The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-09
NEWARK FIREMEN CRITICISED.
Testimony That They We're slow sf shs
Fatal Factory FIRE.

Criticism q, the work OF the hremen.
the part others took In the work OF resous
and the fear OF the girls 20 use the winding
stairway were the principal things brought
out in Newark yesterday at a further
hearing Of the Coroner's Inquiry to III
the responsibility for the loss Of twenty
Ave lives At the High street factory fire
IN that city a week ago last Saturday
Capt. Robert II. Park OF Truck vas
asked by The Prosecutor n 1t were true
That ,itIzens had raised ladder aided
! only by one fireman. lie admitted that
ne reached the fire about twenty minutes
after the alarm and knew only what he
had been told
Alfred L.. Donaldson OF i2o Milford
avenue. superintendent OF w B. keer
hCo.. Je~elry manufacturers. whose place
OF business Is directly across the street
from the burned building. testified that
he and six or seven of his male employees
took a ladder from the fire truck and
went a~,und 10 the north end Of tho
building. where girl was standing IN
the window on the top floor.
The woman. witnesses DECLARED was
Miss Anna Haag. the forewoman. who
was one OF the victims. He said that they
shouted TO her not TO jump. He said the
smoke was pouring out OF the window
and that they could not sec her. While
they wore adjusting the ladder. he said.
she climbed TO the sill and lcaped.
sheet OF fame came out of the window
after her. She fell at their feet. Mr..
Donaldson said that he didn't know what
the tiremen were doing all that time.
He was positive that the firemen hadn't
made any attempt up TO that time to
ral 50 \ ladder.
Battalion Chief Herman Schweikert
said that he directed the taking Of Capt
Van Tnlkenburg of Engine Company
from the third floor. He Ma, as ke,i about
the citizens taking ladder of the truck,
and he declared that he had not heard
about it, The reason he gave for SO many
lives being lost by jumping was that the
budding was charged with smoke SO
that the inmates had to jump TO
How is it that a, ladder was raised so
quickly for Capt. Van VolkenburR and
Eugene Mcouat. superintendent Of in.
Lamp Company, when there were
wonr~n IN distress.' Prosecutor Mott
asked.
The witness did not answer the question
directly, but went on To describe the ef-
forts TO save the women from the win
dows toward the south end OF the build
ing.
Clara Denim Of I3i Norfolk street. sis
ter of one of the victims. said that when the
smoke reached the fourth floor she rushed
10 the stairway. Miss Baa9 was looking
down. She declared that she did not 60
down because she did not know where
the fire was and knew the winding stair
way was dangerous. She said that she
ran Ia the rear fire escape. She said a
led from the floor TO the escape.
and about twenty girls were crowding
there The ladder broke she said and |
the girl= rushed 10 the front part Of the
Sh. thought that all might hay q
escaped had the accident not happened.
Roy Davidson. the only boy employed
in the Wolf establishment, testified that
he was helping an expressman at the ele- !
vator when the fire started. He told about
the platform leading tn the fire escap.
breaking and Of assisting a. many as
possible until he became strsngled by the |,
smoke.