Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-02-22
LOSS OF LIFE
Thousands of Dollars Worth
of Property Consumed
by Fire.
ALL FIGHTING FOR LIFE
No Detailed Search of the Build
ing Made-Rumors that at
Least Twenty Perished.
ALL FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Troy, N. Y, Feb. 18-A small boy
carelessly throwing mstch into a pile
OF oily waste caused q mass of flames
and $50 girls and women frenzied with
fright, fighting for life as the hot flames
chased them with hungry tongues, was
the beginning of fire tonight that con-
sumed thousands of dollars worth OF
property and caused the loss of many
lives.
It was just thirty minutes before the
closing hour in Stettheimer & Co.'s shirt
waist factory on River street and $50
girls and women were working rapidly
to finish up. In the cutting room on
the fifth floor 150 girls were closing up
the day's assignments and preparing to
leave.
Lille Kreiger called a small boy to
light the gas over her work. The boy
struck match and threw the burning
stub on the floor. 1t struck a pile of
oily rags and in an instant the girl was
envelopep in flames. At once the room
became struggling, shrieking, mass of
humanity, filling the windows, fire es-
capes and the only stairway.
Policeman Farrell, seeing that in the
panic number were liable to Jump, let
down the awning over the entrance. 1t
was barely down when forms came fly-
Jog Down from the fifth and sixth stoi les
and bouncing from the awning fell to
the sidewalk.
Nearly every window had a female
form dangling from it and when the fire.
men arrived there was q hustle to get
the ladders up. The iremen and po-
licemen worked like heroes, saving many
lives. At least dozen women and girls
were carried down the ladders or drag
ged out of the corridors.
The fire burned so iercely that no de-
tailed search of the building could be
made and from what can be learned
there are many girls and women on the
three upper stories, either lying in faint
ing tits or overcome by smoke. This
fact led to rumors that at least twenty
women are dead and the story does not
seem improbable.
About eight o'clock firemen heard
shrieks coming from the two story
building on the south. 1t was discov.
cred an Italian peddler named Rossi,
who kept stand in front of the build
ing, was pinioned by the legs under q
heavy beam. Three policemen started
to assist him and with the fremen,
worked for three quarters of an hour.
They had just about gotten him loose
hnn UIth hn
came crashing down and the Mortified
spectators saw the group buried from
view. When the smoke and dust clear.
ed there was q rush OF willing workers,
and in little while the men were taken
out, All were injured and had to be
removed to the hospital. The italian
will probably die.
Superintendent Willard of the police
force, says he saw number of girls at
the window who never came out, but
fell back into the flames.
The total loss by the fire is from
$3.50, 900 to $500, 900, with about 300, 900
insurance. At least 500 people are
thrown out of work. The firmen work.
ed tonight with the Thermometer below
zero.
Following is the list Of dead, obtain
able up to III O'Clock: Mrs. Margaret
Carroll, Mrs. Foley, Mrs. Robert Kane,
all jumped from the windows.
Injured: James Quinn, crushed un-
der a wall, will die; Mrs. Johnston, bad
ly burned, will die; Frank Rossi, italian.
bruised by fslliog wall, will die.
Missing and probably dead: Mamie
Banks. Kste OConnor, Miss O'Nsill,
Miss Herberscher.
A dozen or 30 others are known to be
badly burned or bruised, but it ia not
thought fatally.