The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-16
FINE MINUTES
OF HORROR
Woolsey Paint Works Build
ing Collapses and I'M
prisons. Eight Girls
in the Ruins
FIRE LEAPS TO DEV0UR THEM
Gallant and Efficient Rescue
Work by Employees and
Neighbors.
ONE MAN MAY BE DEAD
Several Persons Seriously and
Painfully Bruised and
Burned.
Cause of $4,000 Disaster an Un-
solved SEystery-Junciion
Trestie In Peril.
ONE MAN MAY BE DEAD
Cause of a $4,000 Disaster an Un
solved uystery-Junciion
Trestle in Peril.

Inc InCSl N6SiSIl1 "a liAS NAAN-A-
wooden buildings on Grand street. near
Pacific avenue in which the C. a
Woolsey Paint Works are located, col
lapsed at nine o'clock this morning in
mysterious manner The collapsed build
ing took fire and was totally destroyed.
1t was reported at first that some OF
the employees who were in the puilolng
when it collapsed We're killed, but care
full canvass, made after the first excite
ment had subsided, showed that no one
was missing.
A number of persons were injured, how
ever A complete record of those who
were in the building when it collapsed
cannot be had as the employees are Known
at the shop by their given names only.
The person who received the most seri-
Gus injuries was John Mclaughlin, fore
man of the shipping department. He was
injured by falling tinbers ana was more
ar less seriously burned about the face
and hands. He was attended by the am
aaiance surgeon and was taken home. All
the men in the shipping department were
bruised and scratched to some extent, but
none were fatally or even very seriously
hurt except the foreman. OF the women
these were injured
Mamie Kate and Sarah Salmon, of
Grand street, near Woodward street, who
were all bruised about their bodies.
Annie Leslie. of Mercer street, hair
burned and bruised about shoulders.
Mamie Ross. slightly injured
The building which collapsed was a two
story structure. The ground floor was
used as the shipping room and in the rear
as the dry color manufacturing shop.
About twenty-five men were employed in
these two departments and were at work
when the accident happened. On the upper
floor, which is fitted up with small hand
presses and printing apparatus, eight
girls, in charge of Sarah Salmon, who
has been in the employ of the Woolsey
Company for over twelve years, were busy
making sample cards.
Fred Woolsey, who has charge of the
shops, was at his desk in the main build
ing, which runs the entire length of the
other detached buildings, at the end of
the building where the accident occurred.
He probably had the first intimation of
the accident. A horse was standing in
the stable yard to the east of the ship
ping room and directly in front of Mr..
Woolsey's window. Suddenly Mr.. Wool
sey saw the horse break away from its
fastenings and madly dash to the ex-
treme end of the yard, where it stood,
trembling with fear. Mr.. Woolsey had
not recovered from the astonishment
caused by the strange actions of the ami
NAL, when he was startled to see the
whole front of the annex fall over into
the yard He Immediately thought of the
women who were working in the upper
af +tao I11f11 inO In q n N c q n
the crash flames shot high into the air,
and Mr.. Woolsey knew that if the women
had escaped the falling timbers they were
prisoners He Immediately ordered out
the trained fire department which he has
organized among the employees for just
such emergencies. 1t was impossible to
send in fire alarm from the building,
as the fire box was in the portion of the
building which was burning.
In the meantime, however, the crash
had been heard all over the neighborhood
and men came running from every dIrec-
ton. Director of Education Thomas Deg
nan was talking with e. A. Dugan in
his feed store near by at the time. Mr..
Degnan at once sent in fire alarm from
his private signal box, and then both
gentlemen, with Joseph Sharkey, an en-
ploye of Mr.. Dugan's, hurried to the
scene and engaged in the work of rescu-
ing the women. They were confined in
the rear part of the upper floor, huddled
together in the smaS space which had
remained in tacts They were in a state
of terror and were shrieking for help and
praying by turns. Sarah Salmon, the vet
eran forewoman, tried to reassure them
but in vain.
The men secured ladders and breaking
Ia the windows dragged and carried all
of the women to safety. Some of them
were badly scratched and bruised, and
two or three were suffering from slight
burns. Mamie SWartZ, who lives at No.
$40 Grand street. was one of the first on
the scene. She assisted the men to get
the women out of the building and took
dressed their wounds. When the girls
were taken from the building they were
in their dirty working gowns. Their street
costumes and winter wraps were destroy
ed In the flames
The employees fire brigade did good
work in fighting the flames before the de-
partment engines arrived The men bent
their energies toward saving the other
buildings. Chief Denmead ordered three
engines all that could work well, owing
to the situation of the building, to the
fire, and was there himself to take charge.
Word was received at Police HeadQuar-
building fell At that time the captains
were holding their morning consultation
with Chief Murphy. In the first report it
was stated that several persons had per
ished in the flames. Chief Murphy sent
all the police captains and Inspector
Iange to the scene at once. He also or
dered out all the reserves. Over a thou
sand persons had gathered at the fire. The
police promptly roped off the street for
block in either direction, and kept the
crowd in admirable order.
There was no hope Of saving any por-
tion Of the burning building, SO the fire.
men played on the surrounding ones. The
flames spread to the trestle OF the juno
tion Railroad, and II looked for 9 time