The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-18
FATAL FLAMES IN A FACTORY.
,uE LOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATED As
HIGH As TWENTY.

Other Girls, Three F1Femens lhree
PoIicemen and Citizen HOre or
Less Seriously Injured-A Mad Rush
for stairway Cut on by the
Flames.
Troy. \. Y, Feb. 17.-Fire started in ].
etetbeimer & Co.'S shirt factory and Van
zant & Jacobs collar factory, situated
IN the same building, at $50 o'clock this
afternoon. There were 800 girls at work
in the establishments.
The flames spread so rapidly that the
narrow stairway, which was the only
avit outside of the fire escapes in the
rear was almost entirely cut of, and
dnring the panic that followed five of
the girls jumped from the windows,
three of them to their death, and many
others were injured.
The dead are: Mrs. Hobert Mrs. Kane
and Mrs Folly.
Four girls are known to be missing, but
,t is believed by relatives of the employees
and by the proprietors that over twenty
GIRLS were overcome and perished.
In addition to these nine girls, three fire.
mon. three policemen and one citizen were
more or less seriously injured by the fire,
or bv falling walls. One girl was driven
insane.
The scene of the catastrophe is at the
corner Of Broadway and River streets,
q norton of the city noted for its inn
mense business buildings. The structure
was known as the Burdette building, was
six stories in hight, ana was occupleH py
I Stetheirner & Co, manufacturers OF Ia
dies shirt waists. whose factory was sit
uated on the fifth floor; Van Zandt a
Jacobs manufacturers of collars ana
cuffs who occupied the three floors be-
low and a restaurant and saloon on the
ground floor. There We're also 6eVeral
minor enterprises carried on IN the bullu-
The fire. which resulted so disas trously,
started in the fifth story, in the part oc-
cupied by Stetheimer & Co. About 5:25
o'clock this afternoon, a little boy llght-
ed the gas in the cutting department.;
Then he threw the match, which was stili
burning, to the floor and lgnited a PIE
of scrab cambria. In an instant there was
a cracking of fierce and uncontrollable
flames and the room was filed with
Miss Lille Krieger. girl, realized the
immnence of the peril, and at the risk
ferent departments of the building and
warned the employees of their danger.
Nothing but the bravery of a volunteer
fireman saved her from death.
When the employees in the fifth story
realized that the fire was beyond control
and was likely to prove disastrous, a scene
of great excitement ensued. Some jump
ed from the dizzy hight of the River
street windows to the pavements below.
ployed on the top floor thought of the
fire escape, and found their way to the
ground in safety. The crush on the stair
way was something frightful. About 2)O
men and girls attempted to make their
escape by this exit at the same time. Many
were trampled under, foot, the. ones who
We're in front were knocked from their
feet and thrown to the landings, and
some are said to have been left uncon-
The spread of the flames was remark
able There was a strong wind blowing at
the time, and in less than it takes to
tell it. the building was afire from top
seemed to have no effect and there was
every indication early in the evening that
the entire block would be consumed.
The fire extended into the big structure
north cutting it, The Western Union build
ing was burned out and 1t was not until
about four hours after the fire started that
it was under control. The loss Will prob
ably reach 100000.
The three women who were killed by
jumping from the windows were almost
unrecognizable when picked up, so fear
fully were their heads crushed
Superintendent of Police Willard made
careful Investigation this evening and
reported shortly after midnight that 1t is
almost certain that twelve girls were
burned in the building.
Wilmington, N. c., Feb. 17-Half the
business portion of the town of Green
VILE N c., was destroyed by fire early
yesterday morning. The loss is estimated
at Sl50000 with insurance for about one
third the total amount Ten 2-story
brick stores with the opera house, TOUR
1-story brick stores and eleven frame
buildings were burned. The fire broke
out in a barber shop in the opera house
block.
Philadelphia, Pa, Feb 1.-THE soap and
spice works of P c. Tomson & Co, on
Otrego street, above Washington avenue,
and the plant of the Philadelphia Coop
erage Company, adjoining, were destroyed
by fire this morning. Several dwellings,
on Washington avenue in the vicinity OF
the manufactures were badly damaged
The total loss is estimated at $3.50, 000 di-
vided as follows: Tomson & Co, 100000;
Philadelphia COoperage Company, SZ5OO,
ana nearby property, $4,000 The losses
are covered by insurance
Toledo, o., Feb. 17.-Collingwood Music
Hall, on Collingwood avenue, attended
exclusively by the elite of the city, was
totally destroyed by fire at 4 o'clock this
morning. The building was opened only
two months ago. 1t cost $35,GO0, and II IS
said to have been fully insured
Martins Ferry, O., Feb 1.-THE Buck
eye Glass Works, owned by A D. Sea-
mon of Wheeling, w. Va, one of the
largest plants of the kind in the country,
was burned this morning. The loss IS
$4,000. The glass house was run with
hon-uniOn men, which was the cause or
Hlucn rlOtlng some time ago. L ue origin
OF the fire is unknown.
Boston, Mass, Feb 1.-THE express Of
fee of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford Railroad Company, old colony
4 division on Kneeland street, this city,
was burned this forenoon. About 800 feet
q OF the entire train house was destroyed
ana forty feet of the main depot shed was
managed. Six passenger cars were prac-
s. ucally destroyed, and several badly dam
81 aged The main depot, containing the
waiting rooms and offices of the system,
was not injured. The loss is estimated at
Cincinnati. O., Feb. III. H. Lucke &
sons cigar factory, a large four-story
olldlng on Elm street, between Fourth
11lu tlfth streets. was destroyed by fire
"-hght. The loss is heavy.
Rapidly Becoming Insane.
p.Maysville. Ky, Feb. 17.-Robert Laugh
W. VINO confessed to the murder of his
i%ae and niece. and to criminally assault
lgf