Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-27

New York, ~-rch c7.-Eishty-six
bodies Of the 1l1 victims OF the fire in
the ten-story Ach building on WASH
anston Place Saturday night have been
identified. Sixteen Of the bodies were
men. There are twelve injured in the
hospital.
District Attorney Whitman started
An official, investigation today to tx
the responsibility Of the horror In
which several hundred shirt waist
makers were sntrapped by a fire on
the three top floors. No arrests have
been considered and none will be made
until the facts disclosed give sufficient
evidence for taking this action.
Investigation Under Way.
The building and all other depart
ments were called on for reports. Fire
Marshal Beers began his Official In
vestisation today. It u now deanitely
known tha< the nrs started on the
eirhth floor OF tho building near q
window near the northeast corner. un-
der . cutting table In Q scrap heap. ana
it 1. thought from . cigaret.
Crowds began to assemble early TO-
day ct the snosgus 70 view the uniden-
stHied bodies, fiety.two In an AZ asast
i,ais q the corpses were unrecogndxaDie
ana only : smau tr3nkst. . shred oe
clothinx VIII help 20 show who the un.
fortunata vas. Some Of these bodies
nrrhahly never VIII be claimed Tne
Victims living alone in furnished rooms
nv litla fiats may have no 1rienO
and few acquaintances.
Only One Fire Escape.
Hs.,,~er Of tha Triangle Shirt Com
,.n~ which occupied the burned floor
denied today that the iron doors ieao-
s,- "a aha elevators and stairs were
locked. Tho fact that there was only
-. f.re escape on the building Will
cor,a in for a careful investigation 70
d.tarmina whether any official IS 10
blame. ..s,v
q. reviewinr the Investigation made
1ollowin9 the Newark fire horror. saio
mat the Ach building was not included
.,non. those having Inadequate 1irs
escape facilities. -
..This might well be-" said Mr.. NC
AnenAv sfor the reason that technically
the building appears to conform 20 'ne
code Tho natural conclusion - or
oueht TO be that the code should suf-
fer radical amendments =.
Relief Work Started.
PROGRESS has been made by public
ana civic organizations toward OFFER
Inc, relief TO those who have suffered
1ro,n the fire. The first contribution
was made by Mayor Gaynor. who head
"a the list with 800 and made an ap-
neai "a the citizens for relief fund.
Ind,,xtrdal organisations. theaters. and
civin bodies have also set in motion
ninns for supplementins the fund. Fire
Chief Croker today said:
Fl do not hesitate 20 say that more
annallinx loss Of life In big office build
inegor stores 10 liable to come at any
moment because Of the lack Of SAFE
guards"
Mafshal Beers summoned the pro"
nrietors Of the Triangle Waist Conn
,nanx and several employees to testify
q thu Investigation. He has been busy
collectin9 all available Information re-
eardinx conditions in the factory and
Vim INQUIRE particularly into the state
u,ent that doors leading to the exits
were locked.
s.;Sso So ..- s.,9 H:we been able to dis
cover" said Mr. Beer, "there has never
been Z fire drill IN the factory. In my
opinion Il would take the 700 girls
three hours TO reach the street by the
M escape that was used in the build
anE. can say that the shutters OBJ
structed t1sis dre escape.
Other Buildings AZ oanaerous.
..There are q thousand other build
l,nrs In this city In the sazne condition
. the scene Of Saturdays disaster. The
4uildings are passed as loft buildings
ana are then converted into factories.
Nine-tenths Of the employees can not
read English. yet in the examination
I have made could no. find sign in
the Yiddish or italian tongues which
out IRE exits.
pspaeement % Labor Blamed.
District Attorney Whitman said to-
Aay that according 70 sections 90 ana
q q the state laboF law tho responsi-
bflity Tor the disaster lies entirely WIKI
ne state department Of labor. The
building sMas inspected BY the depart.
sneut . ymonth ago and 16r.; Whitman
~ uouk to Albany for Q COPY Of the
sUpose
sss. Nation 70 learn Lesson.
Give ~ not merely flre PROOF Du;
loA1A DCool buHdings." bids fair to be-
sunicipal slogan In tAs many
- - s-, * M 81