Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-20
TROY'S DISASTROUS FIRE
Uncertainty in Respect TO Reaching
Victims In the Ruins.
MAY BE HOURS, PERHAPS DAYS
Late Particulars of the Terrible
Disaster.
STORIES or SOME WHO ESCAPED

More Than Hundred Girls Employed in
the Burned Burdette Building, Many OF
whom Probably Perished-Fire Engines
still Deluging the Ruins
Troy, N. Y, Feb. 16. Several fire
engines are still pouring water upon
the ruins Of the Burdette building fire.
If any of the victims are in the ruins
it will be impossible to reach their
bodies for hours, perhaps for days. No
additional names of missing people
have been reported. Some of those
who escaped uniniured had thrilling
experiences.
Miss Bouha Knight, who was an en-
ploye in the office at Stettheimer's
was one of the girls who got out safely.
According to her story the first she
knew of the conhagration was when
one of the girls in the Office, which
was located on the top floor of the
building, came up from the floor below
and cried out that there was a fire.
"We thought at first that she was
joking,'' said Miss Knight, "bnt a
moment later the cry of fire came from
below and we all rushed for the stairs.
Some of the girls, myself included,
stopped to get their wraps. When we
got to the stairway we found that the
flames had cut off the exit there. Then
some one shouted to go to the elevator
and we all rushed there. We found
the door of the elevator fastened and
could not open it. by that time the
fire was upon us, having spread up to
the top floor. My hair was singed by
the blaze. With the others rushed
through the stitching room to the door
on the north. Here there was another
stair, used by the employees in VaDsandt
& Jacobs factory, while the Stett-
heimer's entrance was on the south
side OF the building. We were able to
street in safety, the fire not having yet
spread to the north side. / did not see
any girls jump, but knew that some of
| them tried to get out by the fire escape.
There were nine girls in the Office and
probably 100 were employed in the
stitching room adjoining. Only few
OF the girls had gone home. !"
Miss Bertha Ruebe, who was en-
ployed in Vansant & Jacobs shop, was
also one of those who escaped by the
north stairway. She had time enough
| to get her hat and wraps but the flames
were rapidly consuming everything be-
fore them when the girls in that shop
made their exit.
According to Deputy State Factory
| Inspector Draine there were plenty
avenues for escape from the building.
The flames broke out on the fifth floor,
which was divided into two parts.
with a door in the centre, known as the
| fire door and opened only in such an
emergency. The south part where the
fire started, was occupied by Stett-
heimer y Go. and the north part by
Vanzandt, Jacobs & Co. From each of
these two departments there was a
stairway leading direct to River street.
II the door in the partition separating
the two departments had been opened,
which is question yet unsolved, the
employees of Stettheimer & Go. could
have escaped through the department
Of Vanzandt, Jacobs & Co. and down
the north stairway. None of the en-
ployes of Vanzandt, Jacobs & Co. was
injured SO far as can be learned. The
presumption is strong that the door
between the two departments was not
opened.
Later-Insuranc men estimate the
loss on the Burdette building at
$40, 900, two thirds covered by insur-
ance. On the Mccarthy building the
damage, mostly by water, will not ex-
ceed So, 600.
Following is the list Of dead: Mrs.
Catherine Kane, 1875 Fourth street; /;
Mrs. Margaret Carroll, Monroe street; /;
Mrs. Johanna Doyle, Fifth avenue.
The injured, in addition to those
whose names have previously been
given, are; Miss Lena Jarvis, arms
and hands burned; Miss Mamie Red
den, head burned; George Nixon, head
cut. head and hands burned.
Miss Millie Bradt. They were at work
ON the upper floor, in the office. The
whereabouts of others mentioned as
missing have been accounted for. 1t
is not now believed that there are any
bodies in the ruins.