The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-14
Lodging House Fire Was
Started by Cigarette.
ELEVEN OCCUPANTS DEAD
They Slept on the Upper Floors
and Escape Was Cut OF.
WILD SCENE. OF EXCITEMENT.

was one OF the best known lodging houses
on that thoroughfare. 1t was called the
Bowery Mission lodging house and was
conducted by The Christian Herald. In
the basement there was a cheap restaur-
ant. while on the ground floor gospel
services were held daily for several
years. The four upper floors had ac-
commodations for $50 males.
Saturday night almost every bed was
occupied. At 1880 Sunday morning one
OF the lodgers discovered flames coming
from a wash room on the third floor, but
before he had time TO alarm the house
the fire was noticed from the street. By
this time the flames had eaten their way
to the top Of the building and were
bursting through the roof.
When the alarm was given and the in
mates aroused a wild scene of excite
ment ensued. Many of the dodgers be-
came panic stricken. They rushed into
the Railways and fell over each other in
their efforts to reach the street Those
on the lower floors got to the street safe
ly by the stairways, while those on the
upper floors groped their way through
the binding smoke TO the metal escapes
In front of the building. The majority
OF them only saved portions cf their
clothing. Those who made their way
to the street by the escapes were super
ficially burned by the excessive heat OF
the iron ladders. which in many places
had become red hot from the flames
within.
In the meantime three alarms OF fire
had been sent in, and in few minutes
ha h,,a a
ing. They succeeded in keeping the fire
within the limits OF the three upper
stories. A large detail OF police was
quickly on the scene, and the reserves
were called from Ia precincts. This
force Of officers had difficult work to
keep the vast crowd In check, as well as
helping to rescue the unfortunate Iodg-
ers. Many of the injured were cared for
by people in the vicinity and about 80 of
them were Seomfnodated at the Everett
street police station. Several of the
most destitute were brought to the sta
ton house ia patrol waoons and on tn Fir
arrival there were partially clothed by
members of the force and kind hearted
neighbors.
After the fire had been extinguished
sufficiently the work of searching for the
victims was begun. Several bodies were
found near the windows on the two up-
per floors where they had been stricken
down while attempting TO make their
way TO the escapes. SO many bodies
were found in the early stages of the
search that II was estimated that over
40 persons must have been killed. How
ever. the officers over-estimated the loss
of life. and IL bodies I'm all were found
Some of these were discovered in the
small rooms they had occupied, while
others were found I'm the Railways and
on the stairs of the fourth and fifth
floors. All Of them were naked and most
OF them were burned and charred beyond
recognition. 1t Is thought by the police
that only one of these bodies will be
identified. IT was found in room on
the fifth floor. In the same room there
was a satchel, and IL is thought that it's
contents may lead to the identification
Of the owner.
Manager Sardison OF The Christian
Herald, who had direct charge of the
mission and the lodging house, called at
the Eldridge street station later and told
the officer in charge that he would bury
the dead. The loss on the building by
80 y 80 ot SsbVV anu liIc COIlttIltS
are damaged to the extent OF $4,000 more
The loss is covered by insurance.
John n. Wyburn. the superintendent.
said: When i arrived at the scene OF
the fire the fircmen had it under control
and the police were removing the dead
bodies. i started In at once to ascertain
the cause and the exact place where the
fire started. found to my satisfaction
that 1t originated in the lavatory on the
third floor. and was probably caused by
q lighted cigaret thrown carelessly In
lot or papers. IL is strictly against the
rules or the house to smoke in the build
Ing, but IL is known to be the habit Of
many OF the dodgers to do so. and on
account OF this the night clerk Ia sup
posed TO inspect the lavatory every hour
There were 165 names on the register.
Two-thirds OF them were sleeping on the
third floor and fifth floor. Nine Of the
bodies were found lying i'm the beds. and
IL Is supposed that some Of the men never
woke from their sleep"
their lives were: Elias Cuddab. %
Insofar as the process of Identification
has been completed the men who lost
years old; John Foran. Stapleton. E. L.:
- McDermott, 25 years old James
O'Rourke. ~ years old. Philadelphia;
William Soden. 3s years old. Spotts-
wood, N. j.
Injured: Robert J. Ashman, ~ years
old. badly burned about the feet; Lieu
tenant Graham. fireman. burned about
the hands: George Wilson. "a years old.
burned about the face and hands. All
Of the injured will recover.