The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-15
6Bv the Associated Press }

New York, March 14.-Nineteen
persons We're burned to death in a fire
which destroyed the five-story tene-
ment house at 105 Allen street early
today. More than forty were in
jured and only a few of the sleeping
inmates escaped unhurt Several of
those who perished were roasted to
death in plain view of thousands in
the streets. Coroner Goldenkrans
declared after an investigation that
he had reason to believe the blaze
was the work of an incendiary.
He issued subpoenas for the fire
marshal tenement house and build
ing inspectors and health and police
officials to appear before him at the
inquest Thursday.
The fire started in the basement
and spread with frightful rapidity to
the roof. The victims were caught
in traps of flames, the halls and exits
being rendered impossible in a few
minutes after the blaze started.
The building was one of the usual
crowded tenements and the disaster
was the worst in the history of the
East Side. The District Attorneys
Office has begun an investigation to
place the blame for the great loss of
life.
Chief Croker of the fire department,
asserts that the police and the tene-
ment house departments are to blame
for the violations of the fire escape
law The tenement house depart
ment office. however. say that the
blame is on the shoulders of the fire
officials.
A.. =
those of a boy and two girls remain
unidentified.
List of the Dead.
The identified dead:
Rachael Solomon. As years.
Jacob Solomon. 16 years.
Isaac Solomon 1 8 years.
Jesse Cohen. Is years.
GershOn Fuchs. 80 years.
Rose Weiner. 90 years.
Rander Weiner. years.
Sarah Kline. so years.
Bella SeidIer, 80 years.
Harry SeidleP, IL years.
Ida AIuslzowiz. 10 years.
Harry Kaufman, 10 years.
Rose Miller. 4 years.
Morris Miller, months old.
OF the five unidentified bodies one
was recognized this afternoon as that
of Harris Seidler, 40 years old, and
another is thought to be that of
Rachael Seidler, age d21laceejm ep6
Rachael Seidler, aged II years. 1t
is possible that the other three bodies
never will be identified. Apparent
ly every person known to have been
in the house when the fire started has
been accounted for, and it is believed
that these three victims were visitors
with some family who lived there.
The bodies were so badly burned that
they are practically unrecognizable.
Crowded Fire Escapes.
Crowded fire escapes in the rear of
the tenement house were largely
responsible for so many deaths and
injuries among the population,
which approached 200 souls. The
scenes were heart rending
The fire started in the basement.
occupied by Isaac Davis, his wife and
three children. When Davis reach
ed his home early this morning and
went into his store on the same floor
he saw a kerosene lamp in the rear
explode. He awoke his wife and both
tried to put out the flaming lamp, but
without success. A policeman who
heard the cry of alarm, rushed to the
scene and every effort was made to
rouse the sleeping people.
Roasting to Death.
Meantime the flames had spread
with startling rapidity. and the occu-
nants of the upper floors awoke to find
themselves confronted by a wall of
flames on nearly every side. Panic
stricken peo~Ie rushed to the fire es-
caDes only to find them Uttered with
rubbish. On some of the escapes the
rubbish was so closely packed that It
became impossible to pass. and men
and children and women stood roast
ing to death as the flames leaped
through the windows around them.
HeroiSm of Three Men.
One of the escapes was manned by