The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-04
TENANTS IN A FIRE-TRAP.
SEVENTEEN PEOPLE DEAD AND
SEVERAL APT TO DIE.

All Those Involved in the Conf1agra-
ton Polish Jews Who Were Making
Up Clothes-The Burning Building
Henmed in on All Subsidiary
Heartrending Scenes.
NEW York, Aug. 3.-Thirteen people
were burned to death in a six-story brick
building in the rear of No. 1877 Bowery this
afternoon, and two others were killed by
leaping from windows of upper stories of
the building, Six more were burned so
badly that they will probably die, and were
removed to various hospitals.
The house was a ramshackle hidden in
the middle of the block. The only entrance
to it was a narrow alley way from the Bow
cry. In front of it was four-story build
ing, on the first floor of which was q saloon
called 1.-The White Elephant"
MINERS THEATRE NEAR BY.
Adjoining this is Harry Miners Peoples
theater. In the rear of the burned build
ing were two houses, hemmit & it in on the
Christie street side. In this caged-in build
ing lived about $50 people Each of its six
floors was occupied by a single family, the
head of which was tailor who made
clothing for cheap wholesale cloth
ing houses and employed from fifteen
to twenty men, women and children in adj
dtion to his own family in making up cloth
ing They were all Polish Jews, and the
employers and employees worked, ate and
slept in the crowded rooms of the dingy
tenement
BURSTING OUT OF THE FLAMES.
About Ais o'clock this afternoon,
while all the occupants of the build
the closing hours preceding their
lower floor. The fire had already gained
such Roadway that it was in fill possession
of the stairway and escape by it seemed
impossible. Most of the frightened inmates,
however, rushed down through
the flames and escaped to the
narrow courtyard with their clothes
ablaze, and their hands, faces and
bodies burned. Six Of them were 80 Sc
We ely burned that they were taken to a
capes on the house-perpendicular iron lad
ders running down the front and rear of
the building, but before any of the inmates
had tried to escape by them the flames had
assembled through the house and were rush
ing from the windows so that descent by
the fire escapes was impossible.
BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION
Several of the bodies were burned SO
badly that they fell apart when moved
and were unacceptable, and the firemen
were obliged to lower them from the win
dows in nets. The fire started on the first
floor in the apartment of the janitress, and
was caused by the explosion of kerozene
oil stove. The financial damage is about
$4,000. The property is we'll insured.
SEVENTEEN DEAD.
NEW YORK, Aug. 4. l A. M.-Deaths in
the hospitals have increased the number of
fatalities to seventeen, and several persons
are missing.
One of the most pitiful incidents of the
terrible calamity was the death of Mrs.
Swift. In the awful panic she gave birth
to a child, and mother and babe were burned
to a crisp. Her two small children, aged I
and 4, were victims by her side, while the
father and one child escaped.
A TOWN FIRE-SWEPT.
TOLEDO, o. Aug. 3.-West Unity, small
town near here, was almost swept out OF
existence last night by fire. Thirteen stores
were totally destroyed. The loss is from
ST., 200 to 800, 600 The heaviest losers are
Levy & Smith, dry goods; Adam Goschen,
clothing; Lee & Charter, hardware.