The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-13
FORTY BURNED TO DEATH
Fire Destroys the Bowery Mis-
sion in New York.
FLAMES BEYOND CONTROL
There Were Two Hundred Lodgers
Asleep in the Building at the Time.
Hairbreadth Escapes-Jumped
From the Windows

New York. March 13.--3 a. m-Just
before o'clock this morning fire was
discovered in the Bowery Mission at los
Bowery. The building. which is five
story structure, contained between It's
and 200 dodgers. and while the majority
of them escaped. 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 confiagration. There
were many hairbreadth escapes, some
of the occupants jumping from upper
floors. Several of those who jumped
were badly injured. while others es-
capped without a scratch
1t is supposed that one of the dodgers
accidentally set fire to some paper in
the closet on the third floor and the
flames were soon beyond control. Some
one shouted fire" from a window, and
several policemen 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-strfcken. An
alarm was turned in by a pedestrian
who saw the smoke coming from the
third floor. A lodger had thrown open
a window to escape being suffocated,
anu was HdIElHS HdiI way on. TO avoid
inhaling the smoke. By this time men
had gone to sleep in the Mission. and
been so suddenly awakened to battle
for their lives in the flames were in
such condition that neither the DO
lice nor firemen could cope with them
They were mad in their efforts to es-
cape, and in many instances the fire.
men had to struggle desperately with
the dodgers to bring them to the street
in safety.
While the firemen and police were
fighting with those in the Railways
man made his appearance at the win
dow on the third floor. He threw his
feet out on the ledge and hung on for a
few moments TO the coping. A crowd
had gathered in 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
go, threw himself outward, and as he
fell the crowd separated. He landed
Just beyond the sidewalk For a mo-
ment he seemed stunned Then ne arose
TO his feet, felt himself all over and
hobbled away. disappearing in the
midst of the crowd.
The hremen worked inside the build
ing until the heat and smoke forced
them out one by one. the scaling lad
derS and the life nets were then re-
sorted to. Water was poured into the
building in torrents, but the flames
seemed TO increase in fury and it
looked as If the entire building would
be wreck. Many of the dodgers were
carried down the ladders. These were
almost in every instance rescued JUST
as they would jump To the street from
the windows on the upper floor.
At 3 o'clock. when the flames were
under control. one of the fiFemen who
had made tour of the entire building
emerged and reported to Chief Bonner
that he had seen at least 40 dead bod
les. His report was that he had dis
covered two bodies on the first floor
five .on the second. eight on the thru.
IL on the fourth and 13 on the fifth
floor.