Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-25
Workm,en Trapped by
Flames Following Ex-
plOsiOn Of Benzine.
MATCH DROPPED BY
SMOKER STARTS BLAZE
Official of Burned-out Firm
Blames Firemen for
Loss of Life.

CHICAGO, March 25.--Twenty-tWO
persons are believed dead in fire
which attacked the L. Fish Furniture
Companys six-story building at 1906
1908 Wabash avenue here today. About
forty employees escaped. Emma
IAtchenstein, clerk, was killed In
jumping from top floor window.
The dead were trapped, it is said. on
the fourth. fifth and sixth floors when
an explosion of benzine on the fourth
floor wrapped the building in flames.
Ladders were raised to the topmast
floor IN a desperate effort to rescue any
one who might be alive. The fire is
sa1d to have started from an explosion
of benzine in the repair rooms on the
fourth floor, probably from smokers
carelessly dropped match.
John Schmidt and William Peterson,
cabinet makers, who were at work In
the repair room were amongst those
who escaped slightly burned. When a
great sheet of flame shot across the
floor they were knocked down, but. al
though almost stifed, they managed to
crawl to the front stairway, whence
they made their way to the street. The
fire, they said. was preceded by an ex-
plosion which shook the building.
Simon Fish, member OF the furni-
ture company, declares the hremen
were slow IN responding to the alarm
and tardy in raising ladders to the up
per stories. He says that fremen inter-
fered with employees of the hrn, who
were attempting to make rescues, and
declares he will prefer charges against
the fire department.
Fire Marshal Horan says his men re-
sponded without the loss of SECOND
and believes Mr.. Fish will Withdraw
7l,is charges after becoming caimer.
Marshal Horan declared that the
single fire-escape with which the build
ing was equipped barely comes within
the requirements Of the law. The fire
escape waa.of the ladder variety. the
fire chief expressed the opinion that had
this been a modern stair escape no
lives would have been lost.
Firemen poured water on the building
for two hours and a half before the
flames were sufficiently subdued to
make a search for bodies. The heat
made the work of removing the wreck
age difficult, but half an hours search
Resulted In the recovery Of three bodies.
Among the missing are: Henry M.
Mitchell. auditor, brother-in-law OF Sig
,nund Fish, one Of the partners, and
Miner w. Bell, advertising manager.
At 1890 D. M seven bodies had been
recovered from the wreckage, most or
them burned and mutilated almost be-
yond recognition. The body OF Mrs.
Hanna Burden, forewoman, was identl-
fed bv means of letters which had es-
caped the fire. Another body, from the
gold filing in the teeth, is believed to
be that of Mr. Bell, the advertising
manager.
One of the victims lost his life In
desperate endeavor to rush upstairs to
the aid of the women and girls I'M
prisoned above. Ten women and girls
II IA said. were at work on the sixth
Aoor when the explosion occurred.
The spread of the flames was almost
instantaneous and when the giris
rushed to the stairways they found es-
cape cut off. They next turned 70 the
front of the building, smashing In tne
window
Horrified spectators in the street saw
one Of the girls step to the wlndo"
ledge and heard her scream for heip'
Then she jumped. Falling on the avn
ing over the front entrance to the store,
she lay unconscious until DR.. William
l. Kinsley, crawling out on the canopy
lifted her up. She was taken at once
to st. Luke's Hospital, only a few
blocks away, but died soon afterwards
DIR. Kinsley suffered slight burns.
Later 1t was learned the girls name
was Emma Lichtenstein. She was 70
wears old, and was employed as fiins
clerk. Death was due to internal In
1uries received in her fall. Soon after
Miss Iichtensteins desperate leap
crash as if of floors falling was heard,
and the faces at the window disap-
peared