Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-03-27
Many More Loft Buildings in New York VeritabIe Fire
1raps--LaW is Blamed for the Condition and Steps
Are Taken Today to Remedy Conditions I43 Dead
Special bp United Press Wire.

Special by United Press Wire.
New York, March 2T-Facing the
fact that there are not less than 150
loft buildings In Manhattan alone,
which are veritabla fire traps and
that horror exceeding that Of Sat-
urday afternoon which cost the lives
of 143 persons when the plant of the
Triangle Waist Company was de-
stroyed, Is possible at any time, i'm
mediate plans to remedy this situa-
tion were set on foot today. 1t
seems certain that the fault of Sat-
urday's holocaust Is not alone negE-
gence of individuals but laxity In
laws and that 1t will be necessary to
appeal to the legislature for action
District Attorney Whitman said
he intended to have the grand Jury
make sweeping investigation. If
criminal negligence is proven he in
tends that the persons responsible
bs punished.
While preparations for fixing the
resp ponsibility FOR tixS horror went
on pace today, various charitable
organizations and ciyfal bodies start
ed out to care for the destitute, de-
pendents of the victims, and bury
the dead. OF the lab bodies that
have been taken to the morgue all
but thirty-fve hare been identified.
Or the fourteen injured in hospitals,
i've will likely die. Oar
Hours after the flames were ex.
tfnguished f1remen searched In the
ruins for bodies OF the victims.
Searchlights played through the win
dows aided the searchers, while
thousands stood in the streets, many
through curiosity, few hoping to
learn Of the finding of lost relative
whose body could not be identified
at the morgue.
Firemen who had begun to wade
through the water in the basement be
fore 1t had been pumped out felt In q
hole under the sidewalk vault lights
of the Greene street side-a hole made
by falling bodies, but discovered moth.
ing. One of the fremen happened to
look upward while passing the spot
and so found two bodies Of young wo-
men beneath which he and his com.
pantons had walked many times.
The two dead girls were lying on a
lattice OF steam pipes about four feet
below the hole In the vault lights,
Their bodies had broken the concrete
and glass vault lights Of the pavement
and had fallen through the sidewalk
hole to the steam pipes.
Other firemen working IN tho cellar
of the building came across body at
the foot OF the shaft Of the two freight
elevators on the north side OF the
building. IT was 50 badly burned and
mutilated that the firemen were unable
to tell whether it was the body Of q
man or woman. One Of the women
found ON the steam pipes wore locket
with the initials u. IT, engraved on
1t and the other pair of earrings set
with chip diamonds.
Max Blanck, one Of the proprietors
Of the Triangle Shirt Waist company,
told the reporters that 1t was against
orders to smoke In their lofts. Later
the reporters while clambering over
the debris on the eighth door at the
place. where the FIRE started saw amid
the half burned pocketbooks, shoes and
other bits OF clothing q scorched ciga.
rette box. In another part OF the
building were number Of half smok.
ed cigarettes lying on the door. Around
some Of the bodies Of the men who
jumped and Ia the pockets OF their
clothes were Quantities Of matches.
Chief Croker said that he believed ths
fire was caused by smoker who toss.
ed either a match or q lighted ciga.
rette on the door among the piles OF
fContfnued on page 81