Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-11-27

Firemen Buried in a Burning
Chicago Building.
Girl Factory Employees In ured by Jump
ing from Windows.

structure at the corner of Van Buren,
and Franklin streets, was burned yes
terday, entailing a loss of $$375,OO0 upon
the owners and tenants of the building,
and causing the loss of five lives, the
probably fatal injury of two others, and
the injury of six other people, all OF
whom are expected to recover. The
dead are:
PATRICK j. O'DONNELL, lieutenant Of
Engine company No. 2.
MARTIN SHERRICK, pipeman.
JOHN DOWN, pipeman.
JOHN PRENDERGAST, pipeman, all
crushed by falling debris.
KITTY L~ANDGRAFF, jumped from
fourth story window, injured internally
died at county hospital.
The injured are:
Harry Nell, jumped from fourth window
internally injured and left arm broken;
Nellie Turner, jumped from third-story
window; internally injured; will die.
Aggic McLain, overcome by smoke; will
recover.
Olga Kellar, overcome by smoke; will re
cover.
Hattie Brennan, overcome by smoke; will
Edna Rittert, overcome by smoke; will
recover.
Mary Pink, overcome by smoke; will re-
Daniel McNally driver for engine COM
pany, buried beneath debris; will recover.
Building Filled with Fac tories.
The fire broke out in the seven-story
terra Gotta building at 276-21S Market
street, extending in an 81" to Van Blu
rem street. The first and second floors
were occupied by Stein & Beirs, clothing
the third and fourth by Henry Newman,
clothing; the fifth by the Amazon Cloth
ing company, the sixth by Fallows &
Co, collars and cuffs; the seventh by
Townsend & Gale, clothing and dry
Goods anI 4hn NotiOpO1 Hhroud POm-
pany. The building will probably be en-
tirely destroyed with all its contents.
Each of the firms employed women,
and as soon as the presence OF the hre
was made known all were thrown into a
state of great excitement. PANE
reigned everywhere and before some OF
the girls could be restrained they had
climbed out Of the windows and jumped.
One of the first to appear at the third
story windows was Nellie Turner. She
screamed for help and someone on the
ground shouted for her to jump. She
did not DO this, however, and left the
window. A moment later she appeared
at another window near a fire escape
and climbed upon the sill. She chung to
the fire escape and commenced to de-
scend. Officer Flaherty was also On the
escape between the first and second
story, and when he saw the girl above
him he started up to aid her. He was
100 Idlo. one SuuUonly lOSI nor Ddldnce
and fell headlong to the street. The
officer tried to catch her. but could not
reach her. She was picked up almost
unconscious and carried into a drug
store. StimulantS were administered
but she did not revive. She was re-
moved to the county hospital.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
The fire seemed to have broken loose
on several floors at the same instant,
L. III IN IL
was owned by Kuhn, Nathan q Fischer
and it cost $150,000. 1t was insured for
$120, 600.
The fire started on the fourth floor,
it is thought. in rooms occupied by Stein
& Biers. Thirty girls were employed
there and they all made frantic efforts
to escape. Among the first to come to
their aid was Joe" the janitor of the
building. He assured the girls that if
they would remain quiet and composed
they would get out safely. He led as
many of them as he could induce to ac-
company him to the main stairway and
they reached the street without injury.
Those who remained behind, however,
Jared worse.
Fire Captains Heroic Deed.
The escape of Olga Kellar of $50 Wau-
bansia avenue is regarded as marvellous
by those who saw her when she ap-
peared at a ~fourth-story window. She
was employed by Stein & Biers. and
when the room begain to fill with smoke
she ran to a window overlooking Van
Buren, street. She threw it up and
one hand to the narrow strip of wood
on the opposite side of the sash. She
saw a few feet below her a ladder on
which two fremen stood and she pre-
pared to jump.
"Wait; don't jump shouted Cant.
or1 @ who hol o1~,oe4 uooaIol II.
window. Great volumes of smoke
poured out of the window where the girl
stood. To the hundreds of persons who
were watching her from the street the
seconds seemed like hours. Cheer after
cheer went up for Capt. Hermanson as
the window when he suddenly stopped.
None on the street knew the cause. He
had heard the girl scream II as he
looked up he saw her reel and release
her hold on the window siding. She had
been overcome by smoke and had fallen.
Capt Hermanson braced himself and as
the unconscious form dropped he seized
it with his right arm. The effort nearly
cost him his own life for be narrowly
escaped falling. From hundreds of
threats cheers were heard as the brave
captain descended the ladder with his
human burden. He was greeted with
unmistakable signs of approval as he
carried the girl across the street into a
drug store. She was unconscious, but a
physician said she would recover.
Five Firenen Carried to Their ID ath.
A few minutes before 1 o'clock the sec
ond and third floors fell carrying with
them the first. On the latter six mem
bers of engine company No. 2 were work
ing.
1t was late last night when the res
cuers recovered the last of the bodies.