Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-18
Fierce Flames Sweep Through Shirt Waist and
Collar Factories Employing 800 Girls.
Several Jump to Death from Windows Others
are Cremated---About 30 Missing.
Most Terrible Scene Ever Witnessed in Cty-Many Wonder
full Escapes--Story of the Disaster.

Troy, n. y, Feb. l7-Fire started at
| $50, this afternoon, at j. Stcthcimer q
Co. 5 shirt waist factory and Nanzandt x
| Jacobs collar factory, both in the same
building. There were 800 girls at work
| in both establishments.
Tbs 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, and during
| TIE panic that followed. five girls jumped
from the windows. three to death and
many others were injured
Four are missing. Sixteen were in
jured, four of whom may die. Among
the injured are three officers and three
tircmen. 1t is believed by every body that
about 90 girls were overcome before they
reached the street and were burned in
the building. People familiar with the
interior of the building and who know
how limited are the means OF escape,
place the total of lives lost not less
than 30.
The scene of the catastrophe was the
corner Of Broadway and river street, a
portion of the city characterized by i'm
mense business buildings.
Inc etTuCturt Is hUpWD as inc DuTuCtle
Building. is six stories in height, and oc-
cupied by ]. Stetheimer & Co., manufac
Gurers of ladies shirt waists. whose factory
was situated on the fifth floor; Nanzanut
Il Jacobs, manufacturers of collars and
| cuffs, who occupied three floors below !;
| and Il restaurant and saloon on the ground
| floor. There were several other minor en-
tcrprlses carried on in the building
Tho fire started in the fifth story, in
the part occupied by Stetheimer & Co.
About 5.25, little boy attempted to
| light the gas in the department W here the
goods of which shirt waists are made are
| cut. He climbed up on table and lighted
| the gas Then as he threw the match,
still burning, TO the floor, it ignted a
| pile Of scrap cambria. In an instant there
| was a cracking of fierce and unco1-
! troilable flames and the room was filled
with smoke.
| Miss Lille Kreiger. at the risk of her
| life, rushed through the different depart
| menis of the buildings and warned the
employees OF the 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 likely to prove disastrous, scene of
great panic ensucd.
The girls rushed about the room, some
found their way down the stairway, Others
-uccumhed to the dense smoke and sank
to the floor, and some jumped from the
dizzy height of the River street windows
TO the pavements below. About half the
girls employed on the top floor thought of
the fire escape, and found their way to
the ground in safety.
For ~ minutes after the fire started the
,ceue was the most exciting ever witnessed
IN Troy. During this time there was a
continuous panic. and In the rush for
places of safety many We're injured.
The crush on the stairway was fright
ful. About 200 men and girls attempted
to escape by this exit at the same time
Many were trampled under foot, the ones
in front were Knocked from their feet and
thrown to the landings, and some are said
10 have been left unconscious on the stair
way.
The majority of the employees reached
the street, but so overcome by the excite
ment that it was impossible to learn from
them how many persons were left in the
building. The girls who came down the
IL
the ladders to reach the ground, and
quickly the firemcn had their hands full
in carrying the girls down the ladders
from the terminus of the escapes
Several relatives of the girls attempted
to rush into the burning building, and it
was dii1icult to restrain them.
The spread Of the flames was remark
able. There was strong wind blowing
~, L.. i;
sfire 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 be
consumed.
The fire extended into the big structure
north and Quilted it: the Western Union
building was burned out, and 1t was not
until about four hours after the fire
started that it was under control The
loss will probably reach $500. 900.
The three girls killed by jumping from
the windows were almost unacceptable
when picked up. so fearfully were their
heads crushed. Many of the injured were
those caught under falling walls
While the fire was raging in the Ken
more restaurant, Thomas Rosso, an Italian
peanut vender who was inside, had mar
row escape from death. One OF the huge
timbers fell on him and he was imprisoned
in the ruins with fire on every eide.
Officers Burke, Watson, Guy and Quinn
and boy went to his aid. More OF the
south wall fell in and the policemen were
each badly bruised and cut. Officer Burke
was so badly injured that he was taken
to bis home Tho others returned to duty
Young Quinn was struck on the chest
by falling timbers and badly ininred. The
Italian was rescued later and taken to the
hospital. The fircmcn injured were caught
under falling walls.
Superintendent OF Police Willard made