Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-08
DESPERATE EFFORTS TO
GIVE THEM LIBERTY
Frantic Fight for Life of the I'm.
prisoned Workmen.
FIBERL0ID IGN1TED BY SPARK
Manager of the Concern Sacrifices
Himself In Trying to Save the
Books of the House

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK, November S.-Nine men
lost their lives and a score of employees
including A woman. are lying in agony on
cots in Seney U,. ID College and Brook
lyn hospitals as the result OF fire that
burned out the three-story celluloid fac
tory OF Robert Morrison & Son at $50
and 152 Columbia street. Brooklyn, this
morning.
The fire was attended with most ago
nizing circumstances. The most harrow
ing scene was witnessed on the second
floor. Here the windows were barred by
steel TO keep out thieves. While the
ground floor was af1ame and the smoke
rolled up through the flooring num-
ber Of men. striving with the terror and
strength given by fight for life. made
for these windows and pulled and howled
and pleaded for rescue.
Back OF them the flames were devour-
ing the combustible material of fiberloid
and the celluloid. The smoke enyeloped
them. Their cries could be heard a
block away. They were caught fast in
a seething furnace
workmen from an adjoining factory
dropped their tools and made for he
rear of the burning building. By means
Of a ladder they got up on an extension
flush with the second-story windows.
Here they got glimpse OF the terri
fed faces in the windows. The prison
ers were unable to move or even bend
the bars that held them fast.
Mad Fight to Free Victims.
II was a horrifying sight. and the air
was rent with the despairing cries OF
the men inside. who stretched their
arms through the bars. The four res
ccers. Martin Gerbing. Joseph Belford.
David Quinn and Joseph Francis. all
had snatched up iron pipes and drills
and set to work with a mad energy to
pry off the bars of the trap.
All this time the cries of the men
inside were growing fainter. The four
jsbbed and strained. but could not
bulge the bars that guarded the win
dows.
The flames roared as they rushed out
OF the windows and the smoke shot full
into the faces OF the reScuers. The men
in that trap were lost sight Of The
flames crept closer and scorched the four
daring men on the roof. The cries inside
died out. The heat and the flames drove
the four from the roof. Inside il was
all over and later the firemen took seven
bodies from that second floor. all huddled
near the window. where they had fought
for life.
AS long as the four men worked on the
roof they were beset by peril. not from
the flames and smoke. but from the
frightened employees who leaped from the
floor above. Those who did not get to
the fire escapes jumped and landed in
he group Of men who were working at
rescue.
Firemen Find Building in Flames.
The fire. which started about 3:2o
o'clock, originated on the ground floor
and near the elevator shaft. Right near
this point workmen were busy shipping
and shifting iberloids. In some way, not
known positively. although strongly in
timated, a spark from "A lighted cigarette
or cigar struck the fberloids and there
was an instant ignition. This material
sf1re is one OF the most perilous. Ii Kisses
and leaps about. Where II strikes, II
stick and burns
At no time did the employees have a
chance for their lives. The highly in
hammable and combustible material once
ignited. roared and swept through the
structure with lightning speed.
One OF the woman bookkeepers in MAX
ing a dash for safety 20 the street was
struck by the flying hberloids. Her dress
ignited. and in an instant she was a
mass OF flames. When dragged to the
corner drug store the young woman was
unconscious.
Manager Loses His Life.
On the ground floor. besides employees
and the two woman bookkeepers were the
proprietor. Robert Morrison: his son, Rob
ert. jr.. and another son. william Wher
the flying and flaming fiberloid began tc
zip about the ground floor there was ar
instant shout of warning. Tne proprietor
was struck with the burning fiberloid and
his clothes instantly took FIRE. Oliver
Davis. one OF the workmen. grabbed his
employer and made for the street Tht
proprietor. Robert Morrison, was removed
later in an ambulance suffering from
severe burns.
William. the son. was manager OF In.
concern. While the sparks and ignitin.
hberlod were eaping about the Office anC
large room William rushed back of III,
desk and grabbed the concerns book,
and records. and. paying no heed to tn,
warning cries OF his brother. Robert jr.
to escape. struggled TO get the books in
side of the big safe While trying "a
slam the heavy door he was overcome
His body was removed later.
Stampede to Escape.
Although the structure Is onIy thre,
stories high and provided in the rea,
with fire escapes. the thirty five men ant
two women employed there had very lii
tie chance for their lives. There was ar
instant panic and a stampede.
So quick did the blaze leap and devour
and so deadly were the fumes that rolled
up in poisoning volumes that the mer
fought each other for the possession %
the windows that led to the fire escape
and for the doors that opened onto tn,
stairWsys. Many OF these men did no
get a chance for any of the exits The,
dropped i'm their tracks.
The jam and press at all points o.
egress was terrifying. Down the iron
skeleton ladders the escapes the
workmen piled. Some saw that ther,
was not a moment to waste. and tn,
flames heiched out Of the windows an,
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