The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-26
IS KNOWN DEAD, d
0THERSM|ssInGlN
FACTORY F|aE
Some of Those Not Accounted For
Escaped Safely, But 1t Il
Feared Majority Are
in Ruins. III
Three Priests Brave Death and Adj
minister Last Rites To Dying
Women and Girls.

NEWARK. N. j., Nov. 26.--Eighteen
persons. mostly women and girls are
known to have lost their lives while
score OF others are reported missing
as the result Of fire that today de-
stroyed an old factory building In the
heart of the manufacturing district Of
the city. or the missing 1t In believed
some escaped all right, but II IL fear
ed the majority are In the ruins Of the
structure buried under masses Of ma
chinery The fire was one of the
worst the local firemen have ever en-
countered and many were OvercOme,
but none was seriously injured
To an old structure. whose floors
were filed with oil and dirt, and lily
equipped with fire escapes and whose
stairs were winding fiimsy structures
which carried fie as II they were Chin
neys, Is due the great loss Of life.
Twenty minutes after the first alarm
was turned in and while fire apDar-
atus was still enroute from the dis
tant quarters Of the city, the structure
was a complete wreck and its walls
had collapsed
AS fast as the bodies were recover
ed from the ruins they were taken to
the city morgue. All were SO badly
charred that Identification will be
practically impossible. The police are
now taking a census OF the employees
to determine IL possible the names OF
the dead. The building is located in
the heart of the manufacturing sec
ton. The fire started in the Wolff
Mfg. Co. makers of underclothing,
which firm occupied the upper floors,
the lower floors of the building be-
ing used by the Union Paper Box
Factory.
Ii Is now believed the fire started
from the explosion OF gasoline torch.
Chief of the Fire Department Ashley
said the building was mass OF flames
before he reached 1t and that several
of those who were burned TO death
were caught inside as the doors were
the first to burn. He said he would
make a search OF the ruins for bodies
as soon as possible. but that II was
fprobdble that any bodies In the build
ing had been completely incinerAted.
| Firemen fought with each other TO-
be allowed to enter the building. So
fierce were the flames, however, that
ladders placed against the structure
burned like matches and the work OF
rendering aid to the trapped employees
was extremely hazardous. In the
meantime every window OF the build
ing was filed with hysterical men and
women. The life nets were spread
and many were saved by leaping into
them
Seseval of those who leaped toward
the nets misjudged the distance and
fell TO the pavement. 1t Is estimated
that at least half dozen were killed
in this manner. Some Of the firemen
were injured, perhaps mortally. by
beng struck by falling bodies.
Nearly all OF the victims were girls
employed In the box factory.
High-st., in front Of the building
was a gruesome sight, bodies of girls.
some dead and others enduring mortal
agony, being strewn about haphazard.
There were about $50 persons en-
ployed by the different concerns In the
building and from inquiries made by
the police and firemen II became APP
parent that there were large num-
Der not accounted for an hour after
the fire was discovered.
From stories told by girls who es-
capped IL appears that the fire had It's
origin on the third floor, and was
caused by the explosion OF a gasoline
lamp.
| One of the spectators said that at
least l5 girls had jumped from the
fourth story OF the burning structure.
They stayed at the windows until
frenzied by the flames behind them
and, nearly suffiocated by the smoke.
they leaped to the street
1 Int. fnl m
the city hospital in ambulances. or
these. two died after reaching the
hospital
Acts OF extraordinary heroism were
performed by the score. Three priests
from St Patricks Cathedral-Fathers
Keegan. Dillon and Brennan, fought
their way into the blazing structure
against the protests OF persons who
saw them and gave conditional absolu-
ton to the dying.