The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-24
In Fire Drills Only Stairway
Was Used at Factory.
Inspector Had Called Attention
Defective Drill.
WINDOWS VIOLATION OF LAW
Wire Screen Glass Not Used to
Protect Fire Escapes.
Day Set Aside for Funeral of
Over Score Unidentified.

Binghamton, July 24.-State and lvcal
authorities today began an investiga-
ton of the circumstances surrounding
the fire in the factory of the Bingham
ton Clothing Company in which at
least fifty persons, mostly women and
girls, lost their lives. Representatives
of the state department. of labor, the
state fire marshal and state factory in
vestigating commission and the COM
mittee of safety of New York were
present at today's inquest which was
conducted by Coroner r. A. Seymour
of Whitney Point. Workmen continued
to search the ruins of the burned fac
tory building. OF the % bodies thus far
recovered only three have been identi-
ned positively. The others are burned
beyond possibility of recognition and
VIII be buried in a plot to be set apart
by the city for the unidentified dead. A
public funeral is planned for Sunday.
The task of compiling a list of the
slowly
OF those in the hospital four are in
jured SO badly that their recovery is
not expected. Besides the known dead,
thtrty-four have been reported missing
and probably lost their lives. Fifty
four survivors have been accounted for.
Not until the office safe has been open
ed can complete list Of the employees
of the clothing company dead, living
and missing, be made. The safe was
uncovered late yesterday but it was so
hot that no attempt was made to open
it.
In a formal statement State Fire
Marshal Ahearn declared that if the
windows and fire escapes of the fac
tory burned at Binghamton had been
tions by Inspector Kerrigan of his de-
partment, who made a recent inspec-
ton of the building, the catastrophe
might have been avoided.
inspector Kerrigan of the depart
ment had been in Binghamton,' says
the statment, 'for some time making
inspections and had observed that the
fire escapes were not made use of dur
ing drills and had made complaint
about it. He was at the fire yesterday
and reports that if the windows had
been protected by wire glass, as re-
quired under the labor laws, the en-
ployees could have made their way to
the escapes in safety
Scores of laborers, many of them
volunteers, 1abored throughout the day
in the search for buried bodies while a.
crowd Of relatives and friends of the
missing watched them silently.
The office safe, which is said to
contain a list of the employees of the
factory, was uncovered, but it was so
hot that no attempt was made to
open it.
State and local authorities promise
a thorough investigation into the cir
cumstances which made possible the
heavy death toll.
A public funeral probably will be
held for the unidentified victims and
it is planned to erect a monument to
record the names of those who per-
ished.
Many of the survivors called on
Reed B. Freeman, president of the
Binghamton Clothing company, at his
home today to extend their sympathy.
81 don't know how stand in a bust
ness way" said Mr.. Freeman MAYBE
it's all gone, but would give all there
was if I could bring back one of the
girls tO life