The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-05-02
LEAPED TO THEIR DEATH.
TRAPPED AMID FIRE.
Nine Hundred Employees Imprisoned in
Burning Factory.

W. c. Donald's extensive tobacco factory
ON Ontario street. Montreal was partially de-
s,royed by IRE Friday evening. The loss
will reach half million, on which there is
no insurance There was not a fire escape
on the outside, nor any appliances on the In
side Of the building for the fighting OF fire.
Even the windows were guarded by heavy
iron screens. presum ibly to prevent theft.
The lire started at y. IN. In tue drying
room and for while smouldored. Then
suddenly the flames burst out and n most
awful panic ensued. There we're utne hun.
dred employees in the building and more than
half OF this number were women AMI girls.
The shfieks OF the women rs they beat
ugains; the iron screens, praying the crowd
TO do something to save them, were most
hear;rcnGinR.
one girl says she jumped from n fourth.
story window and escaped without injury
but her. story seems hardly credible, and
she was apparently strongly excited as she
related her adventures Ida Fortin and
Alphonsin Thadeau, who were among 80 or
more that jumped, are expected 10 die
When the nremen turned out aad raced 10
the corner OF Ontario and lbervilie streets,
they realized at glance their hard task. lu
the huge tve-story building was packed
somo 900 people, aud tho Hamee were already
showing IN the drying and heating rooms,
whore 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 a few cases
torn on 10y the frantic girls. To tho great
horror OF thy panic-stricken people below,
one oi the girls made leap for life and was
dashed almost to pieces on the pavement be-
low. Like so many sheep, many others fol-
lowd. great many of them managed TO
land on top OF shed, and thus broke their
fall. Fortunately the flremen were gradually
able TO put up ladders to tue fourth floor and
thus rescue the majority OF the hall hundred
women who were working there, many OF
whom had tainted.
For half an tour there was n constant
stream Of iltcmen carrying women down
the ladders, though In man. cases the work
had 20 be stopped. because the faines broke
out Unexpectedly ut the place where tht
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 Oh sight
scers. composed mainly Of friends aud rela-
tives Of the employees. prayed anu besought
the iremen to save their loved ones; the clang
OF the engine and ambulance bells, the roar
Of the iltcmen. as they shouted orders TO one
another. and the agoniZlng shrieks OF the
poor women locked up in the upper stories,
combined to make a scene almost beyonu Dc
scripiion.
The greatest horror ofall came when three
firemen, 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 aud shouted to
the crowd below 10 save min Tor Gods sake.
Priests. their soutanes trailing IN the mud,
were murmuring prayers In the street below.
and ns no ladders seemed long enough to
reach him, he seemed doomed. when num-
Der OF young volunteers, after lashing sew
eral ladders together, made u 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 are be-
lieved TO se IN the ruins.
T.2Trtnquiries at the hospital concerning
the condition OF the girls ioiured 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 i've. 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.