The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-06-22
Probably Thirty Peos,e Killed in hoat1e-
al Disaster.
FIRE ADDED TO HORROR
Supports Of Sprinkler System Tank
on Roof OF Herald Building Give
Way, Precipitating Mass Metal
and Water. Weighing :s5 Tons, to
Basement.

Between twenty and thirty people
lost their lives Monday when the sup
ports Of the sprinkler system tank.
on the roof Of the Herald building.
at Montreal. Canada. gave way. and
the great mass Of metal and water.
weighing thirty-five tons, went crash
ing 10 the basement.
F'i.e broke out Immediately. add
ing its horrors to the disaster. The
fremen displayed splendid heroisn
in rescuing scores OF people from
perilous positions in the totterlnS
| walls
Some OF the walls had 10 come
down before the work Of recovering
the bodies could be safely attempt
ed. and it was not until six O'Clock
in the evening that the first body.
| charred and mangled beyond recos-
milton. was brought out.
All Of those who escaped agree
tha, the first warning Of the impend-
ing disaster passed almost unnotic-
| ed. There was a slight creakiag.
then a little more. somewhat more
pronounced. but 1t was not until the
ceiling plaster began 10 fall that a
rush for the stairway began
Before anyone reached it there oc-
Cured final deafening crash. and
then chaos. Some survivors tell o.
falling one and two floors before
awful crash died away. and then they
found themselves able TO craw
through the dense dust to place o
safety. The majority sought safet,
by rushing TO the front OF the build
ing.
Fortunately all Of the floors hele
for about thirty feet fack from tie
front wall. and to this is due the
fact that the death list does not rui
into the hundreds. for there were
nearly three hundred people in tn
| DEiiGiQS al lnc time
When the first hook and ladde'
company reaches the scene the FIR
men found the windows Of the up
per floors crowded with people. ant
the crowd on the sidewalk urgin;
them not to jump. Not one dit
jump. Ladders were quickly place.
in position and those in danger wer'
brought to the ground.
One ladder was hoiSted. reachin,
to the fourth floor, on which tn
bindery was located II came be
tween two windows From one 0
these little girl crept along the cop
ing until she could reach the ladder
Graspiug a ring with one hand an'
placing a foot on another. she len
helping hand TO eight other girl
twice her size When all the girl
had reached the ladder and mad beer
brought down 20 safety she cam
down alone By this time the fir
had started and smoke was pourin;
from the front windows. The littl'
girl tainted when she reached th'
bottom OF the ladder.
a dozen injured people were car
ried from the ruins by the tiremen
many Of them with broken limbs
OF the rescued that Of Bred Vidal
a stereotyper. was the most daring
Half an hour after the framen reach
ed the building Vidal was heart
groaning. and was located under ;
girder. from which he could not b.
dislodged. Despite the fact that th'
flames were creapins near three FIRE
men began to cut away and stuck t
their task IN the crowd outside va:
Father Martin.
When he heard Of the fight agains
death, he went into the building
and administered the last rites O.
the church to the semi-consciou:
man. Finally. however. the bean
was cut through and Vidal re!eased
not a moment too soon. Both nj:
legs and some Of his ribs were brok
en-.