The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-12-25
FIGHTER
LOST HIS LIFE
BURIED BENEATH COLLAPs-
ING WALLS.
New York Factory Build
ing Destroyed.
FIRE CAUSED A PANIC
FIRE ! CAUSED A PANIC

TIDE OHUSEU n AUsO
Among tho Thovsands Of Italians Who
Occupied Adjoining Tenement Houses
Many Won,r and Children Trampled
Upon and lnjured-Only intervention
ofPolice Prevented Fatalities.
New York, Dec. 21.--What was prob
ably the most threatening fire that
has occupied the attention Of the New
York fire department for some time
past broke out shortly before eight
o'clock tonight in the seven story fac
tory building occupied by the Herman
Furniture & Lumber company. located
ON Mott street. The company's plant
Is one Of the largest IN the city and oc-
cupics three quarters of the block
bounded by Mott. Elizabeth, Broome
and Spring streets.
Three buildings are occupied by the
company and it was in the largest OF
the three, a.seven story brick structure
that the blaze was discovered. The en-
tire building was filed with kiln dried
lumber and long before the fire fighters
arrived on the scene the mammoth
plant was a mass OF flames that leaped
hundreds of feet in the air, furnishing
q spectacle at once beautiful land fear
some. Alarm after alarm was sound
cd and soon all of the fire companies
located south of Forty-Secopd street
were enroute to the scene. When Act
ing Chief Kruger arrived he directed
that the double six be sounded. This
moved nearly every company In the
borough Of Manhattan as those that
did not go to the fire moved into the
quarters occupied by the companies
actually engaged.
To the north and east Of the burning
structure were tenement houses occu-
pied by the poorest Of the Italian clas-
res who make their home in this city.
Each of the houses furnishes home
for not less than one hundred persons
and they were thrown into state of
panic by the thought that their meager
belongings were to be destroyed. With
one impulse they started for the street
and a panic ensued that threatened the
lives Of many OF them. Women and
children were knocked down by men
who, terrified at the thought that their
lives were in danger made for the
strcet, riding rough shod over those
whom they should have protected. But
for the Intervention of the police re-
serves many would have been killed.
As 1t was about fifty women and chill
dren were slightly> hurt before they
were hustled into the street by the po-
lice.
In the meantime every effort was
being made by the fire fighters to gain
control OF the flames. They were ham,
pered by the narrow streets and were
compelled to see the fire. despite their
utmost efforts. communicate with the
adjoining buildings. For two hours
the fight went on and then the thous-
ands Of gallons Of water-that were be-
ing poured ON the flames began to have
its effect. Slowly but surely the. fire.
men were able TO advance closer to
the blaze and within two hours after
the first alarm sounded It became
plain that nothing but the Herman
commando nlant would he DESTROYED.
Just before the Gre was under con-
troll an accident occurred that probably
cost tho life of one OF the firemen.
Chief Coleman. Of the sixth battalion,
with the men of engine company IS,
vsre working in an alley between the
main factory building ana the struc-
ture used as paint shop by the fur
niture company. suddenly without
warning the south, vail OF the former
building collapsed ,burying the flremen.
When the dust cleared away Il was
seen that all OF 55's men had succeed