New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-11
GIRLS LEAP TO STREET
FI.AMES CAUSE Il PANIC
AMONG TWOSCORE.
Thrilling Rescues by Fremen and
Spectators at Broad7cay and
BrOOme Street Fire.

The explosion of can of benzine, which
started fire yesterday afternoon in the five
story brownstone building at the southwest
corner of Broome street and Broadway, caused
a panic among the twoscore of girls employed
on the fourth floor. Two jumped to the street
from a window, and others restrained by
the cooler headed employees and rescued by fire.
men and others.
Six of the employees Of the firm Of Schwartz
& Alter, who occupy the fourth floor. are SUI
fering from burns. fractures and other injuries
Several girls who were taken out of danger over
a ninety-foot scaling ladder tainted when they
reached the sidewalk. Five ambulance sur
geons found plenty to do for an hour in taking
care of those who were only slightly injured.
Clara Lipman. twenty years old, of No. 33S
East Tooth street and Tlle Sirkis. nineteen
years old. OF No. 451 New Jersey avenue Brook
lyn, jumped to the street Miss Sirks's fall
broken by Patrolman Percival Hall, of the
traffic squad. who caught her. Miss Lipman
struck the pavement. although several men
rushed forward and tried to catch her. Miss
Lipman was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital
where it was said last night that her condition
was serious. She suffering from a fract-
ured leg. burns. bruises and laceratons Miss
Sirkis was taken TO the Hudson Street Hospital
suffering from internal injuries. and her con-
dition also said TO be serious.
Among the others more seriously injured were:
DEtExER & Jennie = nineteen ysaT old Of No % Spring
avenue East New YORK o Bruises Hs No home @ Ala
ehg 6hs sssen @ old 0no Of 80 400 Lexington
"'th street bruises: home
Following the explosion. which occurred at
3:45 o'clock, the girls, after vainly trying to put
out the fire. rushed in terror to the windows.
Their screams attracted crowd TO the street
below and terrified all the other occupants OF
the building who made rush for the stairs.
Some Of the girls on the fourth floor got out that
way before the stairs blocked by smoke.
Those who remained opened the windows and
shouted for help.
Miss Roth, the forewoman. tried to calm the
girls and If 1t had been for Annie OBren.
fifteen years Old who held back several girls in
the act Of dropping TO the pavement, more
would have taken the leap.
At the risk OF losing his balance and falling
the street, Harry Staub, a member Of the
22d Regiment. and bookkeeper for Rice & Wal
lenstein. at No 491 Broadway. next door,
climbed the narrow coping, and. sup
porting himself with his right hand on the win
dow fraI,e stretched out his left hand toward
the window, five feet above his head, immedi-
ately after the second girl had jumped 10 the
her arm, and swinging her to the coping on
which he stood helped her inside the window.
James VI. ODonnel Of No. % Bank street,
an officer Of the 9th Municipal Court, An
ME Dobkin about TO jump from the third story
on the south side Of the building. He shouted
TO her to hold on until the firenen While
Mr. O'Donnell and other men in the street urged
the girl TO maintain her position on the edge OF
the window sill the flames licked her shoes and
blistered the paint Of the window frame. She
rescued.
Charles Josephsou, an employe Of Rice & Wal
lenstein with the help of several others tore off
the tarpaulin from passing wagon and made
q rough life net BY this time, however, nearly
all the girls had escaped william Gustavson, OF
No 210 Monroe street, employed by Scheuer &
Co. a firm of Oriental goods importers on the
third floor, had helped several girls to escape
through the smoke on the stairs. Then he ran
back to the third floor and, opening a window,
saw two girls on the ledge above him about TO
jump.
Don't jump he cried. Wait for the lad
der.'
We can't. It's burning here cried the girls
stay where you are" commanded GustaVson
He induced them TO wait for the ladder.
Patrolman CarboneiI Of the Mulberry street
station. was the first man UP the ladder, with
George Clifford Michael Shay and Joseph Flan-
merry. Of Engine %. close behind. They passed
the girls out one by The Dobkin girl was
last AS Jennie Delever reached the sidewalk
she tainted. The girls were treated by physi-
clans from the New York, St Vipcents and
Hudson Street hospitals.
The damage to the building is said to amount
to about $1,000. The fifth floor was occupied by
Lobensky & Bergenstein. Scheuer & Co leased
the second floor, and on the first there was
cigar store, telegraph office and several small
stores.
only one alarm turned in for the fire. the
high pressure system being used. Chief Croker
and battalion Chief Worth directed the hremen