Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-22
MANY LIVES Lost,
TwEyTY-NISE MEN BELIEVED rs
HAVE PEH1sHED IN
FLAMES.
GLUCOSE FACTORY BURNED.
Fire Spread. with Almost rncreah
bic Rapidly.
VICTIMS on THE SEVENTH FLoon.
Man in the Third Story Ha. Barely
Time to Escape with HI. Life
Fire Burns So Fiercc!y That In
Half nm Hour the Building /.
Mnss OF Ruins.
Fire Spreads with Almost 1ncredh
bic Rapidly.
VICTIMS ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR.
Man in the Third Story Ha. Barely


S CHICAGO, October 1.-By fire which
broke out shortly before midnight In the
plant of the Glucose Sugar Refinery, situ-
almost entirely destroyed, and it is said
that twenty-nine men lost their lives.
The number Of dead has not been estab-
lished as yet, but it is known that thu
men were In the building, and all wero
working on the seventh floor. The flames
spread so rapidly that man who was
working on the third floor had barely time
to escape with his life, and 1t Is not
thought by the employees OF the concern
or by the fremen that the men In the
upper story could have avoided death. AZ
midnight two bodies had been taken from
the ruins. but the fire was burning so
fiercely that It was impossible to make
further search.
The plant OF the refining company con-
sisted of three buildings. the drying
house. seven stories in height, the main
refinery. fourteen stories high, and anoth-
er structure of four stories. The fro
started in the dry-house, being caused by
explosion.
Flames Spread Swiftly.
The flames spread with almost incredi-
BILE rapidity, and by the time the first OF
the fire department had arrived the build
Ing was ablaze from foundation to roof.
It was impossible for the tiremeu to make
any effective fight against the flames, and
in short time all the walls were down.
and the building within one half hour
from the time Of the explosion was 9
mass of debris. The fire was 80 hot THAI
IA
street viaduct, across which access is had
to the south side of the city. would bA
destroyed, but the flremen managed to
save this after Il hard struggle They
bent every effort toward saving the build,
ing Of the refuery. but so intense was tae
fire In the drylng-house that this caughe
fire In several places, and at 1880 A. NJ,
it was evident that, even IL tt could be
saved at all, it would be badly damaged
A Run for Life.
Tho men employed in the three lower
floors Of the drying house ran for the
doors and windows as soon as they had
knowledge OF the fire, and all of them
succeeded in reaching the open air. On ena
third floor there was one man at work
He was compelled to make run Tor Els
life down stairs. He burst through
mass of flames when he reached thd
lower doorway, and was badly scorched
The men on the seventh tloor nad no
chance whatever for their lives. Severai
OF them left the windows and crawlea
along the stills in an effort to reach
place Of safety. but with the exception
OF two men, all those who attempted to
reach safety in this way made up their
minds that it was certain death. and went
back into the burning building
Awful Leaps to Death.
The two men, however, determined t6
take the chances OF leap, and climbing
up on the window ledge they sprans ous
Into the air. One of them came straight
down for the greater part of the way, but
just as he was within a short distance OF
the pavement his body swung around.
and he struck the stone walk at full
length The other man turned over and
over as he came whirlirs down. Their
bodies were horribly crushed and mangled,
and it was impossible for any OF the
men who saw them directly after their
jump to Identify them in any way.
Four other men jumped from the wins
dows on the fourth floor. These men
were terribly injured, and were taken
In police ambulances to the county hoa.
pital.
Loss of Life Reduced.
CHICAGO. October 22.-The fire was un-
ot,y oft