The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-01
Seven Persons Lose Their
Lives at HObOken.
One of the Fires Was Caused
by an Incendiary.
A Mother and Her Five Children
Suffocated While Asleep. =.

New York Feb. 1.-Two hres oc-
Cured in Hoboken, N. j.. yesterday
which resulted In the loss OF seven lives.
Many poor people were made homeless
and even had narorw escapes for their
lives. The fires occurred In different
parts OF the city, and one OF them is De-
lieved to have been Of incendiary origin.
The first fire started in the three-story
frame building ut 410 Newark street.
There a mother and five children lost
their lives. At the other fire little giri
was burned to death. The dead are:
Mrs. Nellie Schroeder. 40 years old. wife
Of Charles Schroeder.
Her children, Henry, II years old;
Kate, years; Maggie. years; John'
years; Willie g months; Mable Mangies.
The second fire was at 163 TO 159 Four
teenth street. 1t was there little Ma
bel Mangles perished. Her sister FLOR
ence was seriously burned, but Is ex-
pected to recover.
1t was about midnight when the fire
was discovered in the ramshackie puiid-
ing at 41O Newark street. Several fami-
lies lived in the building. the lower floors
of which were used as blacksmith shop
and a carpenter shop. The Schoeders
lived on the top floor. Charles Schroeder
who is a barkeeper out of work. was
not at home when the fire started. His
wife and children were asleep In their
rooms. 1t took but moment for the
flames to get complete control of the
building. All but the Schroeder family
ma
their escape, a number of them getting
to the ground from the windows. After
the firemen had got TO work, 1t was dis
covered that the Schroeder family was
missing. and every effort was made to
reach the top of the blazing structure.
Flames and smoke drove the men back,
and IL was not until the building was al
most completely gutted that the firemen
were able to get to the Schroeder apart
ments. This was about an hour after
the blaze began. Mrs. Schroeder was
found lying on the bed. which was part
lv burned. with her infant on her breast.
Two of the other children lay on the
bed, and one on the floor There was
flicker Of life in the woman, and she
was quickly borne down the stairway
and through the still burning hall. She
|
children. all dead, were brought down.
also. bu. the body Of the fifth could not
be found then by the almost asphyxiated
rescuers. An hour later, however, when
the fire was almost extinguished, a more
thorough search of the rooms was made
and the body of the fifth child was found
under the bed close to the wall. Mean
while Schroeder himself, who had been
tsl,x al
appeared upon the scene. but the ca
lamity did not sem to AFFECT himself
lamity did not seem to affect himself
Hardly had this fire been put out than
the men were compelled to hasten to
Fourteenth street, where fire had got
control of the building at 157. Within
a few minutes after the outbreak, the
entire house was a mass Of flames. and
men, women and children appeared at
the windows in their night clothes and
called frantically for help. A number
Of thrilling rescues were made. and all
| the tenants, except the family OF Henry
| G.. Mangles, on the top floor were got out
| in safety. Mangles and his wife and
| family were awakened by the smoke and
| the roar of the flames, and tried to make
| their escape by the stairway. They
| were met by wave of flame and driven
| back into their rooms. Eventually, and
| by the use of ladders from an adjoining
| house, all were taken out, except the
| child, Mabel. She had been lifted to the
roof, but, on taking hold of the edge of
| the scuttlehole. found II was hot. and let
| go her grasp. She fell to the narrow
| landing at the head Of the stairs and
rolled down into the furnace beneath.
| One Of the other children was severely
burned. and was sent to st. Mary's hos
| pital.