Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-12-09

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Newark, N. j., Nov. 29.-At least IA
persons were killed and more than
40 injured in a fire which today de
stroyed a big factory building on High
street in this city. Eleven bodies
were taken from the building. Prac-
ttcally all Of the victims were young
women! employees of manufacturing
concerns. Some were saved By jump
ing into life nets.
Fifty girls were trapped in the upper
floor Of the -four story building occu-
pied by Louis Wolf, a manufacturer Of
underwear, and many of them jumped
and were killed or badly injured. The
fire is believed to have started from an
explosion on the third floor.
Many Firms In Building.
The building in which the fire oc-
Cured is a fOur-stOry brick structure.
The first and second floors were OC-
Cupied by the Newark Paper Box COM
pany. The third floor was occupied by
the Aetna Electric company, makers Of
lamps. The fourth floor was used as a
factory by Louis Wolf, manufacturer
of under garments.
1t is believed the blaze started on the
second floor in the rear among a lot Of
rubbish. Within a moment or two
after it was noticed it had made it's
way into a lot OF waste paper, from
which 1t connected with the upper
floors. II al about zee persons we're
employed in the building.
Jennie Gill, Who was employed by
Wolf, said she was in a room on the
fourth floor with Anna Hague. tho
fOreWOman, n Anna Smith and
Augusta Ebert. Miss Hague disCOV-
cred smoke and ran to a window.
Panic stricken, she mounted to the sill
and plunged into space. Miss Gill
went to a fire escape and was about to
leap when the ftremen raised a ladder
and brought her down.
An immense crowd C~Ongregated and
1t took the police reserves from the
first, second, third, fourth and sixth
precincts to handle the situation.
One Of the spectators sale hat at
least Is girls had jumped from tina
fourth floor, They stayed at the win
dows until, frenzied by the flames be
hind them, and nearly suffocated by the
smoke, they leaped to the street.
With the exception of two girls en-
plOyed by the Aetna company. all the
employees on the first and second floors
Of the building escaped unhurt. The
two who were injured were Sadie Han
son. No. 20 Stone st. and Mrs. Mar
garet MOlanthy, address not known.
They were burned about the head and
face. Tw~enty-fOur Of the injured were
taken to st. Michaels hospital. OF
these, two died.
Life nets were put into use i'm
mediately after the arrival of the fire.
men. Perhaps 80 lives were saved In
this way. One girl, Hattie Delapey.
was badly hurt. She m~iscalculated the
leap n struck the edge Of the net,
falling to the pavement. Sophie Diehl
was also injured when she lee ned for
the net.
Foreman Acts as Hero.
Eugene MCHugh, a foreman in the
employment OF the Aetna company.
was among the first to realize the ser
t%ousness of the situation and guided
several score Of girls to safety down a
fire escape.
Less han 20 minutes after the ar
rival of the hremen the whole interior
of the building was f1ame-swept. The.
floors of the upper part OF the build-l
Ing fell shortly afterward. It is BEL
lieved a search Of the ruins will re-I
veal other bodies. !
Among those who were early at the,
scene was Rev. Father E. F. Quirk, as,
sistant rector of st. Joseph's churCh.i
He gave last rites TO seven Of the vic,
tins. The priest worked nobly, helping
the nremen TO reach parts or the build
ing where others of the injured might
he