West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-03-15
u. Destructive Fire,

The new olice OF tho Ecsaiag Uaion, at
SprinS field, Mas, was buruod out wedncs-
day afternoon Tho blazo was attended with
tho most sickeniny horror ever witnessed in
that city. Six OF the cmp,oyes met terri
BILE death Most OF them jumped from tho
nth story and wore crushed into a shape.
less tnaSs below. Tho Giro was first
discovcrd in tho mailing room, AMI clouds OF
smoke were pouring out Of the lower story
windows before the ffty. souls on tho upper
toor were aware of their danger. The flames
shot up AN old elevator In tho rear cut
ting OFT escape by the stairway aud most OF
the employees who ESCAPED found their way
" the ground by way OF tho roof In tho rear.
The unfortunate men and women who
crowded. INTO the editorial rooms met hor-
rible fotoc, nk5oms were cut Off i'm the
1composng ROOM and the employees who ran
into the editorial room were cut off
from escape I'm the rear, and had 20 face the
horrible alternative OF burning TO death or
jumping TO the sidewalk below, with tho
probability OF receiving frightful i'm
turies LADDER wis placed TO reach
20 the fourth story and the sight OF rescue
so near seemed to madden tho suffering per-
Sons at the two windows, and, one by one,
they dropped To the sidewalk below. Six
persons fell ia this way Some OF them were
crowd groaned and turned their heads away
as they wiffflcd through the air
There was no iirc escape Dense black
smoke Issued frnin tho windows In clouds,
and by the time the Fire Department ar
rived the top windows were filed with about
htty despafring human beings, who did not
saem at tirst 10 realize their dreadful position.
Tho crowd underneath cried to them 70 have
courage, aud on no account 70 jump or try
To climb down, and thay at first SEEMED dis.
posed 10 obey, but slow were the ladders
In being eroctod that a panic seized the vic
Tins The scene rs they began TO fan from
tho blazing windows was horrible Shrieks
broke from the crowd rs each OF the VIC
Tins fol into the street h low There
was great clnpping OF hands when woman
was seen descending the ladder A largo
canvns sheet was stretched over the side
wink, and three men jumped into this, but
broke through and fell out ON 10 the pay
ment a woman also fell through tho can
vas and landed on the sidewalk insensible
With Editor Hin In the editorial room were
Dhn Phillips Timothy Dunn the galley boyI,
Mrs j. IL Farley another woman and
epmposltor Mr. III opened the window and
shouted: For Gods snke put up n ladderW
Mrs Farley saw the ladder coming. In
her anxiety she could not brook the slowness
OF It's coming and frantically jumped for it.
see , seemed TO roll down the plane and struck
started 20 follow, but hr Hill caught her 10y
the waist and held her.
Don't jump, the la, .er win reach ua,n he
said, 6r Win =, a. much as possible
Dan Phillips began Co choke Hecould only
say:
Ned lhr. Halh, i guess our last day has
come. don't crfc To- -'yreIf hue fc- my
poor wife,
II have n wife, too. p Hati Mr. Hall.
THAT Is pretty hard, amt tir said one,
AMI then all prayed.
The woman was still struggling 10 free her
self from Mr.. Hills grasp and throw herself
to the ground to escape the fnmes The
smoke curled around them. One and then
another dropped 20 the sidewalk, and tho
agonized group at tho windows could hardly
keep back The impulse that sometimes
CONES 70 man to throw himself down %
stoep place seomed irIesstiblo and oyercame
the fear of death.
Mr.. HiD was tho last TO leave. He swung
himself under the ladder aud made his de-
scent, with another man i'm front It was ro-
ported that Mr.. Hin was killed. Luckily
the report was not true. Choking and
blackened with smoke, he staggered on grop-
ing his way 20 the telephone Office and tod
bis wife that he was safe
Tho list Of dead and in jured IL as follows:
Tie kille1-M. Brown, a compositor, killed
by falling from window: Mrs Fred
ericls II. Farley, N member OF the editorial
star OF tbe paper, Killed by the fall:
Henry l.. GouldIng, foreman OF the compos-
ing room, burned to death; w. u. Hovey. of
Boston, killed by the fall; w Lamzon, Quo
becl Killed by jumping 60 the ground. Miss
q. Thompson, proof-reader, was Killed by
The injured Thomas Donahue, compost.
tor, left leg broken at the knee and bad cut
arm and Leg broken. f. g.. Ensworth, com.
positor. compound fracture OF the log: Joseph
W WITTY, 60 qGsitor, hand, neck and ears