The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-22
Philadelphia Firemen Talk
With Men Imprisoned Be-
meath Blazing Ruins.
MORE THAN TWENTY LIVES
ARE KNOWN TO BE LOST
Cincinnati Also Scene of Disas-
ter Which Brings Death to
Three Brave Men.

| PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22.-More than
d score OF lives were snuffed out last
night as the result OF IA fire which de-
stroyed the leather goods factory of ID.
| Friedlander. 1l16 to 1920 North Bodinc
street. and as many more were injured.
many Of them fatally.
| While the iremen were fighting the
| flames from the roofs OF adjoining dwell
| inSs, the south wall of the factory col
| lapsed. burying nearly two score of fire.
men. As soon as the extent OF the calan-
| ity became known policemen were hur-
ried to tho scene and an effort made TO
save those who were still alive in the
debris. by tearing down the north wall
which was. tottering. This body OF po-
| licemen had scarcely got TO work when
the north wall rashed upon them.
At the time Of this second fall between
twenty-five and thirty policemen and
firemen were at work directly under the
high mass Of bricks. When the second
crash came, fifteen OF them managed TO
rush 10 safety. but others were crushed
beneath tons OF bricks and girders.
Eleven dead policemen and firemen have
been taken from under the north wall
and nine from beneath the south wall |
Four bodies can be seen lying under the
ruins. but the work of rcscuing them is |
necessarily slow, owing TO the ice-cov-
cred beams and bricks. which were hard
to handle.
The blaze WAS first discovered about 10 |
o clock. and in leess than half an hour |
the interior OF the building was a fur |
mace. Unable to fight the flames from
the roof CT the doomed structure, fire |
men climbed TO the roofs OF three small |
dwellings, adjoining.
II was here that the accident occurred. |
Scattered about on the three small struc- /
lures AT every vantage point were nearly |
forty men. while clinging TO their icy |
ladder which was leaning. against the
south wall OF the leather factory, were
Patrick Carroll, George Machinsky and |
John Carroll. all of engine company |
No. l.
Big Wall Collapses.
The men on the houses saw their dan
ger first and called a warning to their
was The collapse OF the wall that no one
was able to escape the rain of bricks.
twisted beams and Sirders.
With n roar the five STORY mass crum-
bed. carrying either death or injury to
every one who, moment before. had |
stood ice-covered trying TO save adjoin
ing property.
The scene which followed was sickcn-
ing. Thousands of gallons OF water had
already been thrown into the burning
building and there was at least two feet
OF icy water In the cellar,
The first two bodies 10 be taken from
the depris were those OF Patrick Carroll
were crushed almost beyond recog
milton. A few moments later the body
of Charles Erderman was pulled from
beneath a heavy girdcr and John Carroll's
body was taken out shortly afterwards
Erderman's face was buried In a mass
OF ice and John Carroll WAS frozen.
Talk With Rescuers.
hurry call sent TO all nearby
hospitals and the police department for
assistance. Soon nearly score of ambu-
laDceS were at the scene. AS the in
jurcd fremcn were lifted from beneath
tho debris. they were ministered to by
ihn fnSSI shY had Nod tx 1,Z flr.l
from ST. Peters German Catholic church,
two blocks away.
While the injured were being removed
from one side OF the building. the groans
OF other firemen could be heard at the
other end of the burned structure. VIII
liam Glazier OF engine company No. 6.
and Harry Bertolct OF chemical engine
No. .. who we're pinioned by heavy CIR |
dcrs. were able TO talk with the rescucrs
and direct their work.
John Carroll OF engine company No. Z
also was able TO converse with the rescu-
crs. but succumbcd before he was
reached.
In the meantime great disaster was
threatening the men buried in the ruins.
The north wall. which had remained
standing. began to totter and fears were
entertained that il would crash down
upon the firemen at any moment.
Ice Mask Saves Face,
Superintendent Taylor hurried 300 po-
licemcn 10 the scene with instructions To
tear the wall down at all hazards To pre-
vent il from falling upon the half frozen |
and seriously injured men who were alive.
and further buryiug the probable dead.
When GlaZier was rescued from be-
meath the debris he was almost frozen.
Erdcrman whose body was beneath him,
was frozen stiff The ice had caked on
his face forming 81 perfect mask.
John Carroll of engine company No. z. H
q brother Of Patrick Carroll. and Harry |
Deberct OF chemical engine No. . are
both alive. The men are continually |
talking with the rescuers and directing
them In the removal Of heavy giruers.
Three hundred policemen are now en-
deavoring to tear the north wall down so
that II may not fall in upon the men yet
in the ruins.