The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-23
And the Weary Fight of the
Gallant Chicago Firemen
Had to Be Resumed to
Save the District.
"a ON DEATH LIST;
ALL WERE FIREMEN
$4,000 Has Been Raised for
Families of the Victims and
This Amount Will Soon
Be Trebled.
(American News Service)

Chicago. Dec. 23.-Fire in the plant
of the Nelson-Morris Company broke
out afresh at noon today after it had
apparently been under control for two
hours. But one wing of the entire
block. bounded by 43rd, 44th. Loomis
and Bishop streets remains unburn-
ed, and it now appears doomed AS
sistant Marshal Donohue. who reliev-
ed Acting Chief Seyferlich in COM
mand, placed the number of dead at
twenty-four, based on authentic re-
ports. Five firemen, heretofore class
ed as missing and included in some
death lists were today discovered to
be alive. Forty-four are in hospitals
with serious injuries. The loss will
exceed a million dollars. Bodies re-
covered and identified today were
those Of Peter Powers. Michael McIn-
erny, and Patrick Walsh, firemen. A
relief fund for families of the victims
| had reached $4,000 by noon today
| and may ultimately be trebled. The
| firemen continued to work today in
an almost exhausted condition. Many
were forced to give up and were taken
away in ambulances.
All Night vigils.
The all-night vigils of the wives
and mothers and sisters of the dead
firemen was the unnerving influence
of the Rremen. Women and children,
mutely weeping for those whom they
loved. who had perished in the fall of
the wall, huddled around the fire lines
watching the titanic struggle. With
their own sorrows they could be
heard praying for the men who still
were risking their lives.
| Priests and minister's, barred from
the danger zone by police barriers,
knelt on the frozen ground and con-
secrated the dead.
Every flag in the city today is at
half-mast. Children in the public
schools said prayers for the heroes of
the disaster and men in all stations of
life, paid tribute to the men who gave
up their lives.
Coroner Hoffman today declared the
investigation would be rigid and
would place the blame for the catas.
trophe on the shoulders of the man
or men responsible for the failure OF
the high pressure water system
which he claimed was due to criminal
negligence.
The coroner scored the building
commissioners Office for the fire trap
conditions of the Morris buildings
The fire started from crossed wires
and the coroner declares the wires
had been dangerous and had not been
reported.
That the fire will cause a change
in the fire-fighting apparatus in the
stockyards was freely predicted today
The packers will be compelled to in
stall an efficient high pressure sys
TEN, if not for protection of the pack
ers. for the protection of the firemen
In nearly every fire in Packingtowr
firemen are killed or injured and theil
lives endangered because of the com
bustible nature of the stocks in stor
age there.
One OF the pathetic features of the
fire was the loyalty to duty of sever
telephone girls. who stuck to theil
posts while brothers, sweethearts ant
fathers were killed. These girls re
mained at their switchboards and an
swered call after call, replying t.
!; questions and telling each questionel
the names of the firemen who wer,
dead.