The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-05-01
LEApED TO THEIR DEATH.
TRAPPED AMID FIRE.
Nine Hundred Employees Imprisoned in
Burning Factory.

W. c. Donald's extensive tobacco factory
stroyed by Are Friday evening. The loss
will reach half million, on which there Is
no Insurance There was not fire escape
on the outside, nor any appliances on the in
side OF the building for the nyhtins Of flre.
Even the windows were guarded by heavy
iron screens, presum ibly to prevent theft.
The fire started at y. IN. In the drying
room and for while smouldered. Then
suddenly the flames burst out and most
awfu! panic ensued. There were nine hun
dred employees In the building and more than
half OF this number were women AMI girls.
The shfieks Of the women as they beat
against the iron screens, praying the crowd
TO do something to save them, were most
beartrending.
One girl says she jumped from fourth
story window and escaped without injury
but her, story seems hardly credible, and
she was apparently strongly excited us she
related her adventures Ida Fortn and
Aiphonsin Thiadeau, who were among 80 or
more that jumped, are expected to die.
When the flremen turned out and raced 10
the corner Of Ontario and Ibervlile streets,
they realized at n glance their hard task. 1u
the huge nve-story building was packed
some 900 people, and the flames were already
showing IN the drying and heating rooms,
where the fire broke out.
The work OF rescue was speedily seen to be
difficult one. In front Of each window was
thick wire gauze. which was In few cases
torn oil by the frantic girls. To the great
horror OF the panc-stricken people below.
one OF the girls made leap for life and was
dashed almost to pieces on the pavement be-
low. Like 30 many sheep, many others fol-
lowd. great many of them managed to
land on top OF q shed, and thus broke their
fall. Fortunately the fremen were gradually
able TO put up ladders to the fourth floor and
thus rescue the majority Of the half hundred
women who were working there, many OF
whom had tainted.
For hnlf an bour there was n constant
stream Of flremen carrying women down
the ladders, though In man. cases the work
had to be stopped, because the flames broke
out Unexpectedly at the place where tn.
rescue work was going on. In several
instances the clothing OF the women caught
Are, and many OF them reached the side
walk half nude.
The scene which the street presented was
most terrible. The surging crowd OF sight
seers, composed mainly OF friends and rela-
tives OF the employees, prayed and besought
the firemen to save their loved ones; the clang
OF the engine and ambulance bells, the roar
OF the flremen, as they shouted orders to one
another, and the agonizing shrieks OF the
poor women locked up In the upper stories,
combined to make q scene almost beyond de-
scription.
The greatest horror Of all came when three
fremen, viau, Charette and Burwell, were
caught on the roof as the flames burst
through. viau and Charette managed to es-
cape by means OF rope and ladder, but
Burwell found every avenue cut on, with the
flames closing around him. He alternately
raised his hands in prayer and shouted to
the crowd below to save min for Gods sake.
Priests. their soutanes trailing In the mud,
were murmurng prayers in the street below.
and as no ladders seemed long enough to
reach him, he seemed doomed when num-
Der OF young volunteers, after lashing sew.
eral ladders together, made a venture, and
finally brought him down.
The girls were nearly all on the fourth
floor and frantic with fear. so far one is
known to be dead and several others arc be-
lieved TO be In the ruins.
From inquiries at the hospital concerning
the condition OF the girls injured by jumping
from the windows OF the burning building,
1t was learned that but little hope is enter
tanned for the recovery OF at least Ave. The
first girl TO make the terrible leap from the
fourth floor to the warehouse roof was Marie
Gagnon, who was picked up In an insen-
sible condition. with her back broken.