Connecticut western news., 1896-02-20

dow and Were Killed on the Pavement
 BeIow-Many Seriously Injured - Fire Caused by Boys Carelessness- TROY, X. Y, Feb. lS.-A small boy care lessly throwing a match into pile of oily waste, blasting mass of flames. 800 girls and women, frenzled with fright. fight ing for life as the hot flames chased them with hungry tongues, was the beginning of a fire that consumed thousands of dol ars' worth of property and caused the de- slruction of many lives. From the out side of the high building the first notice of impending disaster was the sight of bevy of girls as they rushed out upon the fire escapes from the w ndows. those who were more fortunate crowding out at the en- trance. Following them and wrapping about them was a mass of smoke, with flashes of hot flame in lurid streaks. Then the mass of lrenzied humanity, finding the egrcsses too small for instant escape, began climbing over the sides of the es- capes, and bundles of clothing filled with w-ithing humanity dropped at the feet of The mortified passersby. Within 20 mfn- uies after the fire started there were three dead women laid upon the floor of an ad- joining store and at least a dozen burned and maimed girls and women taken to the hospital or to their homes. ...
 IL was just 30 minutes before closing time in Stettheimer & Co.'S shirt waist farlory. on River street, and the $50 girls and women were working rapidly to fin- ish up. In the cutting room, on the fifth 1cor. the 50 girls were closing up their days assignments and preparing to leave when the whistle blew.
 Girl Enveloped In Flames. ] Li'lie Kreiger. who was working near a machine. called to a small boy to light the gas over her work. The boy struck a match and threw the burning stub to the floor. It struck pile of oily rags, and in an instant the girl was enveloped in 1 flames. With her clothes and hair burn ! ing, she rushed 10 the window, and in an instant the room became a struggling, shrieking mass of humanity, filling the W ndows. the fire escapes and the only stairway. Jamming and pushing. tearing each others clothes from their backs, turn ing in narrow corridors to find a sister or mother orfriend, the number in the exits augmented every minute by those from the other floors. these girls and women fought ! for their lives 10 g,t away from the fiery flames. that seemed to grow to monstrous size
 With rare presence of mind, Policeman Farrell. who was>on the street, seeing that in the panic number were liable to jump, let down the awning over the entrance Barely was it down when two or three forms came flying down from the fifth | and sixth stories. and. bounding from the awning, fell to the sidewalk.
 Lillie Kreig,r, over whose machine the fire starttd d. was one of these. She ruck l the awning, fell on her back and bounded to her hands and knees on the walk. She , got up and staggered about until people helped her to her feet again.
 Fell to the Pavement Below. By this time nearly every window had a female form dangling from 1t. and when the firemen arrived there was hustle to get the ladders up. At the center win ! dow on the sixth floor woman. hanging ! hy her hands, was forced out by the flames { licking her face. With a last shriek she ! let go and came tumbling over end over urtl she struck the pavement When D Sed up. 1t WIS found that she was Mrs Margaret Carroll. Her spinal column was forced through into her brain. Just be- low her, in another window, hung a wom- | an, turning apI ealing glances to the | crowd. The black smoke was pouring from the window, but IS vet no flames were visible. and the crowd yelled encour- ! | =inGly to her to hold on, but higher red \ L. me reached out just then and licked her i ace, and in an instant Ter body was re- uunding from the pavement. She was l Mrs. Foey widow, and when picked up | was Gead. ... ! On the same floor. hanging from anoth- er W ndow, was a woman, and salvation in ' tbe sh; re O a ladder was almost within ! her grasp wien her strength failed. and ] sine went whirling down to death. She was | A-rs. Kane.
 | Under Falling Walls
 The flames ate down through three floors so quickly that the Western Union Tele- graz h company, the Iessup & Goeppne- CrccAery company and Van Zandt x Ja- cobs' collar manufactory had no time to save anything
 i About o'clock the fremen heard shrieks coming from the two story build ing on tbe south, and they discovered an Italian peddler named Joseph Rossi, who kept a stand in front of the building, pin toned by the legs under heavy beam. l Three policemen started to assist him, and, with a fireman. worked for three-quarters of an hour. They had just about got him loose when, with roar, the great south walls came crashing down, and the horri-
 
 l buried from view.
 When the smoke and dust had cleared, there was rush of willing workers, and ina little while the men were taken out All were injured and had to be removed ! to the hospital. The Italian will proba bly, die. but the brave policemen, while badly hurt, will recover.
 Lottie and Nellie Hull, sisters, grasped each other tightly by the hands and start ! ed down the stairs from the sixth story. At the landing of the fifth floor they en- countertd wall of flame and smoke. Nel- lie had on only her corsets and skirt, hay ing been making he- toilet. Lottie. who was also partially dressed, threw her dress over Nellie's face, and together they went ] through the flames. Lottie's hair was burned completely of when she reached the sidewalk. but Nellie was burned only about her bare arms. They were taken home.
 Fatalities and Losses.
 The fol owing were killed by jumping from the windows: Mrs. Margaret Car roll. Mrs. Johanna Fo.ey and Mrs. Cath tTine Kane.
 The following is a list uf the injured Mamie Day, jumped and badly hurt; An nette Harrington. badly injured: Lilian Oathout, burned; Mann Rourke, burned Lillian krciger, burned and badly bruised James Quinn, under wal. will die; Mrs. Johnston, badly burned. will dic; Frank Rossi, Italian, bruisrd by falling wall; Policeman Burke. bruised hy falling wall Policeman Watson, bruised by failing wall; Fireman McGuire, bruised by fall ing wall; Lottie Hull, severely burned Nellie Hull, badly burned.
 The total loss by the fire is from s250,- 900 to $500, coo. with about s100, 900 in- suranee.' At least 500 people are thrown out of employment