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 YORkS BIG FIRE.
FIREIEN'S GALLANT RESCUE.
Seven Persons Driven 20 the Roof of the
Burning Structure.
NEW YORK'S BIG FIRE.
F1REIEN's GALLANT RESCUE.


Nrw NoRK. 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 magui-
fcent building corner OF Broadway and
Dey street.
The tire quickly spread beyond control,
and the entire sixth. fi1h, fourth aud third
aoors os 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 a number
were lowered from the windows, by means
Of fropcs. 10 the tops or adjoining buildings,
while others hurried down the fire escape.
ArASIC AMONG THE FuTLoYFs
The fire completely destroyed the dis
trhutng room on the flfth floor, the oDerat-
ing room on the floor above, the Associated
Press rooms, and the restaurant on tho
seventh floor. Seven lives were miraculous
ly ysayed.
A few minutes before O'Clock this morn
ing the operators began u arrive - 20 to
work. About % men and young women
had reached the operating room 4 mes
sengcr boy named Matthews saw pun Of
smoke under table on the floor below the
/. l.. 4 4,
investigate the cause when the wooden Ia.
bic was in flames and the fire WAS spreading
with lightning rapidty. lie rushed up
stairs to notify thr employees that the build.
Ing was on tire They were compelled to -
through the distributing room to get down
stairs.
panic was the result of the messengers
information, and the young women scream
ed while the men rushed pell-mcll 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 if they
were so much tinder. The entire room,
when the panic-strcken crowd passed
through il, was filled with dense, sitting
wild efforts 10 reach n 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
Nidrant floor who had not been warned
OF the.f ualiyci Ali e~jt LH,i by
this time been cut of whereby these persons
could escape, and they were not aware #
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 of and the prisoners climbed to
he roof Flames were shooting out Of the
front windows, volumes Of smoke pulled
heavcnward. From under the caves of the
great building flames were shooting, and the
structure seemed To be crowned with fire.
4 CRY OF HORROR WENT Up.
When the great crowd on the streets saw
the men and women rush ont ON the roof
scry Of horror went up, for i did not seem
possible that they could be rescued. The
women on the roof screamed and wruus
their hands, and the men yelled. 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 uudaunted, however, two hremen
scaled the ladder and threw rope 20 the
roof II was caught and ted by one ut the
the brave girls who seemed to never loose
her nerve
The iircmen 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 to 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 wire, became
crossed and set the flooring on fire Had the
fire broken ont an hour later the loss Of life
might have been enormous. Fully 700 girls
and men are employed on these two floors.
No exact figures can yet be gwen in regard
10 ,he loss but it will be heavy.