The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-22
FATAL CHICAGO FIRE.
Five Persons Buried by Falling Walls
Two Killed.

CHICAGO. March 15.-Shortly before 3
o'clock this morning fire started in ]. s.
Carriers picture frame factory, at 124 and
126 May-st. The building was a brick
structure, loo by 125 feet. and FIVE stories
in hight. II was we'll stocked with picture
frames and material. and equipped with
valuable special design machinery. The
flames made such rapid progress that a
dozen steamers were summoned to the
scene. 4 short time after the fire started
the top of the south wall fell in on the
roof OF Stephen Carriers residence, at 120
May-st., adjoining the factory. The
building COLLAPSED, burying five people.
They were s. j. Charter, uncle of Stephen
Carter; Mrs. E,ienne Charter, his wife;
Rose Charter, ten years OF age; Lille
Charter, twelve years OF age.
The dead bodies of S. J. Charter and
Lille Charter were recovered this morn
ing. Stephen Carter will probably die.
The four other injured victims will re-
cover.
The flames. which started in the rear of
the first story. gained rapid Roadway be-
fore the first stream of water was thrown.
Crowded into the large store-rooms was
vast stock OF dry materials used in the
manufacture of frames and mouldlngs,
and this dry and combustible stuff made
the access of the fire 10 the upper stories
easy. The floors and inside wall were
weakened by the burning of their frame
support, and the fireman who were at
work on the building became
alarmed lest portion of it
might fall. A portion Of the roof fell first
but no fremen were at work on the fifth
floor, they having previously been ordered
down. Crashing down, IL carried with it
great sections OF flooring, thus weakening
the joists that supported the south wall
| This began to totter and soon the top fell.
The mass OF brick fell entirely upon the
roof of Ny. Carriers dwelling, which was
frame structure. This was coz pletely
and instantly demolished, and in the
ruins were the bodies OF five people who
had been sleeping there. The fire had
| been burning but a short time and
Mr.. Carter had returned to the home TO
awaken those who were there.
lmos,simultaneOusly with the collapse
OF the Carter residence a part of the front
wall fell into the street. A number of
firemen were at work at the base of the
factory, and already scores of people, at
tracted by the reflection of the flames,
had begun to crowd close to the burning
building. When the front wall fell they
were driven back and not a few narrowly
escaped injury. Ono fireman was struck
by the falling brick and was taken to his
| home in an ambulance. But the firemen
and police at once began to direc their
attention to rescuing those known to have
been buried under the Carter resi-
dence. An opening through the ruins
Was soon made. leading into the base
ment. The cries of man were heard,
and in another moment Mr.. Carter was
| lifted out He was in a semi-conscious
condition, for in addition TO his broken
leg he was badly bruised abou; the head
and body. Coon, however, he revived,
and was taken TO the residence of friends.
| The work OF rescue was kept up, notwith-
standing a portion of the wall still stand
| ing was sotlering, and threatened to col
lapse and bury the fremen.
By degrees the great mass of bricks and
! mortar was cleared away, and few min
utes later Rose Charter was taken out.
| Her face ard head were badly cut and
| bruised and her left arm broken. She
will recover. Later Mrs. Charter was re-
| covered. her life having been miraculous.
| " saved by heavy door that covered her.
! She. however. received several severe
| bruises and was badly cut about the face.
| Mrs. Charter was not able 10 tell whether
| or not her husband and daughter Lille
| had been killed. II had been aroused by
| knocks at the door," she said, "and had
| begun to dress when the wall fell. I do
| not remember anything else"
The picture-frame factory building was
valued at $4,000 and the stock was worth
! $50. 1000 and were totally destroyed by the
flames. The origin of the fire is I'M
| known.
The dead bodies OF s. ]. Charter and
| Lille Charter were recovered during the
| day. Stephen Carter will probably die.
The four other injured victims will re-
| cover.
Three Children Probably Fatally Burned.
HoLroN, Kas., March 15.-The house of
Benjamin F,eisher, who lives in the south
western part of jackson county, was
totally destroyed by fire. His three chill
dren we're probably fatally burned. In
| endeavoring to rescue them Mr.. Fleisher's
hands and arms were almost burned to q
crisp.
EBIIOnEDCn uIC CMDI nNED