New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-21
Many 4cts Of HerOism

house further away, demolishing the latter
structure There its course stopped.
Scenes of horror followed the wrenching apart
of the factory building. In the rear the three
upper floors, weighted they were with heavy
machinery collapsed with a crash that was
heard for blocks. Men and women operatives
working In departments of this section who
were busy at their machines had time only to
turn in an attempt to fee after the first dull
roar when the flooring sank beneath them and
they were carried to the ground floor, crushed
and bruised amid the mass Of debris. Many
fell into veritable fiery furnace. In the sec
tions of the factory which remained standing
the operatives werc panic stricken as they
sought escape.
Many fed down the starways and reached the
street; others ran to the windows the fire es-
capes in many cases having been torn away by
the explosion. In desperation many jumped
from the second and third story windows to the
ground and were dangerously injured The rush
on the stairways resulted in numerous minor
o t1ta1lte s1Lf- ~ FLAAE
Scarcely had the rear portion of the structure
collapsed when a tongue of fame started up
from the boiler pit, and, reaching cut as it as
cended communicated with the spintered
wreckage and Immediately after with The stand
ing walls Soon the entire factory was in
flames.
Instant death the fate of many who went
down with the floors that collapsed. A large
number of men and women who working
near the supports were alive after the floors
and walls fell From these thrilling cries of
agony and terror went up. Almost all had
been caught between broken timbers. lighter
wooden wreckage and heavy pieces IF rachin-
cry. A few persons succeeded IN e-.tTicating
themselves from the wreckage, but more were
burned to death.
BY this time nearby citizens had arrived to
assist the employees who escaped in the rescue
of their fellows. This task became momentarily
more difficult and perilous for the heat from the
fire was almost unbearable BY the use of long
pieces Of timber the rescuers were able to raise
parts of the wreckage and thereby release some
of the imprisoned men and women, and then by
rushing into the smoke pull them from the
ruins.
A woman who was entanged in a shoe ma
chine cried out that she dying and
manded the rescuers to attend to others, who
might live. She begged TO be shot. Soon the
flames enyeloped her. Among the first to arrive
on the scene was the Rev. James A. O'Rourke,
curate of st. Margaret's Roman Catholic Church,
nearby. At the risk of his life he removed seven
persons from the ruins before the fire had
reached them. and was returning for the eighth
time when he tainted from the effects of the
smoke and the shock. Father O'Rourke admin
istered the last rites of the Church many
Catholics, both TO those who saved and
some who later pershed
ENCOURAGED BY THOSE NEAR DEATH.
Many persons rushed into the ruins and pulled
out the injured at the imminent danger OF their
own lives Imprisoned operatives. too far away
for rescue and who knew that their lives would
last only a few moments, spoke words of en-
couragement 10 those who seemed nearer es-
cape Some prayed aloud. Others pleaded with
the rescuers to say "Goodby" to relatives and
not few shrieked from pain and fright.
The dreadful spectacle unnerved many who
were trying vainly TO get to the victims. and
some turned away sick and faintng. Members
of the Fire Department with ladders aided
greatly in the work of rescue, but their time
for work was short, for within brief interval
fire closed over the wreckage. and the cries OF
the imprisoned were hushed.
In the mean time the fire was spreading from
the Grover factory. 1t leaped across Calmar-st.
to q three story brick block at the corner of
Main-st, owned by Charles F. Dahlburg, and
occupied as a hardware store and storehouse,
and then to a two story wooden lodging house
owned by William Lawrence, dwelling house
on Calmer-st., and some small buildings. ali of
which were destroyed
From the rear of the factory the flames
reached across Denton-st, to the dwelling house
of Sophia Peterson and family. and to the home
OF Charles O'Brien.
BY this time the entire Fire Department and
all the police reserves were on the scene. but
with the high wind blowing the flames could
not be checked, and soon reached the homes of
Sylvester Rice and John W. Taft All these
buildings were practically ruined. but at this
point the FIRE vas stopped
The house to the north of the factory through
which the exploded boiler crashed was owned
Continued second page.