New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-18

MISSING.
D.NKs. Mamie.
FOLEY MisA
KA1'fs Miss
OCONSOR. Kittie.
INJURED.
POLAND John fireman. Eddy Company; scalp wound
BURKE -- policeman: crushed by falling walls;
dif"n -orioas
CASEY AIRED fireman Orgood Company: spine injured
DAY. Mamie. IN iurei and hruisci
DOWNS Mamie. nearly suToca'eA.
GUY --. policeman. badly bruised.
HARRINGTON. Annette face and hands burned
trule. all Of IAnsns'urg. lady and perhaps fatally
KREIGER Lulie badly bruised md burned
ovTHovT IAlle West Troy. badly burned.
ORMsIY. John fireman osgool Company. knee hurt.
ROSS Jeres crushed by falling walls. leg broken and
seriously injured.
RorRKE. Minnie. driven insane by shock
WATSON. --. policeman. scalp wound and bruised.
The scene Of the catastrophe was at Broad
way and Rlvcr-st.. a portl)h OF the city noted
for It's immense buildings. The structure that
burned is known the Burdette Building. II
Is six stories in height, and was coupled by
J. Stethoimer & Co.. manufacturer Of women's
shirt waists whose factory on the fifth
floor: Van Zandt & jacobs. manufacturers OF
collnrs and cuffs. who occupied the three floors
below. and restaurant and saloon on the
ground floor. There were also several other
minor enterprises carried on In the building.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire which ended so disastrously started in
mo ffth story in The part occupied by stetheimer
G. Co About 525 o'clock this afternoon "A little
boy attempted To Hight the gas in what is known
as IN. cutting department. lie climbed up on
tho cutting table and lighted the gas Then he
threw the match which was still burning - the
floor and II igniied a pile II scrap camoric. In
an instant there was 4 "rackling of uncontrol-
Liable flames and the room was filled with smoke.
lIiss Lilo Krelger. cIi.ar girl. realized the I'M
m.ncuce = ihc peril and AZ the risk ~ her own
He rushed through the different departments OF
the building and warned IN" employees of the
danger Nothing but the bravery of a volunteer
fireman saved her from death.
When the employees I'm the NTH floor realized
that the fire was beyond control. and was likely
10 prove disastrous. scene ~ great Ianic I'M
mcliatcly onsucd The girls rushed about the
room and some Of them found their way down
The stairway. while others snccumbed t. the
dense smoke. and sank 70 the floor Others
JUMPED from the dizzy height OF the RIVER
81, windows to the payements below. About
half of the girls who were employed on the
top noor thought o. the tlre-escapes. ana iouhu
AN AWFUL FIGHT FOR LIFE.
For twenty minutes after the fire started the
scene was the most painful eyer witn"ss'' IN
Troy During this time there was continuous
panic. and in the rush for place Of saie'y many
we're injured. The crush on the stairway was
something frghtful. Abou; 200 men and girl'
attempted to make their esc9pc by this exit ri
the same time. Many were trampled under to't
The ones who were IN frort were Knocked rom
their feet and thrown TO the landings ana some
are said To have been left unconscious on '"e
stairway The majority Of the employees ilha"y
reached the street. but they were go overcome py
excitement that it was impossible 10 learn rom
them how many had been left In the puii""S.
Quite a number found their way out by means OF
the fire escapes.
The scene was a most exciting one. the girls
throw themselves down the ladders to reach
the ground quickly. and the frcmen hau 'neii
hands fun in carving the girls down the la"-
ders from the terminus of the escape froo-
ably the most heartrendng scenes were those
Witnessed on the streets. The mothers anu
other relatives of the girls who were at "o'N
In the factory soon learned or the uis"S'''"
fire. and hurried to the scene rhey sa'"i
around the burning building, dis'racteo win
grief and fear making anxious inquiries 'o'
loved onos Some of them attempted 10 rush
up into the burning building. and the officers
and bystanders found 1t difficult to restrain
them number Of women were soon on the'r
knees on the ice-cOvered pavement cryAis
piteously to Heaven for assistance
The spread OF the flames was hao'e'
| There was a strong wind blowing at the time ana
in less time than IT takes to tell 1t the building
was afire from top to bottom. Twenty streams
] .affp
! every indication early in the evening that '"e
| entire block would be consumed The IRE eN-
| tended into the big structure north ana burned
! II ont. the Western Union building was burned
| ont. and II was not until about four hours aIter
/ the fir. started that it was under control ING
/ loss Will probably reach 100000
The three young women VINO were h''ie" o'
Jumping from the windows were almost u'ieuoe
n.zable when picked up. SO fearfully were the''
heads crushed.
Many Of the injured were those caught uhuer
falling walls.
BRAVE WORK TO SAVE LIFE
| While the fire was raging In the hehihoro
restaurant Thomas Rosso. an italian peanut
vender with stand in front OF the place. VINO
WAS inside had a narrow escape from death.
One OF the huge rlmbers fell on him. and he
was imprisoned In the ruins with hre on every
side. Officers Burke, Watson and Guy and james
Quinn q boy went to his aid. More OF the