The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-14
MANY LIVES WERE LOST
Lodgers Burned to Death in the
Bowery Mission Fire.
CHARRED BODIES FOUND
Wild Scenes Of Excitement-The Lodgers
Were Panic Stricken-Groped Their
Way Through Binding Smoke
Origin Unknown.


perished by the fire in the Bowery Mis-
sion at los Bowery early this morning.
The bodies were recovered. but so dis
figured to make Identification in
most cases impossible. The only body
positively identified is John Foran of
Stapleton. s. l.. machinist, IS years
Of age. which was claimed by his two
brothers. Another body is thought to
be that of William McDermott of
Brooklyn, a painter. IS years of age.
The register of the lodging house does
not aid in the investigation for Bowery
lodgers as often as not registered under
assumed names. Again such lodgers
are often friendless and leave none to
miss them. and search for them.
thorough search of the premises at
100 Bowery disclosed the fact that III
persons were burned to death AT first
II was rumored that the loss of life was
much greater, but after searching the
ruins very carefully the police and fire.
men discovered IL charred bodies and
removed them to the morgue.
No. lO5 BoWery is one of the best
known lodging houses on that thorough
fare. 1t is called the Bowery Mission
lodging house. and Is conducted by the
Christian Herald. In the basement of
the building there Is a cheap restaurant
The second floor is used exclusively for
mission purposes, gospel meetings hav-
ing been held there daily for several
years.
The four upper floors were fitted as
cheap lodgings. with accommodations for
l5o males, who paid 10. Is and IS cents
each. according to the location of the
rooms Last night almost every bed was
occupied At 1:30 o'clock this morning
one OF the dodgers discovered flames
coming from wash room on the third
floor, but before he had time to alarm
the house the fire was noticed by passers-
by on the street. BY this time the flames
had eaten their way to the top of the
building and We're bursting through the
roof when the alarm was given and the
inmates aroused Wild scenes OF ex-
element ensued. Many Of the dodgers
became panic stricken. They rushed
then TO the Railways and fell over each
other in their efforts to reach the streets.
These on the lower floors got to the
street safely by the stairways, while
those on the upper floor groped sheir
way through the binding smoke 10 tie
fire escape in front of the building. A
majority of them only saved portions
of their clothing. while several az them
were naked
Those who made their way r. the
streets by the fire escapes were super
ficially burned by the excessive heat of
the iron ladders. which in .nanv places
had become red-hot from the flames
within. and in the meantime three
alarms of fire had been sent in and in
few minutes the fremen were busy de-
luging the building with torrents of
water. They finally succeeded in keep
ing the fire within the limits of the three
upper stories Of the structure.
A large detail or police was quickly
summoned to the scene. in charge of
Inspector Cross, and the reserves were
called from the downtown precincts.
This force of officers had difficult work
10 keep the vast crowd in check as well
as to help the unfortunate dodgers.
Many naked and injured were cared for
by people in the vicinity and the most
seriously injured were accommodated at
the Eldredge street station. three blocks
away. Seevral of the most destitute
were brought to the station house in
patrol wagons, and on their arrival they
were partially clothed by members Of
the fire department and kind-hearted
neighbors.
After the fire had been extinguished
sufficiently so that search of the place
was possible the firemen and police en-
tered the building and the work of
searching for the victims was begun.
Several bodies Were found ne3r the win
dows of the two upper HOPS. where
they had been stricken down in at
tempting TO make their way 20 the fire
escapes So many bodies we're found IN
the early stages of the search that it
was estimated that over - persons must
have been killed. However. the officers
overestimated the loss of life,
and II bodies in all We're found.
Some of these were discovered in the
small rooms they had occupied. willis
others We're found in the Railways and
on the stairs Of the fourth and fifth
floors. All of them were naked. and
most Of them We're burned and charred
beyond recognition.
II is thought by the police that only
one of these bodies will oe eventually
identified. This me is desisnat sG as No.
10. II was found in a room on the
fifth floor. In the came roora there was
a satchel. and it is thoIgnt that its con
tents may lead to the Identification Of
the body. As soon as the bodies weie
carried out they We're transferred TO the
police station. and at 4.S0 this morning
the police relinquished their search.
Coroner Zucka, after looking at the
bodies AT the station. gave a permit for
their removal TO the hospital.
Manager Sardensen of the Christian
Herald. who has direct charge of the
Mission lodging house. called at the Ed
redge station later and told the officer in
charge that he would bury the dead.
The loss on the building by fire is esti-
mated at $1,000 and the contents are
damaged TO the extent Of 5000. The
loss is entirely covered by insurance.
The building. which belongs TO the
Chester estate. is leased by the Bowery
mission.
John Wyburn. superintendent of the
Eowery Mission. under whose direction
the lodging house Was conducted. said
to-day: When ] arrived at the scene
of the fire. the firemen had IL under
control and the police were removing
the dead bodies. l started at once 10
@ce fnF h.. NJ nd be rlaR%
where the firse started. IL originated
in the lavora tory. on the third door. I'm
my opinion. and probably caused BY a
lighted cigarette thrown careiessly
among a lot of papers.