The record-union., 1895-11-22
1 COnfagratiOn Attended by Scenes o.
Intense Excitement.
THE LIVES OF HALF A THOUSAND
PEOPLE IMPERILBD.
Several Firemen Also Miraculousiy
Escape a Horrible Death-Large
Buildings and Their Contents are
Rurned. Causing q Loss OF rive
Hundred Thousand Dollars-1ne
Fire Started by an Explosion Oh
Chemicals.
Chemicals.

Chemicals.
CHICAGO, Nov. 21.-A fire which
caused a property loss of S3O0,Ooo ana
imperiled the lives Of half thousand
persons, mostly young women, broke
out at 3 o'clock this afternoon on the
third floor of Charles Emmerich q Co
feather and down goods factory, 40
1S1 South Canal street. The conhagra-
ton was attended by scenes of intense
excitement, and a score of firemen mar
rowly escaped during the progress OF
the fire by falling walls.
When the flames were raging most
furiousIy, in spite of the best efforts OF
twenty engines and small army OF
firemen, ,frebrands were carried by the
wind to adjoining buildings, and 1t
looked as if many more would have TO
go. The seven-story brick building ex-
tending from 175 Canal street south to
the corner of Jackson street, the nine
story brick building adjoining on the
north and the greater part OF the four
story brick building in the same dlrec-
tion were entirely destroyed
These buildings occupied nearly the
Canal street, between Adams and jack
son streets. The seven and nine-story
buildings were owned by Warren
Springer and the owner of the four
story structure, which is one-thlrd
saved is William ]. Wilson. The build
ings were amply insured.
The following firms were burned out:
Shoeber & Carquiville, photographers,
who occupied most of the Excelsior
building at the corner of Jackson street;
George E. Lloyd & Co, electrotype and
stereotype machinery manufacturers;
George E. Lloyd & Co. Cleveland, Vic
tor bicycles; Charles Emmerich & Co,
feathers and down goods; Schnadig
Bros & Co. ladies' shoes; Abner Shirt
Waist Factory; Gibson's Gas Fixture
Factory; Chambers Brick Machinery
Mandatory; Russell Piano Company;
Banner Shirt Waist Factory; EpWorth
Piano and Organ Factory; Heusner
Bakery Company; Samuel Lyon, mill
supplies; George F. Blake, steam pump
works Knowles steam pump works;
Derby Cycle Company; StrOuss, Eisen-
drath & DrOn, manufacturers of mat
tresses and quilts.
The following were damaged by fall
ing walls and water: Miller, Hendricks
& Co, 53 West Jackson street, packers
of beef and pork: Hayward & Windsor
Company, confectioners, 16l Canal
street.
The losses to the above firms are esti-
mated at $3.50 600, and the building
losses at $50, GOO.
The fire started from an explosion of
chemicals used in cleaning feathers
and the rapidity with which the flames
spread from the Emmerich factory,
where 200 girls and women are en-
ployed, created a panic in that building.
The frightened employees on the upper
haH he 81
were small and few. and the stairways
were soon jammed with terror stricken
and fainting females. COOl-headed men
and police officers summoned by the fire
alarms in quick succession came to the
rescue. and prevented a fire horror
officers stood guard at the elevators
and stairWays to prevent more than a
safe number of women using those
means Of exit.
The excitement was as great among
the 200 female employees of the Banner
Waist Co. whose factory adjoined the
Emnerich factory. Only thin party
wall divided the Springer buildings,
which were practically one, and in an
aiarmingly short time flames had eX-
tended up and down and through the
walls to the buildings on each side. The
police and fremen had hard task to
get all the young women in safety TO the
street, many having to be carried out or
else driven out because they wanted to
save their small personal property.
while there was not time for all to get
cloaks and hats.
So far as the police learned, all who
were employed in the buildings es-
caped without serious injury although
many were bruised and scratched.
In the early stage of the fire an en-
CINE company and the chemical engine
men were sent to the sixth floor of the
IN he TO
fight the further spread Of the flames
TO the north. The smoke from the burn
ing feathers made a dense suffOcating
cloud for the fremen to work in, and
they saw when too late that the fire had
broken in front of them and cut off
treir escape in that direction by the
ladder Shouts of warning were sent to
them from the Chief and his Marshals.
The imperlled men forsook the:
taDDaratus and struck out in the blind
Ing smoke for the stairway. The hose
was the only thing to guide them 10
safety. and they half fell, half climbed
down to the street. Several of the men
had their hands and faces badly cut
and bruised, and their appearance on
the street was hailed with delight by
the thousands of spectators
The falling of the towering walls
on all four sides was thrilling and
DANGEROUS incident Of the blaze
Without any warning three stories Of
the smaller building on the Canal
street side came crashing to the street
Firemen and officers who were stand
ing or working in front rushed from
under the mass of tumbling brick until
the building on the opposite side of the
street stopped them, and they barely
escaped being struck.
The same scene was witnessed on the
JackSon-stTeet side, when the three
top stories came topping across the
street without warning. When part
of the west wall of the Excelsior build
ing fell it made a big hole in the two
story brick of the Miller-Hendricks
Packing Company
When the fire was apparently under
control large part of the north wall
OF the nine-story structure crashed onto
the four story Wilson building. start
ing flames and playing havoc with the
contents. The spreading of the flames
in this direction gave the firemen addi-
tional work, but they were helped by
the thick tirewal in the center Of the
building. The fire was under control
ir two hours, in spite of a high wind
and big start.
Nothing but parts of the Springer
buildings remain, all the floors having
been burned through. carrying with
them the costly machinery. lithograph
presses and other stock.
TRANSCONTINENTAL LINES.
Meeting Looking Toward Joining the
Western Association.
CHICAGO Nov u scor+i