The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-26
Several Fatally Hurt md q score
Badly Maimed or bruised and
Taken to the Hospitals.
WITHOUT MEANS OF ESCAPE
NO OUTSIDE LADDERS. AND IRON
SCREENS ON THE WINDOWS.
Hundreds Of Employees Penned In the
building ana Rendered Frantic
by Approaching Flames.

MONTREAL. Que. April 25--w. c. Nc
Donald's extensive tobacco factory, on On
tario street East. was partially destroyed by
fire this evening The loss will reach half .
milion. on which there IL no insurance.
There was no fire escape on the outside.
nor any appliances on the inside for fight
ing fire. Even the windows were guarded by
heavy iron screens. presumably 10 prevent
theft.
The fire started at p M. in the drying
room and, for while, smoldered. Then
suddenly the flames burst out and an awful
panic ensued There were nine hundred en-
'ployes in the building and more than half
OF this number were women and girls. The
shrieks of the women, they beat against
theniron screens, praying TO the crowd TO do
something to save them, were most heart
rending. AS the flames burst out there were
three firemen on the roof and for fully
twenty minutes their lives were despaired
of, till finally ladders were found to bring
them down. They were badly burned. The
girls were nearly all on the fourth floor and
frantic with fear. With much trouble one
of the iron iattices was knocked off, when
one of the girls jumped and was fatally in
jured when she struck the roof Of an ad-
joining warehouse. In similar manner the
others followed to the number of thirty.
The ap1bulances we're kept busy carrying
the women and girls to the hospitals. and
some were driven in cabs TO their homes.
So far, one is known TO be dead and sew
eral Others are believed to be in the ruins.
From inquiries at the hospitals at late
hour tonight 1t was learned that but little
hope is entertained for the recovery Of at
least five of the girls who jumped from the
burning building. The first girl to make
the terrible leap from the fourth foor 10
No, Chr NH
was picked up in an insensible condition.
with her back broken. She cannot live
many hours. So far as the flremer have
been able to prosecute the search In the
ruins no bodies have yet been discovered.
1t was nearly midnight before the place
could be entered with safety. and owing
to the darkness. effective work cannot be
done until daylight.
A reporter interviewed several OF tho
women who escaped with light injuries.
They say the scene on the fourth floor was
beyond description. When the first wild
rush for the stairway occurred the pass
ageway was solidly packed and many
tainted and fell under the feet of the
frenxied crowd. Then a mad rush was
made to the windows. But the crowd for
got about the heavy iron screens which
guarded that means of egress. Frantic
women tore their hands beat
ing against the distractions. but
they were too strong for their
feeble blows. Death seemed inevitable
until Marie Gagnon found window that
yielded to the determined blows of those
who could get their united efforts to bear.
This window overlooked an extensive one
story warehouse. Without moments hesi-
tation. the unfortunate woman leaped into
the air and landed on the roof below En-
couraged 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 example until about
twenty MANNED and bruised forms were
piled on the warehouse roof. BY this ting
the passage had become sufficiently cleared
to permit a more rapid clearing OF ssthe
building The work of rescue by means OF
the fire extension ladders was in progress.
and many almost inanimate forms were car
ried out by the brave firemen. On the third
floor, where the fire started. the scenes were
almost as heartrending. but, being warned
sooner the operatives were able to escape
quicker by the stairways. Many were ter
ribly crushed in the mad rush. but the most
serious casualties were confined to those on
the top floor.
Great indignation is expressed against the
officials whose duty 1t was to see that the
law was enforced in regard to fire escapes
and appliances.
fatally injured: Mary Gagne. Lionel Berard.
sarah Seeraphin. Mary Flynn. Maxine Con-
kas. L. RosecelIe Adele Gagnon, Rosanna.
Beauchamp. Ida Foster, II. Stinnette. Jo-
seph Gagnon fireman from station No. IL,
- - s.t.- nl<,txdf