The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-01-17
EMIT r. FAMILY WIPED OUT
W. 7. Mason, His Wife Tvs chil-
dren and Servant Suffooated
Son OF Prominent New Yorker visited by
Early Morning Conhagration-No Lad
der to Their Roof Prevented Escape.

New York City. Unable to escape
from their rich rdme, No. 133 West
130th street. because they had neglect-
ed to comply with ire regulations that
call for a ladder leading from the top
floor of their house to the roof the
family Of William 7 Mason, a LAWYER
and one of the best known men in
Harlem, was wiped out of existence
early in the morning by blaze which
broke out in the basement OF the
building. Had such a ladder been IN
position, the firemen said, the family
could have escaped without much diff
Guilty.
Mason, who was son Of former Po-
lice Commissioner joel w Mason,
lived with his family in handsome
four-story brownstone building. Five
persons, all asleep when the fire
started, were awakened by smoke that
poured in dense volumes through the
house The father tried to gather his
family and lead them to safety. but
his efforts were too late. The position
of the bodies when. discovered after
the flames had been put out told the
story OF the futile attempt
The Mason family consisted Of the
father, the mother, who formerly was
Miss Claire Higgons; Ellen, four years.
old, and Marion, six months old. One
servant too. lost her life Another,
colored maid, escaped through being
out for the evening. She returned
while the firemen were putting out
the blaze, and surprised the police,
who had reported her dead. by appear
ing in the West 125th street station,
Frank O. Waldron, of No. 100 West
both street, was on his way home
that morning when he heard cries
coming from the Mason house. At the
same time he saw smoke issuing from
the basement window and he ran to
turn in an alarm. On his way to the
fire box he met Patr0lnlan Mangan, of
the West 125th street station, and af-
ter ringing for the engines they re-
turned to the house. They could hear
a man shouting for help, and they
tried to enter the house by way of the
basement. The policeman smashed
the windows with his nightstick, but
mass of fame and smoke prevented
him from entering Next the upstairs
door was tried The policeman tried
to break down the thick oaken panels,
but they resisted his assaults. and he
could not get in. He then climbed to
the window ledge and broke the panes
of glass on the parlor floor. But again
he was prevented from entering by
the dense clouds of smoke.
When the fire apparatus arrived the
firemen tried to enter the house to res
cue the inmates, but such Roadway had
the flames made that it was impossi-
BILE to venture Within Ladders were
raised to the adjoining houses. and the
fiemen tried to get into the blazing
building by way Of the roof They
lifted the scuttle. but again they were
driven back by the flames. After half
an hour of hard work the flames were
subdued sufficiently to permit the fire
men to enter the building, and they
then found the bodies of the victims.
They found also that the fire, which
had started in the basement. had made
it way upward with remarkable swift
ness. destroying the stairs, but not en-
tering the rooms OH the two upper
floors.
On entering one of the rear rooms on
the third floor the firemen found the
bodies of Mason and his youngest
child. The father was apparently
about to lift his child from the cradle
when gust of smoke overcame him
and he fell to the floor and was suffo-
Gated. Headed by Battalion Chief
Short the firemen made their way to
the little room where the ladder to the
roof-scuttle was supposed to be. They
found the door of the room open, but
the ladder was not there. Under the
debris of the room the firemen found
the body of little Ellen. Just outside
the room were the bodies of Mrs. Ma
son and Nellie Doyle, the servant. 1t
was apparent that the victims had
tried to escape by way OF the roof, but
the ladder not being where the fire
regulations require 1t to be, they were
unable to get out. Escape by way of
the stairs had been cut off by the
flames, and before the family could
decide what TO do they were overcome
by the smoke.