The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-07-24
DESTROYED BY FIRE.
The Western Union Again Suffers a
Heavy Loss.
NEW YORK'S BIG FIRE.
F1REIEN's GALLANT RESCUE.
Seven Persons Driven TO the Roof of the
Burning Structure.

Nrw YoRK. July 1S-Shortly before
o'clock this morning flames burst from the
switchboard NJ the Western Union operating
room, On the seventh floor OF their nagni-
fcent building. corner OF Broadway and
Dey street.
The fire quickly spread beyond control,
aud the entire sixth fifth, fourth aud third
aoors Of the immense building were soon
completely guttcd, and telcgraphic commu.
nication with points outside of the city was
temporarily suspended. The offices Of the
Associated Press, Executive Committee Of
the Western Union Telegraph company and
Offices of several brokers were destroyed
SO rapidly did the fire extend to ethe
woodwork that the escape Of the employees
by the stairway was cut oil, and number
were lowered from the windows, by means
Of ropes, to the tops ot adjoining buildings,
while other. hurried down the fire escape
ArANIc ANoNG THE ENrLoYEs.
The tire completely destroyed ;he dis
trbutng room on the fifth floor, the Gpcrat-
ing room on the floor above, the Associated
Press rooms, and the restaurant on tho
seventh floor. Seven lives were miraculous
lysaved.
4 few minutes before O'Clock this morn
ing the operators began t. arrive u - to
work About - men and young women
had rcachc the operating room 4 mes
sengcr boy named Matthews saw a pun Of
smoke under table on the ilopr below the
distributing room He scarcely had time to
investigate the cause when the wooden Ia
bic was in flames and the fire WAS spreading
with lightning rapldity. lie rushed mp
stairs tu notify the employees that the build
Ing was on lire. They were compelled to ~
through the distributing room to get down
stairs.
A panic was the result of the messengers
information, and the young women scream
ed while the men rushed pcl.-mcl down
stairs to escape the flames, which in less
than two minutes had spread almost over
the entire distributing room, burning up
wires, instruments and tables rs il they
were 50 m Icn tinder. The entire room,
when the panic-strcken crowd passed
through il, was filled with dense, sitting
smoke They fell over each other in their
wild efforts to reach place Of safety.
Just about this time it flashed upon the
minds of the frightened persons who had
escaped that there were seven Others on the
arant door who had not been warned
of their uaiigci. All t-;t haI 10y
this time been cut of whereby these persons
could escape, and they were not aware II
their peril until the smoke rushed up the
stairway leading from the operating room in
volumes.
There were four men and three women on
this floor, and seeing escape cut of from
every quarter, there was an awful panic.
One Of the men seeing there was no pos
,ible means Of escape downward, rushed for
The scuttle hole in the roof. The trap door
was pushed off aud the prisoners climbed to
the roof. Flames were shooting out Of the
front windows, volumes Of smoke pulled
heaycnward. From under the caves Of the
great building flames were shooting, and the
structure seemed To be crowned with fire.
CRY or HORROR WEST rr.
When the great crowd on the streets saw
the men and women rush out ON the roof
acry Of horror went up, for i did not seem
possible that they could be rescued. The
women on the roof screamed and wruns
their hands aud the men ycllcd. For Gods
sake do something To save us
Finally long ladder WAS rushed upon the
roof OF 80 Day street and placed against
the rear Of the burning building 1t did not
reach within 81 feet of tn, Western Union
roof undauuted, however, two iiremcn
scaled the ladder and threw rope to the
roof II was caught and tied by one OF the
the brave girls who seemed to never loose
her nerve
The iiremen pullel themselves up hand
over hand until they reached the top of the
burning building, and, amid cheers from
the thousands below, they let the
seven down 10 places Of safety.
oElGIN op THE FIRE.
How the fire originated no one seems to
know positively, but it is surmised that two
of the company's electric light wires became
crossed and set the flooring on fire. Had the
fire broken out an hour later the loss of life
might have been enormous. Fully 200 girls
and mon are employed on these two floors.
No exact figures can yet be gwen in regard
TO the loss, but it will be heavy.