The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-14

New York. March 1S.-A thorough
search of the premises at 1O5 Bowery'
which were partially destroyed by hre
at an early hour this morning, disclosed
the fact that II persons were burned 70
death. At first it was rumored that the
loss of life was much greater, but alter
searching the ruins very care1uiiy. the
police and firemsn discovered IL charreo
bodies and removed them to the morSue
Number Jos 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 ol
the building there is a cheap restaurant
The second floor is used exclusively TOT
mission purposes, gospel meetings having
been held there daily for several years
The four upper floors were fitted as cheap
lodgings. with accommodations for l9O
males who paid 10. 10 or . cents each,
according 20 the location of the rooms.
BEDS ALL OCCUPIED.
Last night almost every bed was oc-
cupied. At 1870 o'clock this morning, one
of the dodgers discovered flames coming
from a wash room on the third floor, out
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 ana
We're bursting through the roof;
When the alarm was given and the IN
mates were aroused. wild scenes OF eX-
element ensued. Many OF the dodgers
became panic-stricken. They rushed into
the Railways and fell over each other IN
their efforts to reach the streets Those
on the lower floors got to the street safely
by the stafrways, while those on the up
per floors CROPPED their way through the
binding smoke TO the fire escapes in front
of the building. majority OF them only
saved portions of their clothing, while
several of than were naked Those who
made their way to the streets by the nre
escapes were specifically burned by the
excessive heat of the iron ladders, which,
in many places. had become red-hot from
the flames within.
NAKED AND INJURED.
In the meantime three alarms of fire
had been sent in and in a few minutes the
hremen were busy deluging the building
with torrents of water. They finally sue
lirlits of the three upper stories of the
structure. A large detail of police were
quickly summoned to the scene in charge
of Inspector Cross. and the reserves
were called from the down town pre-
cincts. This force of officers had difficult
work to keep the vast crowd in check as
wei as to help the unfortunate dodgers.
Many naked and injured were cared for
by the people in the vicinity and the most
seriously injured were accommodated at
the Eldredge street station. three blocks
away. Several 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 ire
department and kind-heated neiShbors.
SE4AEL1E1 EO1l NlAlIAlo
After the fire had been extinguished
sufficiently so that a search of the place
was possible. the firemen and police en-
tered the building and the work of search
ing for the victims was begun. Several
bodies were found near the windows of
the two upper floors, where they had
been stricken down in attempting to
make their way TO the fire escapes. So
many bodies were found in the early
stages of the search that il was estimated
that over 30 persons must have been
killed. However. the officers fortunately
over-estimated the loss of life and II
bodies in ell were found Some of these
were discovered in the small rooms they
had occupied. while others were found in
fourth and fifth floors. All of them were
naked, and most of them were burned and
charred beyond recognition. It is thought
by the police that only one of these bodies
viii be eventually identified. This one is
designated as No. 10. It was found in q
room on the fifth floor. In the same room
there was a satchel, and il is thought that
its contents may lead TO the identification
of the body. As soon as possible bodies
were carried out and then transferred
70 the police station and at 1870 his morn
ing the police relinouished their search.
Coroner Zueka, after looking at the bodies
at the sta ton, gave a permit for their
removal to the hospital.
The register of the lodging house does
not aid in the investigation. for BoWery
dodgers, as often as not. register under
assumed names. Again such dodgers are
GIAen 1Elend-eSS ana leave none 10 MISS
them, and search for them.
ACT OF PHILANTHROPY.
Manager Sardensen. of the Christian
Herald, who has direct charge of the
mission and lodging house called at the
Eldredge station later and told the Off
Ger in charge that he would bury the
dead. The loss on the building by fire is
estimated at $500. and the contents are
damaged TO the extent of 5000. Loss en-
tirely covered by insurance. The build
ing, which belongs TO the Chester estate,
is leased by the Bowery mission.
CIGARETTE CAUSED IT.
John Wyburn, superintendent of the
Bowory mission. under whose direction
the lodging house was conducted, said
today:
when I arrived at the scene of the
fire, the firemen had it under control.
and the police were removing the dead
bodies. I started at once to ascertain the
cause and the exact place where the fire
started.
1T originated in the lavatory on the
thir0 floor, in my opinion, and probably
caused by a lighted cigarette thrown
carelessly among lot OF papers"