The record-union., 1898-03-17


known as mill construction, and had
two elevator shafs, one in front. one in
the rear, and reaching from the third
story to the roof was a light shaft
which gave the flames every chance,
and it was because of this shaft that
the fire spread with such awful ra-
pidity.
The building was -occun' sa num-
Der of concerns. some of 1-o.n employ
ing large numbers of people It is
estimated that 400 people We're at work
in the building when the fire was dis
covered.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The origin of the fire, which followed
an explosion is in doubt, but the weight
Of evidence seems to be that the ex-
plosion was in the lower part of the
building, for the flames shot up the
light shaft at once.
The sound of the explosion threw the
inmates of the building into panic,
and on several floors a wild stampede
'N5eAAA lO4 lLlG Sleiit clAiNi CAC e1IoA
To add to the panic. the men in charge
of the elevators ran their cars UP to the
top of the building, shouting fire" at
every floor When they reached the top
ened women and started for the bot
tom
The front elevator was in charge of
Harry Gleason, a boy, and the rear
a young man Both of these kept their
heads, showed much coolness and
bravery, and were instrumental in saw
ing many lives. The elevator in the
front of the building was deliberate
affair, in good order, but not calculated
to make much speed in such an emer-
gency as confronted it to-day.
BRAVE ELEVATOR BOY.
Gleason made one trip to the seventh
floor, carried down a load of women,
and although the smoke was rolling
through the building in dense clouds
he started up again At the fourth
floor he stopped to take ON a crowd of
girls from the rooms of the National
Music Company, being assisted in his
work by Miss Katherine Carney. the
forewoman. A man attempted to force
his way into the elevator, but Gleason
showed him back into the hall, that the
women might, have the first chance.
After reaching the bottom of the
shaft with his load of girls. Gleason
was about to start up again, when the
supports Of the elevator machinery ar
the top Of the shaft caught fire, and
seeing that they would give way be
fore the elevator could make another
trip Gleason gave it up.
At the rear St. John did equally coed
work, but was not able to make more
than one trip, as the fire swept through
that part of the building before it at
tackled the front
ONLY ONE FIRE ESCAPE.
In less than ten minutes after the ex-
lplosion all escape Of the inmates by the
stairs and elevators was cut off. There
remained only the windows and the sin
gle fire escape, a narrow thing not over
eighteen inches from side to side. This
was quickly covered with a string of
people, some on one side, some on the
other. AS they scrambled down in fran
tic haste they trod upon one another S
fingers. bumped into one another and
progress was slow and difficult for them
all
HURLED THEMSELVES TO DEATH.
Many of those who could not reach
the fire escape made their way to the
front windows, and it was out of these
that Clark, Smith and Binz hurled them
selves 10 death.
Clark was bookkeeper for the Ohm
stead Scientific Company on the sixth
floor and remained to put the books in
the safe. He might have escaped had
he run on the first alarm. He was first
seen at one Of the seventh story Win
doWs, and a few minutes afterwards
showed himself in window on the sixth
floor. The fire was close up on him,
the floors and walls behind him were
crashing down, and it was certain death
to remain where he was. There was no
possibility of help. and he took his only
chance. Three minutes later he was
dead on the pavement below
Miles A. Smith, salesman for the
Olmstead Scientific Company, also
leaped from window in the sixth floor.
He hesitated some time before taking
the leap, but, like Clark, understood that
it was his only hope. He was instantly
killed, his body being horribly mangled.
Edward Binz. the cashier of Sweet,
Wallach & Co.. on the sixth floor, fell a
victim to his desire to save others, and
to protect his books from harm lie
upon hearing the alarm, ran to the rear
/ Of the store to warn the employees 10
run for their lives. He then rushed back
to his desk gathered up his books and
jammed them into the vault Then he
started for the stairway, but the flames
were ahead of him and he turned back.
There was nothing but the window, and
to this he went. He clambsred upon the
sill, and stood there in view Of the crowd
below. Clark and Smith had already
bedaubed the pavement with their life
blood, and the crowd knew there was
no more chance for Binz than for them.
They watched him in silent horror as he
stood deliberating. The building was a
mass Of flames, and Binz's face and
hands We're badly burned before he
jumped. He pondered the matter but
2 few Sacnnds tha1n sla-t