Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-02-08
TEN PERSONS Persisted.
Horrible Scenes at a Boston
Tenement Fire.

The Escape OF the Poor Italians Cnt
on by the Blazing stairways-A
Few Leap From the Windows.
terrible Ere occurred on North Street,
Boston, Mass. shortly after midnight Ia
tenement house. occupied mostly by Italians,
and the shocking summing up Of hedisaster
Is that ten persons were quickly burned to
death, three Others fatally injured, and six
more were seriously, il not mortally hurt
There Is diversity OF accounts as to the
Circumstances OF the origin Of the fire, the
alarm and the rescues 1t is believed that
the Ere started in the clothing store OF
Maurice Rubey, on the nrst door. and some
minutes before il was discovered, Ct had
eaten through the partition wall OF the ball.
way which contained the stairs leading to
the tensments above. The wooden stair
way Was like candle, and the mtsswens
up like nfsh. To doing 50 Il lighted up
the hall way AMI shot little forks out through
the cracks OF the door, aud soon attracted At
tention. In a moment more tho flames had
taken bold on the rear stsirways ascending
from the same hallway, and thus cut or all
escape for the occupants The scenes which
occurred among the inmates when they wero
awakened were OF the most exciting descrip.
tion. There wes no way for then, TO get
down, and as they assembled 10 the attic the
Times followed swiftly upon them. Shr.eks
Of terror, groans OF agony and cries OF help
hlled the air
Men, women and children filled the win
dows and piteously pleaded for help. some
Of the more venturesome even hung from
the windows by only slight hold on the
sihs Ladders were hurrioiIy hoisted. Lines
OF hose were quickly run on, aud "pipsH
from thu Qhantlpnl an sd ftt
the flaming mass In ten minutes the fear
OF personal safety had subsidized. Those
whom it was possible "a save had been takel.
from their positions OF peril, aud the wound
Cd had been taken TO places where their in
Juries could be cared for. IL was not until az
ter the fire had bo n practically extingushod
that the interior OF what was then but
shell could be examined.
Chief Webber, followed by several fremen,
went into the building at u little after one
o'clock. aud with difficulty ascended 60 tho
upper floors. The stairways from the streeo
TO the second door were completely burned
away. When the chief aud his companions
reached the upper door a sight that horrihed
them met their eyes. Under ono OF tho
windows crouched ahuman form, burned 70
crisp almost, the two palms clasped togyth'
or and kneeling, as though at prayer. Fur
Their search showed in other parts OF the top
floor seven other human forms, covered WITH
limbs that had been torn asuuder by falling
parts Of the building.
Seeing their escap, from the floors below
TO the street impossible, because the stairs
were roaring masses Of hre, the terrified
victims bad evidently rushed 10 the upper
Il 'or Ia their attempts 70 escape, and nad
there been roasted, as though held over a
furnace. Later Two bodies Of infants wrrv
removed from other parts OF the building,
and the completed list OF ten human lives
was made up. Serious suspcons have been
raised that the fire was tho work OF lncen-
diaries. 1t is stated that when tho street
door was burst op n. the smell gave strong
indications that tho stairs and floors had
been saturated with OIL. IL is claimed tnas
no lives would have been lost II the locality
had been sufficiently supplied with faciiiti,s
Tor sxtingulsning hr0s.
Another theory Of the cause OF tho Gre Il
that it resulted from kerosene lamp thrown
in o drunken row.