Huntsville gazette., 1891-04-11
FRIGHTFUL CALAMITY.

Nine Lives Lost by Tenement Fire in
Rochester, pam Italian Family of
| seven, with the Exception of One Young
| Girl, Among the Dead-The Charred Re-
| mains of the Victims Found in the
| Ruins.
ROCHESTER Pa, April 7.--The most
1rlghtful calamity that has ever be-
fallen this place occurred early this
morning, and as result nine lives were
| lost Between the Rose building, cor
ner of Brighton and New York streets,
and the railroad crossing, were row
of cheap frame tenement houses, the
| first floors of which were occupied as
! business houses. Shortly after mid
, night fire was discovered in the lower
building, and an alarm was given.
The fire gradually spread to the
second and third houses, and in
| a few minutes all were in flames.
But few of the citizens were on
the scene until the fire was well under
headway and efforts were made to save
property, but with poor effect, as the
| buildings being Of highly indammable
material burned rapidly. In the midst
of the hottest part of the fire an Italian
girl, about 16 years of age, appeared at
the window of one of the burning build
ings and leaped toward the ground, two
of the firemen catching her before she
struck the ground. Between her sobs
family were yet in the burning house,
but as the flames now had full control
of the building it was impossible to
save them, and seven persons perished
in the italian family. The rooms occu-
pied by the Italians were in the centei
of the building, and when it was found
that lives had been lost a careful in
quiry was made regarding the occupants
of the first building to take fire.
1t was inhabited by a shoemaker
named Edward J. Keene, with a
family consisting of wife and
three children. None of the family
could be found for u time, but during
the height of the excitement Mrs kcene
with two of her children arrived from
Pittsburgh on train No. |. 1t was then
feared that Mr.. Ke4ne and his eldest
son Walter, aged s years, lwere lost.
Brave men at once went to work among
the burning timbers and soon discovered
the charred remains of father and son
close together, but burned to an un-
recognizable mass. The corpses with
those of the Italians that have been re-
covered are lying in stall at Hayes
livery stable. The names of the vic
Tins arc as follows:
Edward J. Keene, so years of age.
Walter Keene, years.
Rutteito Ceapio. 45 years.
Annie Ceapio, wife of above, s. years.
John Ceapio, IL years.
Rose Ceapio, years.
Victoria Ceapio, brother of Rutteito
age unknown.
Joe Romio, age unknown.
The nine bodies are SO badly burned
that they are hnrecognizable. There
has also been $500 in gold found among
the ruins which belonged to the Ital-
ians. The Italian girl, the only one
saved, says there is still $500 in the
ashes
1t is thought that the Italians became
so confused that they could not find the
stairway, which was a narrow one, and
to reach it required the opening of two
doors in the rear of the building, and
they were burned to death. The 1tal-
ians were very intelligent, and worked
in the Rochester tumblcr works The fire
originated in Kcene's kitchen. All the
household goods, together with Ed
wards tea store, Halls millinery store
and Keene's shoe-shop, are destroyed.
There is insurance on all the stores.
The buildings belonged to John F..
Smith, and were not insured.