The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-22
Great Blaze At Chicago
The City Is Visited by a $5OO,OOO
C0nflaqrati0n.
MANY LIVES ARE IMPERILLED
Seven and Nino Story Brick Buildings arc
Destroyed - Inmates. Mostly Young
Women. are Rescued with Diff
Guilty Cause Of the Fire.

Chicago, Nov. 2l.-A fire which caused
loss of $50O.O00, and imperilled the
lives of half a thousand persons. mostly
young women. originated at O'Clock
this afternoon on the third floor OF
Charles Emmerick & cOmpany's s
feather and down goods factory. 175-lSl
South Canal street. the confagratiOn
was attended by scenes Of intense ex-
citement and q score of firemen narrow
ly escaped being killed by fire and fall
ing walls. When the flames were rag
ing most furiousiy. in spite of the best
efforts of % engines and a small army
of firemen. firebrands were carried by
the wind to adjoining manufacturing
buildings and 1t looked as II many more
would have to go.
The seven-story brick building ex-
tending from LIS Canal street south to
the corner of Jackson street. the nine
story brick building adjoining on the
story brick building in the same direc-
tion were entirely destroyed. These
buildings occupied nearly the whole of
the block on the west side of Canal
street, between Adams and jackson
streets. The seven and nine STORY buiid-
ings were owned by Warren Springes,
and the owner Of the four-story struc-
ture which Is one-third saved. ia VIII
nam y; Wilson. The buildings were
amply insured
The following firms were burned out:
Shober & CarQueville, lithographers;
George 70. Lloyd & company, electro
type and stereotype machinery manu-
facturers; Charles Emmerich & COM
pany. feathers and down goods; Selma
dig Brothers & company. shoes; Alb
ner Shirtwaist factory; Cibson's Gas
Fixture factory: Chambers Brick Ma
chinery manufacturers: Russell Piano
company; Banner Shirtwaist factory;
Epwcrth Piano and Organ, factory;
Samuel Lyon. Mill supplies: Heusner
Bakery company; George F. Blake.
steam pump works; Knowles Steam
Pump works; Derby Cycle company:
Strouss, Eisendrath and Dron. manu-
facturers of mattresses and quilts. The
following were damaged by falling
walls and water: Miller. Hendricks
& company. packers of beef and
pork; Hayward & Windsor company,
confectioners. The losses to the above
firms are estimated at $350,0O0. and the
building loss at $l5O,6O6.
Origin Of tho Fire. -.-.
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 and women were employed,
created a panic in that building. The
frightened employees on the upper floors
rushed for the elevators. which were
small and few, and the stairweys were
soon jammed with the horror stricken
and fainting females. Cool headed
men and police officers summoned by
the fire alarms In quick succession,
came to the rescue. and prevented q
fire horror. Ofiicers stood guard at
the elevators and stair ways to prevent
more than a safe number OF women us
ing those means Of exit. The excite
ment was as great among the 200 fe-
male employees Of the Banner WAIST
cornpany, whose factory adtOins.
Only thin wall divided the Springes
buildings. which were practically one.
=! and in an alarming short time flames
had extended. uc and down ana
through the walls to the buildings on
each side. The police and firemen had
a hard task to get all the young wo-
men in safety to the street, many nav
ing to be carried out UNCONSCIOUS or
else driven ovt. because they wanted
to save their small personal property
while there was not time for all to get
their cloaks and hats. So far as the
police learned all who were employed
in the buildings escaped without Sc
rious injury, although many were
bruised and scratched.
Narrow Escape Of Fircmcr.
In the early stage of the fire an en-
cine company and the chemical engine
men were sent to the sixth floor of the
nine-story building In the rear to fight
the further spread of the flames to
tine north. The smoke from the burn
ing feathers made a dense sunocating
clcud for the firemen to work In and
they saw then too late that the fire had
broken out in front Of them and cut OFF
| their escape in that direction by the
ladder. Shouts of warning were sent
| to them from the chief and his mar
shals. The imperilled men forsOok their
apparatus ard struck out in the blind
| ing smoke for the stairway. The hose
| was the only thing to guide them to
down II and the stairs to the street.
Several of the had their hands and
faces badly cut and bruised and their
appearance on the street was hailed
with delight by the thousands of spec
tators
The falling of the towering walls on
all four sides was thrilling and dam
gerous incident OF the blaze. Without
| any warning three stories of the small
er building on the Canal street side
came crashing to the street. Firemen
and officers who were standing or
working in front rushed from under the
mass of tumbling buildings on the east
| side. The same scene was witnessed
on the Jackson street side. when the
three top stories came toppling across
| the street without warning.
When the fire was apparently under
control large part of the north wall
Of the nine-story structure crashed on
the four-story Wilson building. start
ing flames and making havoc with the
contents. The spreading of the flames
in this direction gave the firemen ad-
ditional work. but they were helped by
the thick fire wall in the center OF the
building. The fire was under control
in two hours in spite OF q high wind
and big start.
BURIED IN LIME STONE.