Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-02-20
A TROJAN HORROR.
TWENTY YOUNG WOMEN PERISH IN
CONFEDERATION.
All Troy in Mourning Over tho Black
Page of Its History-A Small Boy
Threw Down Lighted Match
in . Crowded Factory,

Troy N. Y. Feb. 17.-There is mourning
in the homes OF Troy collar girls tonight
An untimely and fearful death overlook
many of them late this afternoon. Work
ing girls, whose days labor was almost
over, were cut down almost without warn
ing by fire.
Three girls jumped to their death from
a burning building.
Distracted, agonized mothers waited for
the return of their daughters at night,
and they waited in vain.
Bright, pretty collar girls who had left
their homes in the morning, full of life
and health and spirits, never lived to tell
the tale of agony, torture and death
Their poor, charred bodies are now resting
under tons and tons of red hot embers,
stone and brick.
Identity even when found will probably
be impossible.
The scene was one that Trojans will
never forget. 1t is a black page in the
city's history unparalleled in its century
of existence.
The fire started in ]. Stetheimer G. Co.'S
shirt waist factory and Van Zandt e.
Jacobs collar factory at $50 o'clock this
afternoon. There were 300 girls at work
in the shop and in Van Zandt G. Jacobs
collar factory, which is situated in the
same building.
The flames spread so rapidly that the
|
outside of the fire escapes in the rear was
almost Immediately cut off and during the
panic that followed five girls jumped from
the windows, three of them to their death,
and many others were injured.
1t is believed by everybody, even by
the proprietors and employees In the shops
that about 20 girls were overcome before
they reached the street and were burned
in the building.
The scene of the catastrophe was at the
corner of Broadway and River street, a
portion of the city characterized for its
immense business buildings. The struc-
ture Is known as the Burdette building.
The building is six stories in height. 1t
was occupied by j. Stetheimer & Co,
manufacturers of ladies' shirt waists
whose factory was situated on the fifth
floor; Van Zandt G. Jacobs manufacturers
of collars and cuffs, who occupied the
! three floors below, and a restaurant and
saloon on the ground floor. There were
also several other minor enterprises car
ried on in the building.
The fire which ended so disastrously,
started in the fifth story in the part &C.
cupied by Stetheimer e. Co.
About 5:25 o'clock this afternoon a lit
! tie boy attempted to light the gas in
what is known as the cutting department.
| This Is where the goods of which the
shirt waists are made are cut. He clamb-
gas.
Then he threw the match. which was
| still burning. to the floor and it ignited a
pile of scrap cambria. In an instant there
was a cracking of fierce and uncontrol-
able flames and the room was filled with
smoke.
A HEROINE.
Miss Lille Kreimer. a girl realized the
imminence of the peril and at the risk of
her own life. rushed through the different
department of the building and warned
| the employees of the danger. Nothing but
the bravery of a volunteer fireman saved
| her from death.
TIE PANIC.
When the employees in the fifth story
realized that the fire was beyond control
scene of great panic Immediately ensued.
The girls rushed about the room: some OF
them found their way down the stairs,
others succumbed to the dense smoke and
sank to the floor and some jumped from
the dizzy heights of the River street win
dows to the pavements below. About half
of the girls who were employed on the
top floor did think of the fire escape and
found their way to the ground in safety.
For 20 minutes after the fire started the
scene was the most exciting ever witness
ed in Troy. During this time there was a
continuous panic, and in the rush for a
place of safety many more were injured.
The crush on the stairway was something
! frightful. About 200 men and girls at
tempted to make their escape by this exit
at the same time. Many were trampled
under foot, the ones who were in front
were knocked off their feet and thrown to
the landings, and some are said to have
been left unconscious on the stairway.
The majority of the employees finally
! rnn nhh tl,A att~ l,,t Z.
como by excitement that 1t was impos-
sible to learn from them how many of
! them had been left in the building.
quite number found their way out by
means of the fire escapes. The scene here
was most exciting one, The girls fairly
threw themselves down the ladders to
reach the ground quickly and the firemen
had their hands full in carrying the girls
down the ladders from the terminus OF
the escape.
Probably the most heartrending scenes
were those witnessed on the streets. The
mothers and other relatives of the girls
who were at work in the factory, soon
learned of the disastrous fire and hurried
to the scene. They gathered around the
burning building. distracted with grief and
fear making anxious Inquiries for their
loved ones. Some of them attempted tc
rush up into the burning building and the
officers and by-standers found 1t Difficult,
|
were soon on their knees on the Ice cover.
ed pavements crying piteously to Heaven
for assistance.
THE CONFEDERATION
The spread of the flames was remark.
able There was a strong wind blowing
at the time and in less time than 1t takes
to tell 1t the building was afre from tor
to bottom. Twenty streams of water
| seemed to have no effect and there was
every Indication carly in the evening thai
tn entire block would be consumed. The
fire extended into the big structure north
Quilted 1t, the Western Union building
was burned out and 1t was not until about
four hours after the fire started that II
was under control. The loss will probably
reach 100000.
The three girls who were killed by
jumping from tho windows were almost
unrecognlzable, when picked up, so fear
fully were their heads crushed.
Many of The injured were those caught
under falling walls.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPES.
While the fire was raging In the Ken
more restaurant Thomas Rosso. an italian
peanut vender, who kept stand in front
of the place, who was inside, had q mar
row escape from DEATH One Of the huge
timbers fell on him and he was imprisoned
In the ruins with fire on every side, OH
GERS Burke, Watson, Gay and James Quinn
a boy went to his aid. More of the south
wall fell in and tho policemen were caught
and badly bruised and cut. officer Burke
was so badly injured that he was taken to
his home. The others returned to duty.
Young Quinn was struck on the chest by
falling timbers and badly suffocated. lie