The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-26
THERE ARE NO ESCAPES.
Girls Made Frantic by the
Flames Jump From a
Window.
MANGLED ON A ROOF BELOW
Criminal CareIessness the Cause of
Many Being Injured-Some
Fatally.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, April 25.-W. G.
McDonald's extensive tobacco factory on
Ontario street was partly destroyed by fire
this evening. The loss will reach half a
million dollars, on which there is no insur-
ance.
There was not a fire escape on the out
side nor any appliances on the inside of
the building for the fighting of the fire.
Even the windows were guarded by heavy
iron screens, presumably to prevent theft.
The fire started at 4c'clock in the drying
room and for a while smoldered. Then
suddenly the flames burst through and a
most awful panic ensued. There were 900
employees in the building and more than
half this number were women and girls.
The shrieks of the women as they beat
against the iron screens, praying the crowd
to do something to save them, were most
heartrending. AS the flames burst through
four fremen were on the roof, and for
twenty minutes their lives were despaired
OF, until finally ladders were found to bring
them down.
They were badly burned. The girls were
nearly all on the fourth floor and were
frantic with fear. With much trouble one
of the iron lattices was knocked off, when
one of the girls jumped and was almost
shattered to pieces when she reached the
roof of an adjoining warehouse. In a
similar manner the others followed to the
number of thirty. The ambulances were
kept busy carrying the women and girls
to the hospital, and some were driven in
cabs to their homes. So far only one is
known to be dead, but several are believed
to be in the ruins.
1t was nearly midnight before the place
could be entered safely, and owing to the
darkness very little work can be done be-
fore morning.
The Associated Press correspondent in
terviewed several who escaped. They say
the scene on the fourth floor was beyond
description. When the first rush for the
stairway occurred. the passage was solidly
packed, and many tainted and fell under
the feet of the crowd. Then rush was
made to the windows. But the crowd
forgot about the heavy screens which
guarded that means of escape. Frantic
women tore their hands beating against
the cruel distractions, but the irons were
too strong for their feeble blows.
Death seemed inevitable until Marie
Gagnon found a window that yielded to
the determined blows of those who could
get their united efforts to bear This win
dow overlooked an extensive one-story
warehouse. Without a moments hesita-
ton the woman leaped onto the roof
below. Encouraged by her daring and
impelled by the smoke and flames which
were making rapid progress in that part of
the building, other women followed her ex-
ample until about twenty manned and
bruised forms were piled on the warehouse
roof. By this time the passageway had
become sufficiently cleared to permit
more rapid clearing of the building. The
work of rescue by means of fire extension
ladders was in progress and many almost
inanimate forms were carried out by the
firemen.
On the third foor, where the fire started,
the scenes were almost as heartrending,
but, being warned sooner, the operatives
there were Die to escape quicker by the
stairways. Many were terribly crushed in
the mad rush, but the most serious casual
ties were confined to those on the top floor.
Great indignation is expressed against
the officials whose duty it is to see that the
law is enforced in regard to the fre-escape
appliances.
From inquiries at the hospitals at late
hour tonight concerning the condition of
the girls injured by jumping from the
window OF the burning building, it was
learned that but little hope is entertained
for the recovery of at least five. Marie
Gagnon, the first girl to make the terrible
leap from the fourth floor, was picked up
with her back broken and cannot live
many hours.