Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-08-17
In A DEATH TRAP.
A Fatal Fire in New York
Tenement House.
Hemmed in by Flames Seventeen
Meet a Horrible Death.

acted Friday afternoon in the Bowery. In
broad daylight, in full view of fully 1000
people, almost within reach Of 100 6remen,
whose hearts ached that they could
not help them, a score of human beings
ran frantically to and fro in a burning death
trap screaming for aid, which it was impOS-
sible to give. They fought with one another
for the last vantage ground, struggling on in
a vain hope and only finding that their eff
forts but added to the sufferings which must
inevitably end in death. Those who persisted
early suffered least.
1t was the rear tenement at 1877 BOwery,
adjoining the PEOPLES Theatre on the south.
At o'clock in the afternoon sixty people
who lived there or worked there at tailoring
were busy IN the crowded rooms of the SIX
story building. At 4:30 only the dead were
left.
Mrs. Emma Stephenson, the janitress of
the building, had lighted a fire with which
TO prepare the evening meal for herself and
husband. She made the fire in kerosene
stove and went for a moment into the cellar.
While there she heard an explosion.
She fastened up stairs to find her rooms
one sheet of flame. The old rickety build
ing, filled it with clippings and
thread and cottons, was mere sport for the
flames.
A stairway in the centre of the building
served as a conductor for the fire. The tene-
ment was only twenty-five feet long by fiji
teen feet wide and was six stories high. Upon
each floor there were small rooms and lofts,
tiOnS.
fearful volume of black smoke and flame
rolled up from the burning floor, faint and
smothered cries came from beneath it and
above it, from the three upper windows of
the tenement hung men, women and chill
dren, stretching their hands out and imploring
some one to save them. 1t was evident that
some of the people were really craZed.
Some managed to get down by the fire
cape some climbed to the adjoining roof,
some jumped to the floor of the court yards
IN the front and rear, and some, SO the sur
vivors say, sat down and abandoned them
selves to their fate.
In twenty minutes the structure was Quilted
and about twenty-five persons were more or
less seriously injured and one was killed, and
when the ruins were explored seventeen
charred bodies Of persons of both sexes and
Of.every age were discovered. Ore man died
after he had been taken to the hospital.
Those who were at the northern and north
eastern side of the building sought an escape
on the fire ladder, and cheers rose from the
crowd when an aged man, to whom grim
despair alone gave strength, and two young
girls came out upon the thread of hope.
The iremen cheered and waved them en-
couragement, but to their horror they dis
covered that the ladder led only into an area
or cell surrounded by solid brick walls. The
only escape from it lay through door which
led into the burning mass.
A shrek of terror rose from the crowd
when they saw the three doomed ones at
tempt to climb again.
Fran tically, madly moaning, screaming
and shrieking for mercy, up and down that
iron ladder went those poor mortals. They
struggled on the ladder for help while brave
men used to hard scenes turned away their
heads, and many fireman dropped tear.
For full five minutes those people in that
cage raced for the life that was soon to be
ended.
They fought with each other for position
they tore their hair-looked piteously for aid
and then sank back into the fiery furnace
that boiled within. The smaller of the girls,
with face an ashen hue, to which the fiery
background added intensely, stood on the
window sill of the third story for moment.
''She will hurl herself to the groundp'
''She is going to commit suicide!" cried some
in the crowd. The people almost hoped that
she would do So but she did not. Suddenly
there was curling of the long black tresses
The flames had seized upon them; a CLEAN
shot from her clothing. 1t was on fire.
then all was over She had fallen into the
flames. The old man went next. The other |
girl apparently went to her death insane On |
the landing of the fourth story she turned to |
the people who were grouped on the roof of |
the theater, laughed. and then tucking
her skirts about her, stepped into tke flames |
that ended her life
As soon as the fire had been quenched and |
the firemen were able to approach the Quilted |
building the work of searching for the poor
wretches who had been seen in the windows
oegan.
burned human flesh and bones Not one of !
the dead was recognizable. All were burnt
TO crisp, men, women and children AL
most all semblance to human shape was gone
more revolving scene was probably never
presented.
As the bodies were discovered they were
placed in fire nets and carried to the roof of
The Peoples Theatre, and when the available
pace there was exhausted the roof of the
enement factory in the rear was used.
After a search of nearly two hours the
bodies of fourteen had been discovered and
aid out in this manner. A call was then
ent out to the Morgue for the dead wagon,
md the bodies were placed in rough pine
'oxes and lowered from the roofs to the mar
ow alley below.
The body of Mrs. Gruft was in a frightful
condition. The unfortunate woman was !
bout to become mother at the time the
ire broke out, and the intense agony of see
ng all hope of escape shut off brought on
he pangs of maternity prematurely and
mother and child were burned together
md at her side lay the charred corpses of
er other two children, Joseph and Cecilia.
t was a heartrendng sight, and that the
oor father and husband who gazed on it
Id not lose his reason on the spot seemed
In his arms he held a baby boy.
ne only member of his family who was
escued besides himself. Five more persons
Tho were fatally injured were removed to
ne hospital
The first bale of new cotton has been re-
,elved at New Orleans from Mrs NJ Hans
Mann of MaVarSVi1le II 1