New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-22
HUNDREDS IN DEADLY PERIL.
ADANGEROUS AND COSTLY BLAZE AMONG
CHICAGO FACTORIES.

PANIC-STRICKEN FEMALE EMPLOYEES SAVED WITH
DIFFICULTY a SCORE OF FIREMEN MAR
RowLY ESCAPE DEATH-THE LOSS $4,000
Chicago. Nov PA fire which caused prop
erty loss Of 100000 and imperilled the lives Of
800 persons. mostly young women, originated at
5 o'clock this afternoon on the third floor Of
Charles Emmerich & Co.'S feather goods fac
tory No l75 to Isl South Canal-st. The conha-
grafton was attended by scenes Of intense excite
ment and score of firemen narrowly escaped
being killed by fire and falling walls. When the
flames were raging most furiously. in spite Of
the best efforts of twenty-five engines and a
small army Of iremen frebrands carried
by the wind to adjoining manufacturing build
ngs. and it looked as If many more would have
L. go
The seven-story BRICK building. extending from
No. 175 Canal-st south to ia ckson-st.. the nine
story brick building adjoining on the north and
the greater part of the four-story brick building
FL the same direction We're entirely destroyed
These buildings occupied nearly the whole Of
the block on the west side Of Canal-st. between
Adams and Jackson SIS. me seven and nine story
buildings were owned by Warren Springer, and
the owner Of the four-story structure. which is
one-thiId saved. is William J. Wilson. The
buildings We're amply insured.
The following We're burned out: Shober &
Carquevile. photographers. who occupied most
Of the Excelsior Building at the corner OF Jack
son-st; George l.. Lloyd d Co. electrotype and
stereotype machinery manufacturers; George f.
Lloyd & c.. Cleveland. bicycles; Charles En-
mer.ch & CO.. feathers and down goods; Schnadig
Brothers & Co W mems shoes; Abners shirtwais.
factory. GibsOn's gas-iXture factory. Chambers's
brick machinery factory, Russell Piano Com
pany. Banner shirtwaist factory. Epworth
plano and organ factory. Heusner Bakery Com
pany. Samuel Lyon. mill supplies George r.
Blake, sieaW pump works: knOwles's steam
pump works Derby cycle Company Strouss.
Esendrath q DIOn, manufacturers OF mattresses
and quilts.
The following were damaged by falling walls
and water: Miller Hendricks & Co.. No. SO West
Jackson-st. packers Of beet and pork; Hayward
Windsor Company, confectioners, No. 16l
Canal-s;.
The losses 10 the above are estimated at $3.50 600
and the buildings loss at $4,000.
The fire started from an explosion Of chemicals
used In cleaning feathers and the rapidity with
which the flames spread in the Emmerich factory,
where 200 girls ana women were employed. ere
ated a panic In that building. The frightened
employees on the upper floor rushed for the ele-
vators. which were small and few, and the stair
ways were soon jammed with the horror-strcken
and fainting women. Cool-headed men and police
officers. summoned by the fire alarms in quick
succession. came 10 the rescue and prevented a
fire horror Officers stood guard at the elevators
and stairways TO prevent more than safe num-
Der Of women using those means Of exit. The eX
element was as great among the 200 female en-
plOyes Of the Banner Waist Company, whose fac
tory adj0ined the Emmerch factory. Only a thin
partition wall divided the Springer buildings,
which were pra ideally one and in an alarmingly
short time the flames had extended up and down
and through the walls to the buildings on each
side The police and firemen had hard task to
get all the young women in safety 10 the street
many having 10 be carried out un Conscious or else
driven out because they wanted to save their
small personal property while there was not time
for ali 10 get their clOaks and nats. So far as
the police learned. all who were employed in the
buildings escaped without serious injury al
though many Were bruised and scratched