe cons (
tusi0ns. They were helped away bv Wiling .
hands and taken 10 a place OF safety. Al .
tbi, juncture Engine Company NJ. - rat |
tied up 10 the door, and Foreman Ray, with /
his complement ~ men, rushed . the .
rescue. But quick rs they dil Ie- /
Spond they were still too late 10 be OF 4
much use ia saving life AZ great personal 4
risk Foreman Ray, followed by Fireman 1
Richard Burns, reached the tre.e,c1pe Or Tue /
second floor aud succeeded in getting safely /
away two women and on old man. But IN I
second more they had TO jump. FOR the flames /
Were tanning their flces and their s6in began |
10 scorch. Cheers followed the efforts OF the .
brave fellows. who had fingered longer than /
was safe. for they had 20 be assisted TO /
drugstore to receive attendance. with their I
withdrawal came a sudden Outburst OF flames /
that seemed 10 come simultaneously from
every window in the building. The poor .
ppope on the heated ire-escapes were Ell (
yeloped for moment. Then came the ago. /
nized cries Of those whom the flames touched .
and whom none could reach 10 save. some
were seen 10 run back into the building, but
as bad fate awaited them.
THE DGyoURING ELEMENT.
The streams Of fire that located up both
the elevator aud stairway had done their
work, and nothing remained but seething
mas, OF fire that quickly found It's way 70 the
roof. There was no possible way TO reach
the sufferers. whose walls made the stOutest-
hearted fireman tremble. That many lives
would be sacrificed none doubted now, and
Il only renamed a question OF quencniDg
the flames quickly TO secure the bodies be-
fore they were desp6ued by tic coniagfa-
ton.
A sudden gust Of wind for a moment /
turned the flames north ward, and the crowds /
Of PEOPLE on the rooftons were horrined 70
see flying figure all allame shoot Ike bah
from the window. The bgure landed on Tie
low roof OF the front building, and he was
no sooner picked up than another followed. ,
The two men were talori on The thlrd hOOr, |
and they bad waited TIL the last moment /
before takipg the perilous leap. Their /
clothing was nearly burned from their /
bodies, and what lttleremaiued was torn oil /
by the hremem, who picked them up and /
conveyed them TO the street. The men were /
helped 10 neighboring drugstore, where 1
soothing linimcnt was applied 10 give ten.
porary relief. Then they we're Put in an I
ambulance and taken to Goyerneur Hos
pital.
Ida Frank, \ young woman, was also on I
the thru floor making frantic gestures Tor /
some one 20 save her. " ben she saw the /
two pen Jump she INSIDE up her mind to fol- /
low suit, but In doing so stumbled and fell |
headl0ng 70 the ground. When picked up /
she was iusenSible, and had 10 be carried 70 |
the ambulance that conveyed her 10 =. Vim
cents Hospital. The doctors who examined |
her said she suffered from n compound frac- |
ture Of the skull ana would certainly die.
Hyman Gruit. WIKI his wife and three
children, occupied the third floor, aud were
all together when the cry OF IRE was raised. /
Mrs. Gruft lay abed sick, about to be con-
fined. and held her children close to her
when the alarm was received. The husband .
told his wife to get mp the best she could /
while he ran 10 The cOrGer window with the /
baby 10 see what chance Of escape they had. |
He was then hailed by the stage people, who /
shouted fer him 10 Jump where they could /
rive him a helping hand. He cried out /
that he would 90 back for his other /
children, but was warned not to turn back |
or they would all be doomed. Gruit finally /
leaned and landed safely, while he yelled to /
some one TO save his wife and little ones. /
From where the stage help stood they could /
see the mother lying down IN bed, hugging
her two little boys.
''Come to this window and we'll save |
you.n cried out the willing rescuers, but the |
mother never stirred. The flames soon shut 7.
her from view. and in little while the wo- /
man and her Two children were swept into |
eternity.
THE FIRENEN AT WORK.
And this ended the thrilling episodes OF I
the tire. II now became the work OF the /
flremen 10 drown the flames aud search for 4
the dead victims. WITH a will they went at /
II. Lines OF hose were stretched from the .
Bowery aud Cbrystle street and over the /
roof tops OF all the adjoining buildings. A /
score Of the brave fire addies undsr the lead |
OF Chief McGill gained n favorable spot on |
the front part Of the Peoples Theatre snd |
lust back OF the factory building. and sent |
several telling streams OF water straight into |
the building. But they were not AL |
lowed to remain long in this spot. (
A westerly breeze ssrsng up that /
blew the flames right into their faces and /
- .