The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-07-23
over Sixty Persons Lost Their
Lives in the Fire in Garment
Factory Yesterday
Afternoon.
TEN MORE WILL DIE
Fifty Are in Hospital Suffering
From Burns and Broken
Limbs, Many Of Whom
Cannot Recover.

r1Inited Press Leased Wire Service1
BINGHAMPTON, n. y, July 23-
sixty.three persons, mostly women
and girls, lost their lives in the fire
which destroyed the overall factory OF
the Binghamton Clothing Company
here Yesterday. This was the est-
mate Of the police made early today
after reports had been received from
hospitals and relatives Of those who
were employed in the factory. Lines
of blackened bodies are awaiting iden-
tification in the morgue but are SO hor-
ribly burned that only by chance OF
finding some bit of clothing that muss
be recognized by relative is there
hope of the bodies being turned ove.
to the proper persons.
Fifty women and girls are suffering
from serious injuries in tho hospital.
OF this number it Is believed that tea
will die. Their condition is pitiful.
Some are so terribly burned that Their
bodies hardly resemble human forms
Others are suffering from broken and
crushed limbs. And Of the more seri
ously injured-those who may not live
out the day-their injuries appear un
bearable. IN addition to broken bones
suffered by jumping from upper win
dows. their bodies are terribly burned
A rigid investigation into the cause
Of the fire is expected to be started to-
day. The state fire marshal and the
district superintendent Of factory COM
mission are expected to arrive during
the day.
Throughout last night great crowds
surrounded the ruins of the overall
factory. Many were attracted by
mere curiosity but mingling in the
crowd were hysterical mothers and
fathers hoping to hear some word as
to the whereabouts of children EN-
pioyed in the factory. AS the nigh
wore on the curious departed for theil
homes but when dawn broke toda,
those searching for relatives still stoot
about the smoldering ruins which to
day will certainly give up more of it'
dead. OF employees In the factory a
the time Of the fire, forty-four are still
missing.
The bodies recovered late yesterda,
were found in the edge OF the factor!
ruins and today the interior must b.
explored Little could be done TOWARD
searching for bodies last night as tn
ruins were intensely hot. Today
however It is likely that call for vol
unteers will be made to start digginl
in the tons OF smoldering debris Il
search of bodies.
President Freeman insisted toda
that the company had taken ever
precaution against fire; that the floor
of the factory were kept clean an
that he believed the blaze may hav
started by an e1nploye throwing c
garette In waste material near doc,
The total loss from fire was toda
placed at 100000. This included $50
600 to the postoffice. $4,000 damage t
the Mcclellan drug company and los
on five other buildings which wer
more or less seriously burned.
1t was stated at the morgue toda
that but 10 bodies were held ther
Earlier reports of the number of bo
les recovered running into the tive
ties were due to the fact that som
Of the bodies were taken In piece
and hurried examination led to til
belief that more than score of dea
had been recovered. A careful chec
ing up in the morgue, however, revea