Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-07-25
FIFTY PERSONS KILLED.
Victims Mostly Women Employed
in Clothing Factory.

persons were killed, according to late
estimates, and many injured, a dozen
mortaly, in fire which swept the four
story factory building of the Bingham
ton Clothing company this afternoon.
The victims were chiefly women and
girls.
At midnight &c bodies had been recov-
cred. In the city hospital and in pri-
vate institutions are 80 injured. Some
two score persons are known to have
escaped, as by a miracle, from the
building, which burst into flame like q
tinder box and became a roaring fur
mace almost in no time after the first
alarm was sounded.
About 125 persons were in the fac
tory when the fire broke out. The un-
accounted for, or most of them, are be-
the structure. Around the scene of the
catastrophe, the greatest this city has
ever known, thousands tonight watched
the rescuers work in the glare Of three
big searchlights, many in the great
throng being restrained only by the
closely drawn police lines from rushing
into the ruins in an effort to find the
bodies of relatives or friends.
Water from many streams is being
poured into the fiery pit that few
hours ago was the cellar Of the burned
establishment. AS the ruins were
cooled bit from time to time in spot
upon which the streams were centered,
men went forward to dig as long as
human endurance would allow them to
work. Occasionally body was found
and taken quickly away.
1t will take at least two days, the au-
thorities believe, before the cellar can
be cleared and the whole truth known.
The big, outstanding fact of the ca
tastrophe is its suddenness. In this the
disaster bears strong resemblance to
the Triangle Waist company holocaust
in New York city, where 147 lives were
lost when the inflammable material
upon which the employees were working
and the waste which Uttered the floors
blazed up with inconceivable rapidity,
and set the imprisoned workers jumping
from the windows to their death. The
parallel here fails only in the lesser
height and different construction of the
building, and in the length of the list of
dead or injured. Another resemblance
to the New York disaster is that the fire
is believed to have been started by care
less throwing of cigarette butt or
match.
In the tragedy of this afternoon the
killing burst of flame followed quickly
upon the heels of the alarm. There was
small opportunity for any to use the or
dinary or even the emergency means of
escape. Fire drills had been carried on
regularly. In fact so regularly that the
employees had found them monotonous.
Binghamton, N. Y, July 23.-Thir-
teen bodies, burned beyond recognition,
were recovered from the ruins of the
overall factory of the Binghamton Cloth
ing company The first was found near
the center of the debris strewn cellar
shortly before noon. Late this after
noon, II more were uncovered at point
near where the stairway led to Wall
street entrance of the building. The
18th body was found tonight. 1t was
identified as that of John Schermerhorn,
the engineer, by pair of rubber heels
he is known to have worn.
One of the charred bodies is believed
to be that of Nellie Connor, the fore
woman, who sacrificed her life in an
effort TO save those in her charge. A
diamond ring and diamond earrings
worn by Miss Connor were found.
The body of Mrs. Mary Pryor, wife
of Thomas Pryor, was identified by
means of an insurance key bearing her
name. John Conroy of Wilkes Barre,
Pa, brother, aided in the Identification
Rings and other jewelry found near
the bodies are expected to aid in further
identifications. 1t is still impossible to
accurately estimate the number of dead
AT least so, probably more, are be-
lieved to have perished in the flames.
A partial list compiled by District At
torney Meagher contains the names of
seven identified dead, 28 rept rted miss
ing, and 81 survivors, some of whom
were injured.
At least Ill persons are said to have
been in the building when the fire broke
out.
Resolutions.
Whereas, it has pleased our Heavenly