The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-18
PERISHED IN A FIRE TRAP
Terrible Fate Of Employees in a
Collar Factory.
TWENTY GIRLS ARE ROASTED
Tragedy Of Conflagrntion in q Collar
Factory-Thrcc Hundred EMPLOYEES
In Panic Many Arc Saved
BY Brave Eircmcu.

Troy, N. Y. Feb. IA fire occurred
late this afternoon in the collar factory
of Van Sandt, Jacobs a. CO., of Troy.
Several girls jumped from the win
dows.
The fire started in ]. Stetheimer e.
Co.'S shirt waist factory and Van Zandt
& Jacobs collar factory. situated in
the same building, at $50 o'clock this
afternoon. There We're 300 girls at
work in the establishments
The flames spread so rapidly that the
narrow stairway which was the only
exit outside of the fire escapes in the
| rear, was almost immediately cut Off.
Nand during the panic that followed
five girls jumped from the windows,
three of them to their death, and many
others We're injured,
The dead: Mrs. Horbort, Mrs. Kane.
Mrs. Foley.
The missing: Miss Mamie Danks,
Miss Kittie O'Connor, Miss Kane, Miss
Foley.
The injured: Miss Mamie Day, in
badly bruised and burned Miss Mamie
Rourke, driven insane by shock: Miss
Mamie Downs, almost suffocated: Miss
Annette Harrington. face and hands
burned; Miss Lille Outhout, West
Troy, badly burned; Miss Clementine
lAlOyu, MISS ttftruue IIioyV MiSS
Johnson, all three of Lansingburg. bad
ly and perhaps fatally burned; James
Ross. crushed by falling walls. leg
broken and seriously injured; Officer
Burke, crushed by falling walls. con-
dition serious: Officer Guy. badly
bruised; officer Watson. scalp wound
and bruised; Alfred Casey. Fireman
Osgood. John Boland, fireman, Eddy
company, scalp wound and leg broken.
Twenty Girls Perishcd.
1t is believed by everybody, even the
proprietors and employees in the shops
that about twenty girls were overcome
before they reached the street and We're
burned up in the building.
People who are familiar with the in
terror of the building and know how
limited are the means of escape, place
the total loss at thirty.
The scene of the catastrophe was at
the corner of Broadway and River
street. Il portion of the city character
lied for its immense business build
ings.
The structure is known as the Bur-
Diet building. is six stories In height.
was occupied by J. Stethelmer e. Com
pany. manufacturers of ladies' shirt
waists, whose factory was situated on
the fifth floor; Van Sandt and Jacobs.
manufacturers of collars and cuffs. who
occupied the three floors below, and a
restaurant and saloon on the ground
hoor. There were also several other
minor enterprises carried ON in the
building.
The fire started in the fifth story. in
the part occupied by Stetheimer 4 Co.
About 5.o5 o'clock this afternoon a
little boy attempted to light the gas in
what Is known as the cutting depart
ment. This is where the goods are and
where the shirt waists are made and
cut. He climbed up on the cutting
table and lighted the gas. Then he
threw the match, which was still burn
ing to the floor and 1t ignited a pile of
scrap cambric. In an instant there was
Il cracking of fierce and uncomfortable
flames and the room was filed with
smoke.
A brave Girls Act.
Miss Lilly Kreiger at the risk of her
own life, rushed through the different
departments of the building and warned
the employees of the danger. Nothing
but the bravery of a volunteer fireman
saved her from death.
The girls rushed about the room.
some of them found their way down the
stairway others succumbed to the
pue LooU sul ol NuBs puB 9Nous 5su7p
some jumped from the dizzy height of
river street windows to the pavement
below. About half of the girls who
were employed on the top floor thought
of the fire escape and found their way
to the ground in safety.
During this time there was a contin-
uous panic and in the rush for place
of safety manw were injured. The
crush on the stairs was something
frightful. About 200 men and girls at
TEMPTED to make their escape by this
exit at the same time. Many We're
trampled under foot, the ones who were
IT,. Alx....
and thrown to the landings, and some
are said to have been left unconscious
on the stairway. The majority of the
employees finally reached the street,
but they were so overcome by excite
ment that 1t was impossible to learn
from them how many had been left in
the building. The girls fairly threw
themselves down the fire escapes to
reach the ground quickly. and the fire.
men had their hands full in carrying
the girls down the LADDERS from the ter
minus of the escape.
iIcartrcnding scenes.
Probably the most heartrending
scenes We're those witnessed on the
streets. The mothers and other rela-
tives of the girls who We're at work
In the factory soon learned of the dis
astrous fire and hurried to the scene.
They gathered around the burned build
making anxious inquiries for the loved
ones. Some of them attempted to rush
up into the burning building. and the
officers and by ISLANDERS found it diff
cult to restrain them. a number of
women We're soon on their knees on the
Ice covered pavements. crying piteously
to Heaven for assistance.
The spread of the tl9m was remark
able. There was no strong wind blow
ing at the time and i'm less than ii takes
To tell it the building was aiire from
top to bottom. Twenty streams of
water seemed to have no effect and
there was every Indication early in the
evening that the entire block would he
consumed. The fire extended into the
big structure north. gutted il: the
Western Union building was burned
out and it was not until about four
hours after the fire started that il was
under control. The loss will probably
reach 100000. The three women who
were killed by jumping from the win
dOws were almost unrecognzable when
picked up. so fearfully We're their heads
crushed
The tiremen who were injured were
caught under falling walls. Superin-
teOlrnt of Police Willard tpnIp