Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-03-19
FORTY persisted IN FLAMES
FIRE IN THE B0WERY MISSION
In the Dead of Night Many of the
Inmates Were Awakened to Die
Gallant Rescues by Firemen-
Some Jumped From on High.

New York. March l3.-,Just before
o'clock this morning fire was discovered
in the Bowery Mission at No. l05 Bowery.
The building, which is five-story struct-
ure, contained between lis and 200 ode-
crs. and while the majority of them es-
capped, it is positively known that at least
40 of the men who had gone to sleep there
for the night lost their lives in the con.
haeration. There were many hairbreadth
escapes, some of the occupants Jumping
from upper floors. Several OF those who
jumped were badly injured while Others
escaped without Il scratch.
Origin of the Fire.
1t is supposed one of the dodgers acct
dentally set fire to some paper in Il closet
on the third floor. Someone shouted
Fire" from window, and several pc.
licemen rushed up the stairs to the rescue
of The occupants. BY this time most OF
the dodgers had been awakened and were
rushing about in their night clothes panic
stricken. An alarm was turned in by II
pedestrian who saw smoke coming from
the third floor, when a ledger had thrown
open window to escape being sutlocatcd
and was hanging half way out to avoid
inhaling the smoke.
Those Inside Were Helpless.
BY this time the men who had gone to
sleep in the mission, and been SO sudden
" awakened to battle for their lives in
/ the flames, were in such a condition that
neither the police nor the firemcn could
cope with them. They were mad in their
efforts to escape, and in many instances
/ the tiremen had to struggle desperately
with the dodgers TO bring them to the
street i'll safety.
Jumped Three Stories.
While the tiremen and police We're fight
ing with those in the Railways, a man
made his appearance at window on the
third floor He threw his feet out OIL the
ledge and hung on for a few moments to
the coping. A crowd had gathered i'll the
street, and they cried to him to hold on,
But the flames came out OF the window
and so singed his hands that he was forced
TO let go.
\ cry of horror went up from the crowd
below. The man, before letting 90
threw himself outward, and as he fell the
crowd separated. He landed just beyone
the sidewalk For moment he seemed
stunned. Then he arose to his feet, fei
himself all over, and hobbled away. dis
, appearing in the midst of the crowd.
Firemcn Worked Inside.
The firemen worked inside the buildln.
until the heat and smoke forced them on
one bv one. The scaling ladders and th'
life nets were then resorted to. Water wa
poured into the building in torrents anf
the flames seemed to increase i'll fury
however. and it looked as if the entire
building would be a wreck. Many OF tht
dodgers were carried down on the ladders
These were almost in every instance re,
cued lust as they were about to jump t.
the street from the windows on the upper
floor.
Forty Dead Bodies.
At 3 o'clock, when the flames were I'M
der control. one of the firemen who had
made tour of the entire building emery
ed and reported TO Chief Bonner that he
had seen at least 40 dead bodies. His
report was that he had discovered two
bodies on the first floor five on the sec
ond. eight on the third, Il on the fourth
and ID on the fifth floor