Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-23

escaped the fire and shock had their
lives further endangered by the freez-
ing water which filed the basement
Some of the bodies were removed
encased ir ice. As the firemen zen
back exhausted from the work or
rescue the police reserves were called
ont from: all sections of the city.
Disregarding the menace of the north
wall, which was still threatening ABOVE
them. they went manfully TO the as
sistance of the firemen in the nope OF
rescuing those men who were stu awe
in the ruins. Thirty of them were try
ing to remove a girder which lmprison-
ed a fireman when the threatening wall
crashed down upon them. At least 10
of these lost their lives. The bodies Oh
10 were recovered almost Immediately.
tt was one of the worst disasters which
has ever overtaken the Philadelphia
fire department.
The Friendlander factory had been
completely burned out and the fire con-
fined to within the four walls when the
disaster occurred.
Chief Baxter was standing on the
roof of a two story house on the north
and was directing the men. Water
tower truck No. : had a ladder against
the front wall on Bodine street, play
ing a great stream of water into the
flames. Just inside the building at
Bodine street firemen also were throw
ing water on the burning ruins. Sud
denly without warning the Bodine
street wall fell inward, burying all the
men who were within the building and
carrying down the big ladder of truck
No. on which there We're half dozen
men.
Four of the firemen on this ladder
are among the dead.
The cries of the men caught beneath
the ruins spurred their brother firemen
to instant action. No sooner had they
climbed over the smoking ruins than
there was a warning shout from a
nearby roof and in the next moment
part of the north wall OF the factory
came down. This spread entirely
across the ruins and caught within its
deadly grasp not only the brave fire
men but also a number of policemen
who had plunged into the thick of the
rescue work. In the second crash
Chief Baxter, a veteran, and who is
| " NC IttlIto lull pay III lIIS
great work in the department.. narrow
ly missed DEATH
Baxter Immediately gave orders for
more help and 800 policemen were
brought to the scene. There was a
rush of firemen and policemen to enter
the now piled up ruins, but Baxter at
first sent in selected few firemen,
with warning to beware of the south
wall, which swayed in the stiff north-
west wind. The wall held while these
men set to work. There were cries for
help from every direction. Some of the
injured were able to extricate them
selves. Others We're pulled out by a
leg and some men could be seen but
could not be reached.
John Lattimer chief fire marshal, after
an all-day investigation expressed the be-
lief that the fire started in the office on
the first floor of. the factory. He was
unable to give the cause. Rumors of
probable incendiarism. he said, would be
thoroughly investigated
The factory building was IS years old
and expert building inspectors declare
that the age of the walls had something
to do with their sudden collapse. Edwin
1idih tIileI OIL llht Dultdu OF DullulNS
inspection, said the walls collapsed be-
cause of their age and the manner of
their construction. The mortar, he said.
was so old that a little heat converted it
practically into powder so that it had
no adhesive power
Then the Orders and beams were of
wood and burned out quickly, taking
away the only support of the walls.
Mr. Clark agreed with many others in
saying the firemen should not have en-
tered the building after the girders were
abaze.
Director of Public Safety Henry Clay
said that he had often impressed upon
tiremen that when they are working on
an old building it is far better to save
their lives than to try to save it.
A movement has already been started
for the relief Of the families of the dead
men. This afternoon the city council
passed resolutions of sympathy and May
or Reyburn has called meeting Of the
Citizens Permanent Relief Committee for
tomorrow Besides the funds to be rails
ed by this committee and by private sub
scription the families and minor children
of the firemen and policemen killed will
ne PROVIDED lot ny the ponce ana lire
mems pension funds.
Nearly all the men had families. John
Collins, fireman, leaves a widow and six
young children; Harry Bertolet, fireman,
leaves seven motherless children, and
some of the other victims left widows
and two or three children. The case of
Bertolet is very pathetic. His father
who lives at soldiers home, had come
home to the sons house to spend Christ
mas with him and his grandchildren.
whose mother died 10 months ago. Ev-
erywhere about the house were evidences
of preparations for the coming of Santa
Claus and even after their fathers death
the children, who range from less than
two years to 10, talked of the expected
visit of the mythical one.
The records of the police and fire de-
partments show that 100 fremen. 60 po-
licemen and 10 police surgeons were en-
gagged in the work of rescuing William
Glazier. 1t took 60 gallons of oxygen,
two quarts of Jamaica ginger, three
pints of whiskey, strychnne and other
drugs. rubber smoke hoods, two rubber
pipes. a suction pipe, shovels. axes, saws.
crowbars and other tools and IL tours
time to bring him out alive.