Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-06-19
MANY GIRLS IN FIRE PANIC
Wild Rush to the Windows of a
Leather Factory.
some LEAPED TO THE STREET
Heroic Work by Firemen and
Police.


Philadelphia, Pa, June l4.-Fire
yesterday destroyed the novelty leather
factory Of II. M. Rosenblatt & Co., a
four story prick building at Second
and oxford streets, and resulted in in
iurips to dozen persons.
Tho John Motfett Public School. OPP
posite tho leather works, was damaged,
Three dwellings adjoining the factory
were destroyed and nine other dwellings
were slightly damaged. The rapid
rpread Of the flames gave rise to rumors
that number of the employees had
met death in the burning factory, but
these proved to be erroneous. A mem
! her Of the firm said last night that all
I Of the employees had been accounted
rhera we're many narrow escapes.
most Of the 400 mon and girls employed
Y III the factory saving their lives by
Meaning from tho windows into nets
! &helI by itemen. The most severely in
jlrcd arr
Katie r3theidell, aged 10 years, badly
9hOrned her condition is serious.
4 te3rge llehert, aged II, back injured.
John snyder, aged p, shoulder dis
2loratrd and leg broken.
August Schueter, aged 40, leg broken.
Samuel Trankerman, aged % burned
&OH body.
several others, including police
&argcant and two iiremnn, sustained
n #cyera lacerations or were overcome by
beat and shock.
the fire started in what is known as
q ho Celuloid department of the leather
Works. Within 10 minutes of its dis,
uvrry it had leaped from floor to floor
kyith such rapidity that fire ESCAPES
roved inadequate o afford exit to the
iris working within.
4 Inc building is four stories high. II
4 Ytends nearly quarter of IA BLOCK
dong Oxford street and the same dis
ance on Second street. A blindint
8 ASH was the first premonition the girl.
ai of danger, and then began mac
Mmp1de for stairways ana fire escapes
oremen could do nothing to stay tbs
Wild rush as the pauic-stricken girls
flushed for safety. Many were knockec
own and trampled under foot, whilt
thers who succeeded in reaching fire
scaTes or windows did so with thei
Nothing atlame and with bodies badly
burned
With great bravery the tiremen force,
heir way through the heat and smok
an endeavor to check the flames be
pre they communicated to the othe
Zig Misunderstanding establishments IL
be ncighborhood, and to save tho live
II those imperilled. Ladders were raisot
Vnd several persons were taken from
he burning bhilding in this way
xeveral firemen were burned or hal
&lifocated, but stuck heroically t.
heir tasks.
1.-THE iiremen held life-nets for tn
hrls to jump in. Some of these il
heir leaps missed tho nets and wer
hjured.
Frank O'Neill, who came mp in a ca
Nd as the fire started, went immedi
Nv to the rescue OF tho girls VIII
fe caught in the fourth story, II
ceeded in getting several out, th
@ one Of whom had her clothing al
ipst burned from her body. O'Nei
iade an attempt at further rescut
lnt the intense heat drove him back
Rld he was Obliged to leave the built
hg hastily.
Flames White of 142l Maschsr stree
trried an aged woman from one Of IL
Roper floors Of - building at PalethoI
hid Oxford streets.
eMichael Teefy and John Slow, trucl
an, carried three girls from the burr
z building, Special Policeman Lei
so carried terror orstricken girls
fety.
NWEen the John Motfett School, {
le southwest corner of Second III
yford streets, caught fire II numb
pupils were in the building, wi
re- watching the blaze and the fir
an at work from tine windows. Sc
Tal teachers were present, and as so
the fire started in the school bull
g these teachers gave the order
fire drill. This brought the pup
ay from the windows, and in /
ieriy manner which would do cree
veterans they were marched to t
rect below without any undue excl
pnt.
Mr.. Rosenblatt estimates his loss
5O,0OO, partly covered by insuranc
~ loss on the other properties is cs
ated at S15, COO.