Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-14
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN
 TENEMENT HOUSE.
Number of People Burned to Death at New York To. Day-About Forty Others Were Seriously Injured The Fire Destroyed Five Story Tenement Block Scenes Were Heartrending.

lluueu tuelI WOEh dluouS thc iiNih6'
 The position of those who had taken refuge on the rubbish choked fire es- capes roared through the windows on every floor and it was only question of minutes when something must be done. They feared to jump, and they could not wait until the scaling lad ders reached them so intense was the heat. Now and then one would spring to the ground with scream.
 A baby had just been flung into the arms of a policeman on the ground by a fear -crazed mother. Just as the po- liceman caught the child, the mother dived to the ground. Her body struck the policeman squarely on the head with the force of pile driver and he fell unconscious The woman escaped unhurt by the fall, but she had been badly burned. The baby was not hurt at all.
 Death was reaping a harvest on oth- CT fire escapes on the building as well at this time. At the rear, two men and two women were seen on the es- capes. The women came first and eV- cry step they made was blocked by some can or box or rubbish, often too heavy for them to lift. The men would then come to their assistance and hurl the obstacle into the yard. The quartet were descending slowly between the third and fourth floors when flames burst from the windows all about them. The flames dasted up from the third floor windows, enyel- oped the two men and women and they fell and roasted to death. Their bodies were got down by the firemen. Just then there was cry that per son was being burned on the ire es- cape on the fifth floor. Through the smoke the firemen saw figure. NO one could tell whether it was man or woman. The clothes were afiame. The firemen saw the victim sink to the escape and die.
 On the top of the fire escape at the other side of the house lay three bod ies, Mrs Solomon and her two sons, Isaac and Jacob. The crowd on the street had seen the mother and her two sons come from their apartments, the mother first and the sons follow ing. each holding to her and trying to help her. A blast of wind drove the flames upon them and mother and sons fell on the fire escape and were burn- ed 10 death. Two other members Of the Solomon family were seen to look from the windows and then fall back | in the burning building. They were not seen again. l The elder Solomon, the husband and father. was one of those rescued by Patrolman Dwan. When he reached the street his whiskers had been bulalr cd off and he wore nothing but under, clothing. For more than an hour he had been wandering around in this condition searching for his family, when he came upon the bodies after they had been removed from the fire escape. As he recognized the charred bodies he broke into passionate weep ing, with agOnized cries of "Mein kinder, mein kinder" His experience was paralleled by dozens of others in the house. After the fire was under control the street was filled with half dressed. weeping people. seeking for their relatives, imploring the firemen and policemen to go into the burning building and rescue the loved ones whom they believed perishing there. | Yet one man. whose family had been saved, bewailed the loss of some jew elry left in his apartment ahd begged q fireman to save it for him. The desperate reSOurcefulness Of some mother in her effort to save the lives of those she most loved was shown when a clumsy bundle was seen to fall from high window in the
 burning building and light gently upon a heap of snow. In the center Of the bundle. wrapped around by several thick blankets and comforters. was fou,,d a four year old boy who suffered not at all from his unusual experience. | The fate of the mother is not known. ! Following is list of dead:
 | Rachel Solomon. 45.
 | Jacob Solomon, 16.
 Isaac Solomon. IS.
 Jessie Cohen, n.
 Rose Wiener. 25.
 Sander Wiener. 4.
 l Ida MuskOwitZ. 10.
 Harry Kaufman, 10.
 Rnse Miller. 4.
 Morris Miller j months old.
 One cause of the terrible loss of life
 was due to nelisence in failing to
 keep the skyilght door free and clear
 It was not only fastened tight. but also frozen. As the flames rushed uI the stairs the tenants dashed for the
 roof. They found the door. which
 should have swung easily open. to be fastened down. Tn vain the men and
 women pushed and struggled against
 it. Scorched by the terrible heat. they
 fought and clawed to get the barrier
 up. Finally. unable to burst it open l l... Ss